In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 77 and 78, we read that if someone is warned once not to do something, but they do it all day long, they are only punished once, however if they are repeatedly reminded not to do something, and they continue to do so, they are punished for each time they were told not to do it. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to explain the role and importance of a warning. Talmud law requires new warnings each time someone does a forbidden action to hold them liable for their ac...
Oct 30, 2023•8 min•Season 20Ep. 77
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 75 and 76, we read that it was not allowed to question the lineage of any member of the army. When asked why, it was said that this was in order that they would be protected in battle by their ancestors. Jews follow a different set of rules when it comes to war. Whether they be always leaving a route for escape, or the rule against upending fruit trees during battle, this shows the importance of our moral code handed down by our ancestors. What are the rules wh...
Oct 27, 2023•7 min•Season 20Ep. 75
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 74, we read a line which might be uncomfortable to us in this modern day as it discusses “unflawed lineage” and the prohibition on who they can or cannot marry. Activist and content creator Hallel Abramowitz-Silverman joins us to unpack this complicated text to see how we could view it not as a way to be exclusionary, but instead to encourage us to think about the ways in which we have to both protect ourselves and be open and welcoming. What can we learn from c...
Oct 26, 2023•7 min•Season 20Ep. 74
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 73, we learn that if a child is abandoned in an area where people do not tend to be, that child should be considered a foundling, while if they are left in a place where people do generally congregate, they are subject to the laws of the community, and not those of a foundling. Rabbi David Gedzelman joins us to delve deeper into the idea of Jewish peoplehood, and the many ways that peoplehood can and should be conceived of. What could we be doing as a community ...
Oct 25, 2023•7 min•Season 20Ep. 73
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 72, the rabbis make an odd comment about the similarities between Persians and bears. Author, Ruby Namdar joins us to share his appreciation for the Talmud’s ability to include a good joke amongst the deep and important conversations, and his take of how the Talmud was compiled. Why is irreverent humor so important in modern times? Listen and find out. Like the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Send us a note at takeone@tabletmag.com. Follow us on Twitte...
Oct 24, 2023•8 min•Season 20Ep. 72
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 70 and 71, the question is asked as to whether we will act like angels or like angry beasts. Ezra Seplowitz joins us to discuss his project in response to the “Day of Rage” promoted by Hamas. Rather than support and promote violence, he and his colleagues conceived of a “Global Day of Loving Kindness” an effort for us all to promote and share acts of loving-kindness on social media, in your day to day life, and within your family. What are some of the ways that...
Oct 22, 2023•8 min•Season 20Ep. 70
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 68 and 69, the Rabbis ask why it says that the Jews ascended from Babylonia when they went to Israel, and share their idea that the land of Israel, and the holy Temple are higher than other lands. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us again to reflect on how one piece of land can be higher than another, and the strange way that God directs the Jewish people to the land of Israel throughout the Torah, not by stating a specific place, but rather just to the land that Go...
Oct 20, 2023•7 min•Season 20Ep. 68
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 67, the Rabbis discuss how to determine if a child is born Jewish. They explain what to do both when the father is Jewish as well as when the parents convert to Judaism. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to make sense of the term “the flawed lineage” of a convert and disusses the important components that someone thinking of converting must consider. In addition to making sure that they have gained a deep understanding of what it means to be Jewish through education...
Oct 19, 2023•7 min•Season 20Ep. 67
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 66, the story is told of how historically, the Jews would eat salty foods while they were building the Temple. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to explore what the salty foods are meant to remind us of. This tradition is a way in which the Jewish people stay in touch with their past, and continue to remember the sacrifices of our past, even, and especially in moments of happiness and holiness. What can we learn from this story today as we all feel so full of salty ...
Oct 18, 2023•8 min•Season 20Ep. 66
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 65, the Rabbis discuss whether or not witnesses are needed for transactions to be legal. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to share his take on this question, but also to help ground our Talmud study, particularly during these difficult times. He explores the way that the testimony of a witness serves to prove that what is going on has happened, and how important that can be for a legal transaction, but even more so today as the world is in such turmoil. How is a p...
Oct 17, 2023•8 min•Season 20Ep. 65
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 63 and 64, the Rabbis ask whether a betrothal that is set to take affect once another person has died, or has converted, or has emancipated, or had a sibling die, is a legal betrothal. The Rabbis conclude that these betrothals should not be considered legal because they would create enmity. The idea that these conditions would negatively impact relationships while they are awaiting the circumstances to take affect have been confirmed in modern times through a v...
