18Forty Podcast

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Seforim Chatter x 18Forty: How Jewish History Changes the Way We Learn Torah Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin and Nachi Weinstein discuss Jewish history, reading, publishing, podcasting, and the ideas behind Bashevkin’s book I Read This Over Shabbos.
They explore how accessible writing and serious historical study can deepen Jewish knowledge while preserving intellectual depth, historical honesty, and the centrality of Shabbos.
In this episode we discuss:
—How can Jewish history can deepen our understanding of the Jewish present?
—Why is serious reading and careful sourcing matter for Jewish intellectual life?
—How does I Read This Over Shabbos seek to make Jewish history accessible while preserving intellectual depth?
Tune in to hear a conversation about Jewish history, serious reading, the culture of books, and how accessible scholarship can strengthen Jewish intellectual life.
Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin is a writer, educator, and podcaster whose work focuses on Torah, Jewish history, education, and contemporary Jewish life. His writings include B'rogez Racheim Tizkor, Sinagogue, an NCSY Haggadah, Top 5, and I Read This Over Shabbos.
Nachi Weinstein is the creator of Seforim Chatter, a podcast devoted to Jewish books, scholarship, and history. His work has explored subjects including Shabbetai Tzvi, Spanish Jewry, the Ten Lost Tribes, the Zohar, and Italian Jewish history.
References:
I Read This Over Shabbos: Reading Jewish History in the Parasha by David Bashevkin
Sin•a•gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought by David Bashevkin
B'rogez Rachem Tizkor by David Bashevkin
Just One: The NCSY Haggadah by Dovid Bashevkin
Top 5: Lists of Jewish Character and Characters by Dovid Bashevkin
"The Sabbath Is a Chance to Read Again" by David Bashevkin, Wall Street Journal
"The End of Reading Is Here" by Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic
"Sabbatai Zevi Series" on Seforim Chatter
Sabbatai Ṣevi: The Mystical Messiah, 1626–1676 by Gershom Scholem
Changing the Immutable: How Orthodox Judaism Rewrites Its History by Marc B. Shapiro
Rashi by Avraham Grossman
Hakham Tsevi Ashkenazi and the Battlegrounds of the Early Modern Rabbinate by Yosie Levine
A Woman Is Responsible for Everything: Jewish Women in Early Modern Europe by Debra Kaplan and Elisheva Carlebach
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Liel Leibovitz: Why the Talmud Is So Hard To Love—and Worth Loving Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Today, we're sharing one of our episodes from our new program Talmud Daily, featuring our dear friend Liel Leibovitz.
You can sign up for Talmud Daily at talmuddaily.org, and you can subscribe in your podcast app by searching Talmud Daily.
In this episode, Liel reflects on falling in love with the Talmud precisely because it is so difficult—and on how its questions, frustrations, and intricate details can transform the way we live.
This episode was sponsored by Daniel and Jessica Courtney in memory of Dr. Stuart A. Courtney.
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YY Jacobson: The Teshuva of Coming Back to Yourself Sep 15, 2026

