Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: I decided to record at least one episode commenting on the overlap between the Stoic and Jewish views on “true freedom.” We begin with an excerpt from Epictetus’s Discourses in which he addresses the complaint of the student who is interrupted in his studies by life’s obligations. We then read the Abravanel’s commentary on Chazal’s statement, “the only one who is free is someone who is involved in Torah,” and explain how this r...
Mar 22, 2021•15 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: This episode is about how I decided to record an episode today by deciding not to record an episode today and thinking about my decision not to record an episode today. If you’d like to hear what my own neuroses sound like when filtered through the mesh of Stoic teachings, then this episode is for you. Also, this may or may not be the last episode before I got on break for Pesach. Sources: - Epictetus, Enchiridion (The Handbook...
Mar 19, 2021•11 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: In today’s episode we continue our exploration of the relationship between Judaism, Stoicism, and the teachings of the Jedi Order as depicted in George Lucas’s Star Wars. We focus on a single statement made by Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi, which we examine in light of Seneca’s Letter #71, a famous Rashi on Devarim 6:5, and Ralbag’s intro to Gan Eden. Sources: - Pop Culture Detective: The Case Against t...
Mar 18, 2021•15 min•Season 3Ep. 14
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: In today’s episode we explore the relationship between Judaism, Stoicism, AND the Jedi Order. The YouTuber Pop Culture Detective produced a video essay entitled “The Case Against the Jedi Order” in which he raises a number of valid criticisms against the philosophy of the Jedi as depicted in George Lucas’s Star Wars movies and characterizes their philosophy as “Stoicism.” Over these next two episodes we will discuss which of hi...
Mar 17, 2021•15 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: Today’s episode focuses on an unusual letter from Seneca in which he explains his motive for studying abstract philosophical questions about the universe. I was surprised that Seneca was even interested in such questions in the first place, but I was absolutely flabbergasted by the reason he gave for his interest in thinking about such questions. As this title implies, it was a very non-Jewish reason. His phrasing reminded me o...
Mar 16, 2021•10 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: Today’s episode should be regarded as a brief introduction to a much broader topic: the similarities and differences between the Stoic and Jewish approaches to tefilah (prayer). We examine sources from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus – all of which are encapsulated in a single quotation attributed to Bruce Lee. In this episode I deliberately resisted the temptation to give a full exposition of my understanding of tefilah...
Mar 15, 2021•10 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: Today is Friday, and you know what that means - it's another episode of TSJ Q&A! Here is today's question: "Based purely on listening to your podcast and listening to the teachings of the Stoic thinkers, it’s evident that they were rational thinkers who utilized analytical thinking in their philosophy. However, as you say in your podcast, they had their own thoughts on metaphysics which we as Jews believe to be false. So I ...
Mar 12, 2021•15 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: Today’s episode was brought to you by Seneca and Starbucks. Thoughts of death amid the taste and aroma of Café Verona led me to ponder a line from “Our Town” and contrast it with a passage in the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. As we’ll see, the point he makes has validity, but only up to a point. ---------- Aurelius – Meditations 6:13 When we have meat before us and other food, we must say to ourselves: “This is the dead body ...
Mar 11, 2021•10 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: Today’s episode was inspired by a rather hostile reaction online to a #prequeltorahmeme I made which featured the word “rational.” In this episode we examine the manner in which Seneca, Epictetus, and Shlomo ha’Melech introduce their readers to the life of rationality, and discuss why it is, perhaps, the best method of making this introduction. Sources: - George Lucas, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones - Seneca: Letter...
Mar 10, 2021•10 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: In today’s episode we read a beautiful excerpt from a letter about on an old theme that Seneca is a master of eloquence: the fact that we do not know when we will die. After reading the letter I reflect on a very small example of how this came to mind recently. Be sure to stick around until after the usual outro, because I remembered one more point I wanted to make before stopping the recording. ---------- Seneca: Letter #101 T...