Oct 16, 2023•7 min•Season 20Ep. 63
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 61 and 62, we hear a parable that tells of how a father is to distribute his property to his sons, with the final son getting a portion of the others brothers allotment. We are joined by Take One Producer Darone Ruskay as he is busy with the final preparations for his twin sons Bar Mitzvah tomorrow to discuss the intricacies of trying to keep things equal when dealing with a pair of brothers. Like many siblings they always seem to think that the world is unfair...
Oct 13, 2023•9 min•Season 20Ep. 61
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 60, we hear the story of one hundred men who each betroth themselves to the same woman, each setting different time periods as conditions for their betrothal, and thus allowing space for the other men to attempt betrothal. In order to better understand this idea of the failures of each of these men in their betrothal attempt, we are joined by Arynne Wexler who shares her essay the “Freedom to Fail”. What can our experience of the Jewish holidays teach us about f...
Oct 12, 2023•15 min•Season 20Ep. 60
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 59, Reish Lakish observes that a vessel can become impure merely by thought, while an action must be taken for a vessel to be imbued with purity. From this amazing story, we learn that it is not what we feel or think that contributes to who we are, but the actions that we take. What can today’s Talmud page teach us about that gym membership we purchased, but never use, or that novel that sits on our bedside table unread? Listen and find out. Like the show? Subsc...
Oct 11, 2023•7 min•Season 20Ep. 59
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 58, the question is asked as to whether one is allowed to derive benefit from something that is forbidden or otherwise frowned upon. Rabbi Dr. Ari Lamm returns to explain that there are certain items that are totally forbidden for us to derive benefits from (the sale of idols, the selling of produce from the sabbatical year) other things that are forbidden to us, we may still derive benefit from the sale of. What makes the sale of these two items different than ...
Oct 10, 2023•15 min•Season 20Ep. 58
Our hearts and minds are heavy right now, and we here at Unorthodox are working hard to bring you a special episode in the coming days. In the meantime, we know many of you have questions about how we got here. To get to the root of some of them, Tablet Magazine hosted a zoom, moderated by our own Liel Liebovitz, and we want to share it with you now.
Oct 09, 2023•53 min
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 56 and 57, we hear the wild story of a torah scholar who stopped translating a simple word in the text when, for the first time, he was unable to understand its deeper meaning. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explore why it might have been that the Rabbi, who was able to find meaning in each use of a mundane word, would have had so much trouble with one use. How does humility and decency help us to find creativity and depth in our work? Listen and find out. L...
Oct 09, 2023•10 min•Season 20Ep. 56
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 54 and 55, the Rabbis discuss what to do about the misuse of monies that were originally collected for the holy work of the upkeep of the Temple. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin returns to discuss the idea that it is our failings that make us who we are. In exploring the idea that “the torah was not given to angels” he helps us to understand that we need not be perfect to have purpose and holiness in our lives. How should we respond to our evil inclinations? Listen and f...
Oct 06, 2023•8 min•Season 20Ep. 54
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 53, we hear the story of the gluttonous priest who takes more than their share of the food offering, leaving others to have less. Rabbi Michael Paley and Briyah Paley hosts of Two Paleys On A Pod join us to discuss the idea of poorly behaving clergy. They discuss how the sharing of foods took place in their home, and the role of greed in our lives. Is there an easy way to think about greed in our lives? Listen and find out. Like the show? Subscribe to our weekly...
Oct 05, 2023•10 min•Season 20Ep. 53
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 52, we read the story of Rabbi Yehudah not wanting to allow the students of Rabbi Meir to enter the study hall as he thought that they were not there to study, but rather just to be an annoyance. In light of the recent presidential Republican debate, where those on the stage appeared at times to just be there to be vexatious, we welcome back Presidential historian Tevi Troy to tell the story of when Harry Truman was strong-armed by a friend to meet with Chaim We...
Oct 04, 2023•7 min•Season 20Ep. 52
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 51, the Rabbis ponder what is meant when a father indicates that his eldest daughter is betrothed to be married in the case where he has had more than one set of daughters, and thus it is not clear if he is discussing the eldest of the first set, or the eldest of the second set. This idea of being put into a situation of uncertainty is something that the Rabbis of the Talmud were trying to make sense of, as are scientists today. A recent experiment, published in...