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This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi YY Jacobson, one of the foremost online teachers of Torah, about how each of us can experience redemptive consciousness by feeling Hashem's infinite love and presence in this moment.
In this episode we discuss:
—Why has there been a shift in the way we approach publicly sharing Torah?
—What is the nature of the Torah approach to vulnerability?
—What are we trying to achieve with our own teshuva?
Interview begins at 5:02.
Tune in to hear a conversation about the pain of existing seemingly separately from the Divine.
Rabbi YY Jacobson is a Chabad rabbi, teacher, and scholar of Torah and Jewish mysticism. He is the founder and dean of TheYeshiva.net, where his classes reach thousands of students around the world. A sought-after speaker, Rabbi Jacobson draws on Torah, Chassidic thought, Kabbalah, and Jewish philosophy to explore contemporary questions of faith, spirituality, relationships, and Jewish life.
References:
The Dance of Teshuva by David Ebner
Likkutei Torah
Ben Porat Yosef
The Trauma of Everyday Life by Mark Epstein M.D.
To Live with an Open Heart: Tanya through the eyes of a Psychotherapist by Devorah Leah Nussbaum
Talmud Daily
Tzidkat HaTzadik
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Etan Epstein: New Journeys in Torah Learning Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar.
Join Talmud Daily! A new free program from 18Forty. Ten-minute episodes a day (video + audio). Plain English. No prior knowledge assumed. No Hebrew required. Join here: Talmuddaily.org
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Rabbi Etan Epstein, the founder of The 300 Club, a program of committing to learning Torah for five minutes a day.
We also speak with two participants in the program, Richard Weissberg and Susan Sorosky.
In this episode we discuss:
—How does one begin a path of Torah learning?
—How can we avoid burning out and maintain consistency on our learning journey?
—Why are Torah and repentance so intertwined together?
Interviews begin at 8:56.
Tune in to hear a conversation about how the process of interpretation of Torah is a mirror image of a process of interpretation of the self.
Rabbi Etan Epstein studied at Yeshivat Shaalvim after graduating from Ramaz, before earning his B.A. from Yeshiva University and spending three years at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood. He then spent seven years studying at the Brisker Kollel in Israel, developing a deep expertise in analytical Torah learning. After returning to the U.S. in 2016, Rav Etan settled in Monsey and founded the New Rochelle Torah Center, where he became known for his thoughtful, engaging, and inspiring classes. In 2023, he founded the 300 Club, dedicated to helping every Jew experience the depth and beauty of Torah every day, five minutes at a time.
References:
“Mirror, Mirror of The Fall” by Maureen Dowd
The 300 Club
Mesillat Yesharim
Sefer HaChinukh
Psalms 27
Lamentations 3
Pirkei Avot
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Tania Friedlander: Teshuva and Becoming Capable of More Sep 01, 2026

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This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar.
Join Talmud Daily! A new free program from 18Forty. Ten-minute episodes a day (video + audio). Plain English. No prior knowledge assumed. No Hebrew required. Join here: Talmuddaily.org
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Tania Friedlander, leadership-and-performance coach, attorney by training, and former champion athlete, about how her husband’s Parkinson’s diagnosis challenged her expectations and taught her to become capable of more.
In this episode we discuss:
—What does it mean to make our expectations a central focus of our teshuva?
—How do we increase our capacity to handle the life we have?
—How can we embrace both the joy and pain that accompany the challenges of life?
Interview begins at 11:42.
Tune in to hear a conversation about taking on challenges head-on and finding the capacity to meet life as it comes.
Tania Friedlander is a leadership and performance coach, attorney by training, and former champion athlete. A Professional Certified Coach and Gallup Certified Global Strengths Coach, she works with executives and emerging leaders to leverage their strengths, overcome challenges, and achieve their professional and personal goals.
References:
Tanya
Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel on the 18Forty Podcast
I'm Not Alone by Riva Pomerantz
Loving Someone Who Has Dementia by Pauline Boss
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Chop Wood Carry Water by Joshua Medcalf
Likutei Moharan, Part II 23:1
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Ben and Yael de Toledo: Baalei Teshuva Building Community in Israel Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar.
Join Talmud Daily! A new free program from 18Forty. Ten-minute episodes a day (video + audio). Plain English. No prior knowledge assumed. No Hebrew required. Join here: Talmuddaily.org.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Ben and Yael de Toledo, founders of Pnima Jerusalem, a soulful community in Jerusalem, about doing teshuva by returning to community.
In this episode we discuss:
—What are the ingredients necessary for finding and building a community?
—How does one emotionally handle integrating into the Torah world without the benefit of a yeshiva background?
—How should Torah-centered communities relate to the full spectrum of Jews?
Interview begins at 6:16.
Tune in to hear a conversation about letting go of barriers, having faith in oneself, and creating space for Jewish life to thrive.
Rabbi Ben de Toledo is a Jewish educator and community builder, and a founder of Pnima Jerusalem. He and his wife, Yael, previously served as the founding rabbinic couple-in-residence at the Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue at the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi.
Yael de Toledo is a Jewish educator and musician who teaches Torah and music and studies at the Shirat HaLeviim Music Academy. She helped found Pnima Jerusalem with her husband, Rabbi Ben de Toledo.
References:
Listening to God: Inspirational Stories for My Grandchildren by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
Netivot Shalom
The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel
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Shlomo Pill: When a Rabbi Doctor Struggles With Addiction Aug 19, 2026