Mar 09, 2021•11 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: HAPPY MARCUS AURELIUS DAY! Oh, what’s that? You didn’t KNOW that March 8th in the year 161 is the day that Marcus Aurelius became emperor? No worries – neither did I! In honor of this day we’ll be taking a brief break from Seneca’s letters to examine a topic through the lenses of Marcus Aurelius, Richard Mitchell, and Rabbi Moskowitz. We’ve touched upon this topic before, but I have a feeling that this is one that could use som...
Mar 08, 2021•10 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: Today we're going to try an experiment ... The Stoic Jew Q&A! This experiment was suggested by my friend, Albert, and our first question was submitted (unknowingly) by another friend, Yoel Schaper, who asked me the question: "Are you a Stoic?" If you enjoy this episode, please send me more questions about the relationship between Stoicism and Judaism, about particular Stoic or Jewish ideas, or about real-world applications ...
Mar 05, 2021•11 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: In today’s episode we read Seneca’s lengthy comparison of the dingy “old school” Roman baths to the “new” luxurious style, and the habits and aversions of the newer generation to that of the old. It feels like Seneca talking about our present circumstances, albeit with different particulars. And as difficult as it would be for a modern Roman to be content with the old bathing conventions, it is just as difficult for us to give ...
Mar 04, 2021•11 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: Today’s episode was unplanned. I was feeling a bit emotionally raw on Tuesday night when I recorded this (for reasons I discuss on the podcast), and I decided to express what was on my mind and just let that take the episode wherever it went. ---------- Seneca – Letter #7 (conclusion) In order, however, that I may not today have learned exclusively for myself, I shall share with you three excellent sayings, of the same general ...
Mar 03, 2021•11 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: In today’s episode we discuss Seneca’s surprisingly hardline assertion that there is absolutely nothing that can be done to avoid blushing and other symptoms of stage fright. As a public speaking teacher, I take issue with this, and I support my opposition by citing some core teachings of Epictetus and Mishlei. If any of you have had success conquering fear of public speaking by using methods such as this, I’d love to hear abou...
Mar 02, 2021•15 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: We’re going to jump around a bit from letter to letter and topic to topic for the next couple of weeks. In today’s episode we read about Seneca’s reluctance to advise his student, Lucilius, from afar. The reasoning he provides is a core tenet of Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do, which is the foundation of my approach to teaching. Over the course of thinking about this I realized that Seneca’s words also shed light on why Pirkei Avos is...
Mar 01, 2021•10 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: On Asarah ba’Teves, our most recent fast day, we read Seneca’s Letter #18 and examined the differences between the Stoic and Jewish views of fasting. In today’s episode we focus on the “on festivals” part of his letter, in which Seneca advises his student Lucilius on how the philosopher differentiates his own behavior from that of the drunken crowd when celebrating Saturnalia. It turns out that the approach he advocates is not ...
Feb 25, 2021•12 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: In today’s episode we take a deeper dive into the letter we read yesterday, beginning with a reflection on a mistake often made by some Torah educators, including myself. We then follow up with a counterpoint (which I accidentally teased in yesterday’s episode) examining a topic in this week’s parashah – the aesthetic perfection of the Kohanim and their clothing – in light of Seneca’s comments about the attire of philosophers. ...
Feb 24, 2021•13 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: In today’s episode we begin a new letter in which Seneca warns his student Lucilius about becoming supercilious in his philosophical lifestyle and its external trappings. We compare Seneca’s advice to the guidelines for how a chacham (wise man) should be behave in the framework of kidush ha’shem (sanctifying God’s name) and in the framework of hilchos deos (the laws of character traits). Please take a couple of minutes to fill ...
Feb 23, 2021•11 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: Today we celebrate our 100th episode! In this episode I reflect on the production of this podcast through the perspectives provided by Epictetus, Aurelius, Thoreau, and Rabbi Moskowitz. (And yes, Epictetus actually talks about what makes someone a good Stoic Jew.) Please take a couple of minutes to fill out this 5-question survey: https://forms.gle/Vb1JbTwetwZQyzKs5 ---------- Sources: - Epictetus: Discourses 2:18,9 - Aurelius:...