Oct 03, 2023•9 min•Season 20Ep. 51
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 49 and 50, the Rabbis discuss what level of a scholar one must be when the promise to be a scholar is in their request for betrothal. Surprisingly for the Talmud, the Rabbis do not say that when calling yourself a scholar, you must be one of the greats, but rather that you must be able to identify what you know, and no more. What do the Rabbis of the Talmud and psychologist Carol Dweck have in common? Listen and find out. Like the show? Subscribe to our weekly ...
Oct 02, 2023•9 min•Season 20Ep. 49
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 47 and 48, the Rabbis begin by discussing when a wage needs to be paid, and whether a betrothal based on a loan is legitimate, but then moves on discuss the difference that should be considered when dealing with an artist, who in their work has not merely provided a service, but created something of beauty. Tablet Studios General Manager, and co-host of the Beautifully Jewish segment of Unorthodox, Tanya Singer to discuss whether creating art is more than just ...
Sep 29, 2023•10 min•Season 20Ep. 47
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 46, the Rabbis discuss the ways that a parent can fail to live up to their parental responsibilities, and thus make it as though the child were an orphan. Tablet Senior Editor Gabe Sanders joins us to discuss his relationship with his father as he was growing up, and the lessons that he continued to learn from him even as his father struggled with Alzheimer’s. What are the ways that a father can be present for their child? Listen and find out. Like the show? Sub...
Sep 28, 2023•9 min•Season 20Ep. 46
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 45, the Rabbis discuss what makes for a degrading betrothal? Is it the location, the betrothal gift, or both? Stephanie Butnick, the co-host of the Unorthodox podcast returns to discuss what makes an appropriate proposal, and gives her thoughts on how over the top a proposal can and or should be? Should a marriage proposal ever be a total surprise to either member of the couple? Listen and find out. Like the show? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Send us a no...
Sep 27, 2023•10 min•Season 20Ep. 45
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 42, 43 and 44, the Rabbis discuss whether someone you appoint as an agent can serve as a witness. To meditate on the question of being a witness, and in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, Michael Millenson joins us to share his experience of being a student in Israel during the Yom Kippur War and bearing witness to it firsthand. How does the act of seeing something first hand impact your thoughts on it years later? Listen and find out....
Sep 26, 2023•31 min•Season 20Ep. 42
In today’s Talmud pages, Kiddushin 40 and 41, we begin by telling the story of when Rabbi Tzadok was enticed by a noblewoman to engage in sexual intercourse with her. But rather than focus specifically on this page, today, and all this week we have been celebrating a few milestones. These are: the new Jewish year, 5784; our reaching the middle page of the Talmud; and the upcoming publication of Liel’s book How the Talmud Can Change Your Life: Surprisingly Modern Advice from a Very Old Book. Toda...
Sep 22, 2023•8 min•Season 20Ep. 40
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 39, the Rabbis begin with a conversation about the purchasing and gathering of produce. But rather than focus specifically on this page, today, and all this week we will be celebrating a few milestones. We will be celebrating the new Jewish year, 5784, our reaching the middle page of the Talmud, that’s right we have hit the mid-point of this journey, and finally the upcoming publication of Liel’s book How the Talmud Can Change Your Life: Surprisingly Modern Advi...
Sep 21, 2023•11 min•Season 20Ep. 39
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 38, the Rabbis begin with a conversation about when it was allowed to eat the first produce of the land of Israel. But rather than focus specifically on this page, today, and all this week we will be celebrating a few milestones. We will be celebrating the new Jewish year, 5784, our reaching the middle page of the Talmud, that’s right we have hit the mid-point of this journey, and finally the upcoming publication of Liel’s book How the Talmud Can Change Your Lif...
Sep 20, 2023•13 min•Season 20Ep. 38
In today’s Talmud page, Kiddushin 37, we begin with a discussion of mitzvot that require one to be in the land of Israel. But rather than focus specifically on this page, today, and all this week we will be celebrating a few milestones. We will be celebrating the new Jewish year, 5784, our reaching the middle page of the Talmud, that’s right we have hit the mid-point of this journey, and finally the upcoming publication of Liel’s book How the Talmud Can Change Your Life: Surprisingly Modern Advi...
Sep 19, 2023•12 min•Season 20Ep. 37
