Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 29 minutes 25 seconds Synopsis: AND WE'RE BACK! This episode is brought to you by the letter "I"—for insomnia. In a spontaneous decision to return to my old practice, I turned a sleepless night into a new installment of TSJ. If you're looking to up your gratitude game, this one's for you. We start with a recap of my gratitude journal practice, explore an idea in Modim and the Jewish approach to gratitude, then dive into an excerp...
Apr 01, 2025•30 min•Season 16Ep. 4
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 21 minutes 25 seconds Synopsis: There's nothing like a real-world example to showcase Stoic principles. This incident that happened to me a couple of weeks ago illustrates one of the core ideas in Epictetus's teachings: the use of "impressions." Not only that, but it also exemplifies one of the chief benefits of tefilah . Sources: - Epictetus, Discourses 2:18-30 ----- The Torah content for the first month of the new school year h...
Sep 15, 2024•22 min•Season 16Ep. 3
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 14 minutes 6 seconds Synopsis: In an effort to jumpstart weekly TSJ episodes, I've decided to start from the beginning of Meditations Book 7 and work my way through. Chapter 1 is very reminiscent of Koheles ... or is it? You can be the judge of that. Sources: - Aurelius, Meditations 7:1 - Koheles 1:9-11 ----- The Torah content for the first month of the new school year has been sponsored by the Brevique BrewLid. The BrewLid integ...
Sep 03, 2024•14 min•Season 16Ep. 2
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 14 minutes 9 seconds Synopsis: On July 19th, while I was in Seattle for the summer, my car - which I had been renting to a talmid - was rear-ended. What followed was a rollercoaster of bureaucratic insurance annoyances accompanied by anxiety from afar. The saga ended on August 23rd, this past Erev Shabbos, when they finally finished repairing my car 15 minutes before the shop closed. I arrived home and immediately recorded this e...
Aug 26, 2024•14 min•Season 16Ep. 1
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 59 minutes Synopsis: This evening (8/7/24), in our final Stoic Jew Shiur of this summer, we learned the fourth entry in Marcus Aurelius's journal. This, too, is a self-reminder to keep his principles at the forefront of his mind - but this is the first time in the Meditations that Marcus explicitly mentions his own mortality. As we've found in nearly every one of these shiurim, there is tremendous overlap between these Stoic teac...
Aug 08, 2024•59 min•Season 15Ep. 8
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 28 minutes Synopsis: This evening (7/31/24), in our Stoic Jew Shiur, we deviated from our sequential learn-through of Meditations and took up a timely question: What do Stoicism and Judaism have to say about the double-assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr? The specific questions we examined were: (1) What should or shouldn't we feel about the deaths of evildoers in genera...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 15Ep. 7
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 19 minutes Synopsis: This evening (7/24/24), in our Stoic Jew Shiur, we learned the third entry in Meditations Book II, which deals with some weighty topics: God, the universe, hashgachah (providence), and theodicy (the question of evil in the world). We began by underscoring the fundamental differences between the Stoic view of God and the teachings of Judaism, but by the end of the shiur, nearly everything that Marcus wr...
Jul 25, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Season 15Ep. 6
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 28 minutes Synopsis: This evening (7/17/24), in our Stoic Jew Shiur, we learned and discussed the second chapter in Book II, which had a markedly different tone than the first chapter. Here we see Marcus reminding - or rebuking himself - in order not to lose sight of who he really is. We raised a TON of questions and emerged with a nice, unified understanding of the chapter. ----- מקורות: Aurelius - Meditations 2:2 (trans....
Jul 18, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 15Ep. 5
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 15 minutes 31 seconds Synopsis: I can't believe it, but this past Friday marked three YEARS of gratitude journaling! In this episode, as I usually do in these "gratitude milestone episodes," I recap my gratitude journal practice and identify the benefit or level-up that currently stands out the most in my mind since my last milestone. And in this case, I go into yet another example of applying Stoicism to insomnia! Related Episod...
Jul 17, 2024•16 min•Season 15Ep. 4
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 10 minutes Synopsis: This evening (7/10/24), in our Stoic Jew Shiur, we achieved our goal of finishing our analysis of the opening entry of Book II. After reviewing and continuing what we did last time, we raised a question that has bothered me for years: Judaism has a clear statement about what our ultimate value system is, but what is the underlying value system in Stoicism? We then analyzed the final argument in the cha...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 15Ep. 3
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 32 minutes Synopsis: This evening (7/3/24), in our Stoic Jew Shiur, we attempted to do an orderly review of what we covered last time, but instead, we slipped right into a fresh analysis of some of the most fundamental questions in ethics: What do we mean by good and bad? We debated whether and to what extent Marcus Aurelius's answer to this question overlaps with our understanding of the Torah's stance. We became so invol...