Feb 22, 2021•10 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today’s episode we wrap up this discussion of friendship with an excerpt from another letter about friendship. I reflect on some realizations I had about friendship during the pandemic in light of these ideas – realizations that ended up sounding less earth-shatteringly profound when I said them out loud than they seemed in my head when I hit record. Can’t win ‘em all! ---------- Seneca Letter #9: On Philosophy and Friendship There is...
Feb 19, 2021•8 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Seneca states that the fear of opening up to others often stems from the fear of opening up to oneself. The question we explore in this episode is: What is the effect of knowing that there is a Being to whom EVERY aspect of yourself is revealed? In other words, what is the psychological impact of the metaphysical fact of God’s omniscience? ---------- Seneca Letter #3: On True and False Friendship There is a class of men who communicate, ...
Feb 18, 2021•10 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today’s episode we take a deeper dive into Seneca’s advice about differentiating between trustworthy and untrustworthy friends. The question is: How do we know which is which? We examine one answer based on Rabbeinu Yonah’s interpretation of a pasuk in Mishlei, and the idea we learn from this pasuk sheds light on a distinction made by the Rambam in yesterday’s episode. ---------- Sources: - Click here to access the full text of Seneca...
Feb 17, 2021•10 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today’s episode we begin a new letter on a topic we haven’t explored before: friendship. We compare Seneca’s criteria for real friends vs. fake friends with the Rambam’s broader criteria, as stated in his commentary on Pirkei Avos. Which classification of friends do you agree with more? ---------- Sources: - Click here to access the full text of Seneca's Letter #3 - Pirkei Avos 1:6, with Rambam's commentary ---------- If you have ques...
Feb 16, 2021•10 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Synopsis: Since today is George Washington’s Birthday (a.k.a. Presidents Day) I thought it would be fun to take up the question: Was George Washington a Stoic? The answer is clear not only from biographical accounts but from the way he lived. Additionally, one of the two “non-platitudinous” eulogies given at the time of his death (according to biographer Joseph Ellis) sheds light on what kind of Stoic Washington was – a classification ma...
Feb 15, 2021•12 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Seneca – Letter #1: On Using and Wasting Time (excerpt ) You may desire to know how I, who preach to you so freely, am practicing. I confess frankly: my expense account balances, as you would expect from one who is free-handed but careful. I cannot boast that I waste nothing, but I can at least tell you what I am wasting, and the cause and manner of the loss; I can give you the reasons why I am a poor man. My situation, however, is the s...
Feb 12, 2021•18 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today’s episode we examine Seneca’s statements about wasting time in light of a pasuk in Tehilim 90 (a.k.a. Tefilah l’Moshe), as explained by the Ibn Ezra. The difference between these two seemingly similar messages reveals a major difference between Stoicism and Judaism. ---------- Seneca – Letter #1: On Using and Wasting Time (excerpt) What man can you show me who places any value on his time, who reckons the worth of each day, who ...
Feb 11, 2021•10 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! In today’s episode we examine Seneca’s statements about wasting time in light of Saadia Gaon’s remarks about God’s relationship to time, noting the underlying metaphysical absurdity of going about life as though you have infinite time to spend and waste. This might not be “pshat” in Seneca or in Saadia Gaon, but I hope you’ll find the thought to be as interesting as I did! ---------- Seneca – Letter #1: On Using and Wasting Time (excerpt...
Feb 10, 2021•10 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Click here to access the full text of Seneca's Letter. The video version of my shiur entitled Elohai Neshamah Upon Waking can be accessed by clicking here , and the podcast version by clicking here . ---------- If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. ---------- Stoic texts: The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Letters from a Stoic Master (Sene...
Feb 09, 2021•10 min
Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Augustine of Hippo – The City of God, Book 6:11 What Seneca thought concerning the Jews Seneca, among the other superstitions of civil theology, also found fault with the sacred things of the Jews, and especially the sabbaths, affirming that they act uselessly in keeping those seventh days, whereby they lose through idleness about the seventh part of their life, and also many things which demand immediate attention are damaged … When he ...
Feb 08, 2021•13 min•Season 3Ep. 6