Jul 04, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 15Ep. 2
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 37 minutes Synopsis: This evening (6/26/24) was our inaugural "Stoic Jew Shiur"! After a brief overview of who Marcus Aurelius was and what his Meditations are, we dove RIGHT into the text of Book 2 Chapter 1. We quickly discovered that this opening paragraph was rich in ideas and fruitful in providing insights into how we - or at least, how I - learn the writings of Stoics and non-Torah other philosophers and thinkers as ...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Season 15Ep. 1
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! I should have made this announcement more than an hour before the first shiur, but better late than never! 😅 ----- The Torah content for this week has been sponsored by Meir Areman, l'zeicher nishmas Zelda bas Ziesel, his grandmother, whose yahrzeit is on the 21st of Sivan. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss . Alternatively, if you would li...
Jun 26, 2024•2 min•Season 14Ep. 5
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 25 minutes even Synopsis: You might have heard of Bruce Lee's "Be Water, My Friend" analogy, and if you're a listener of this podcast, you might have also heard of Marcus Aurelius's fire analogy, but have you heard of Seneca's BEE analogy? I know I hadn't! In this episode we review all three analogies, discussing how they integrate with Torah (thanks to Rav Kook) and how they can be applied to life. Sources: - Bruce Lee - Marcus ...
May 31, 2024•25 min•Season 14Ep. 4
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 19 minutes even (Steven) Synopsis: This episode was inspired by four occurrences that recently befell me, each of which involved what we'll dub "a minor monetary fluctuation." The rest of the episode is devoted to unpacking the insights from these occurrences, using Epictetus as our guide, Jerry Seinfeld as our role model, and Rambam as the teacher who connects it back to Torah. Sources: - Epictetus, Enchiridion (The Handbook) 4 ...
May 20, 2024•19 min•Season 14Ep. 3
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 17 minutes 48 seconds Synopsis: Yesterday I walked into a swarm of bees. In this episode, I reflect on that experience and follow my musings to the writings of Epictetus, to the bee reference in Tehilim 118, to musings about Israel's present war, and to yesterday's commemoration of the Holocaust. Sources: - Epictetus, Enchiridion (The Handbook) 1:5; Discourses 2:18 - Malbim on Tehilim 118:10-12 - Bamidbar 10:9 ----- The Stoic Jew...
May 07, 2024•18 min•Season 14Ep. 2
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 21 minutes Synopsis: And The Stoic Jew Podcast is BACK! Or is it? Well, it's back for at least this episode, in which I reflect on 1000 days of gratitude and muse on the relationship between my gratitude accountability practice and the mitzvah of recounting the Exodus from Egypt. Whether this marks the return of regular TSJ episodes is up to my listeners! Related Episodes About Gratitude: - 7/8/21: The Gratitude Accountability Ex...
Apr 14, 2024•21 min•Season 14Ep. 1
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 22 minutes Synopsis: And we're back! By "we" I mean The Stoic Jew Podcast AND my insomnia! :D I've been up since 3:35am this morning, and I decided to make a podcast episode about my latest Stoic Jew take on my situation, based on the words of Marcus Aurelius and Koheles (Ecclesiastes), as explained by Ralbag (Gersonides). Related Episodes about Insomnia: - Blaming My Insomnia on Satan - A Cure for Insomnia … I Hope - Applying Ep...
Dec 18, 2023•22 min•Season 13Ep. 9
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 34 minutes 10 seconds Synopsis: What will you do or say in your last moments, when (God willing) you are on your deathbed? In this episode I reflect on the final words of U.S. presidents, the death poems of Zen monks and Japanese haiku poets, the statements and attitudes of the Sages of the Talmud about the particular circumstances in which we die, the final moments of the Jews massacred on October 7th (may Hashem avenge their bl...
Nov 21, 2023•34 min•Season 13Ep. 8
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 8 minutes 11 seconds Synopsis: This is the audio version of the 2.5-page article I published on rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ on 11/17/23, entitled: God of Time or Dog Eating Its Own Vomit? I wrote this in lieu of a parashah article because I needed to write it for myself. If I don't write for myself, who will write for me? And if not now, when? (parashah article can be found at the end) ----- The Torah content for the remainder...
Nov 17, 2023•8 min•Season 13Ep. 7
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 29 minutes 47 seconds Synopsis: In today's unscripted "Stoic self-talk workshop" episode, I reflect aloud on a mistake I caught myself making, in which I fell victim to the "God fantasy" of living life as though I were outside of time. Related Content: - for my most recent shiur on the phrase "b'Shem Hashem El Olam," here's Part 1 and here's Part 2 ; I gave these shiurim in September 2020, and have no recollection of what I said,...
Nov 05, 2023•30 min•Season 13Ep. 6
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 18 minutes 28 seconds Synopsis: My morning reading of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations , combined with my review of the Rambam's Hilchos Teshuvah and my reading of the most recent issue of The Imperfectionist (by Oliver Burkeman, author of my current favorite non-fiction book: Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals ), led me to a more effective way to approach the Aseres Ymei Teshuvah than in years past. Related Content: -...
Sep 13, 2023•19 min•Season 13Ep. 5
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 16 minutes 9 seconds Synopsis: This morning I read a passage in Meditations which answered a question I've had about the formulation of vidui (confession) for many years. This answer is similar to answer I happened to reread from the Rav (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik) this morning. In this episode I compare and contrast these two answers, which complement each other quite nicely. Sources - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 10:30) - Ra...
Sep 10, 2023•16 min•Season 13Ep. 4
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 29 minutes 44 seconds Synopsis: Seven days ago I made an episode about my thoughts and feelings about starting this new teaching job. In this episode I talk how four Stoic principles from Epictetus helped me to have the best first week imaginable. Related Content: - 8/28/23: Stoic Jew Thoughts on the First Day at a New School - 8/23/23: Two MAJOR Professional/Life Updates for the 2023-2024 Academic Year ----- The Torah Content fo...
Sep 03, 2023•30 min•Season 13Ep. 3
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 9 minutes 25 seconds Synopsis: I recorded this while sitting in the parking lot before entering my new school on Day 1 in the few minutes before school started. I wanted to preserve my thoughts and feelings in a manner untainted by hindsight. (If you missed the life update, check out the previous episode.) Sources: - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2:1; 4:8 - Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Sefer ha'Mada, Hilchos Talmud Torah 4:4 Related Con...
Aug 28, 2023•10 min•Season 13Ep. 2
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length of audio: 47 minutes Synopsis: Have you been what I'll be up to this coming year? Have you heard me allude to a MAJOR update that I said I'd announce about my professional life in the near future? Are you aware of one of these updates, but not the other? Well, if none of this interests you, then by all means, feel free to skip this. But if you are at all curious about my exciting plans for 2023-2024, then here is the FULL story. I...
Aug 23, 2023•47 min•Season 13Ep. 1
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 13 minutes 43 seconds Synopsis: I used to think there was something ... illicit (?) about my fusion of Judaism and Stoicism - at least, from the perspective of "Orthodox Stoicism." However, I recently learned that what I'm doing isn't too different from what Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius did with their Roman Stoicism. I'm just doing in the name of Judea! Sources: - William B. Irvine, A Guide to the Good Life: the Ancient...
Aug 16, 2023•14 min•Season 12Ep. 5
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 12 minutes 20 seconds Synopsis: I accidentally invented a new form of meditation this morning, which I call "taking a gratitude bath." I subsequently realized that I already "take a gratitude shower" every day when I say the morning blessings. I could have waited until I tweaked this technique and compiled sources to support it, but in the spirit of my breaking-through-podcaster's-block, I decided to just record it in my parked c...
Aug 14, 2023•12 min•Season 12Ep. 4
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 22 minutes 45 seconds Synopsis: This week, the historic city of Lahaina (Maui, Hawaii) was utterly destroyed by wildfires. As of the time of this recording, 36 people are dead, and hundreds of buildings have burned to the ground. (Update: the death toll is now at 53.) Upon reading this tragic news, my mind immediately went to the burning of Lyons and the burning of Yerushalayim. This episode, which includes a lengthy reading from...
Aug 11, 2023•23 min•Season 12Ep. 3
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 14 minutes 55 seconds Synopsis: Thank God, I've been sick for the past five days. In this episode I recount three lessons I have been reminded of and implemented during this time. As per my new/old plan: I recorded this primarily for myself, but if you gained from it, feel free to let me know! Related Rabbi Schneeweiss Content: - 8/9/23: Two Years (Plus) of Gratitude, 300 (Plus) Episodes, and Smashing Through Podcaster's Block (P...
Aug 10, 2023•15 min•Season 12Ep. 2