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This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar.
Join Talmud Daily! A new free program from 18Forty. Ten-minute episodes a day (video + audio). Plain English. No prior knowledge assumed. No Hebrew required. Begins August 24, 2026. Join here: Talmuddaily.org
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to rabbi, attorney, and professor Shlomo Pill about how Torah and teshuva have helped him handle his struggle with addiction.
In this episode we discuss:
—How do we bring ourselves to do teshuva when things outwardly appear to be going well?
—How can we give our children Jewish tools for processing, explaining, and coming to terms with life’s difficulties?
—How can Torah help us in the inner work of overcoming our negative impulses?
Interview begins at 4:53.
Tune in to hear a conversation about addiction, teshuva, and the ways Torah can help us make sense of life’s struggles and find a path toward growth.
Rabbi Dr. Shlomo C. Pill is a rabbi, attorney, and law professor whose scholarship focuses on Jewish, Islamic, and American law, religious liberty, and the relationship between religious traditions and the American legal system. He is an Assistant Professor of Law at Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law and previously taught at Emory University. He is the co-author of Setting the Table: An Introduction to the Jurisprudence of Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein’s Arukh Hashulchan and is also the founder of Beis Midrash Nishmas HaTorah in Houston, where he teaches Torah and Penimiyus haTorah.
References:
Tzidkat HaTzadik 154
Story of Our Lives: An Epic Quest for the Soul of our Tradition by Yaakov Klein
Attached by Yakov Danishefsky
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Mendel Horowitz: A Good Enough Elul Aug 13, 2026

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Join Talmud Daily! A new free program from 18Forty. Ten-minute episodes a day (video + audio). Plain English. No prior knowledge assumed. No Hebrew required. Begins August 24, 2026. Join here: Talmuddaily.org
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we return to the topic of teshuva by talking to Mendel Horowitz, a Jerusalem-based psychotherapist, researcher, and author who introduces us to the notion of having a Good Enough Elul.
You can learn more about the Good Enough Elul initiative here and read Mendel's article on psychodynamic therapy here.
In this episode we discuss:
—What is the nature of the inner work we do over Elul?
—How do our psychological and religious work overlap and interact?
—How can we detach ourselves from external expectations and learn how to live comfortably in pursuit of our purest desires?
Interview begins at 27:00.
Tune in to hear a conversation about how we discover our most essential selves.
Mendel Horowitz, M.S., is a Jerusalem-based psychotherapist, researcher, and author certified by the International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists. His research interests include group therapy and the intersection of masculinity, loneliness, and faith. He is a founding member of United Hatzalah’s Psychotrauma & Crisis Response Unit and a member of the Public Outreach Committee of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. His essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Jerusalem Post, JTA, The Forward, and the Jewish Journal, among other publications, and his professional writing has appeared in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy.
References:
Tur
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer
Song of Songs 6:3
Psychoanalysis: The Impossible Profession by Janet Malcolm
The Examined Life: How We Lose and Find Ourselves by Stephen Grosz
"I'm a Psychodynamic Therapist. Here's What That Means." by Mendel Horowitz
Good Enough Elul on 18Forty
"Good Enough Elul: What This Is and Is Not" by Mendel Horowitz
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Berel Leib Epstein: Why Be a Believer? Aug 05, 2026

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This episode is sponsored by Dina and Daniel Heiss, in honor of the 10th yahrzeit of Dina’s father, Zev Yehudah ben HaRav Yisrael Michel. May his neshama have an aliya.
In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to author and theoretical physicist Berel Leib Epstein about rational reasons to choose to believe in Judaism and live a Jewish life.
In this episode we discuss:
—In a time without clear and open revelation and miracles, how do we find God in the modern world? —How is Kabbalah like quantum mechanics?
—Why is it worth discussing reasons to believe in God in the first place?
Interview begins at 11:40.
Tune in to hear a conversation about how we find truth and build meaning in our lives.
Dr. Berel Leib Epstein is a theoretical physicist with a background in nonlinear optics and laser physics. After studying under Dr. Phillip Sprangle at the University of Maryland, he joined the Johns Hopkins Physics Laboratory, working on innovative research projects aimed at maintaining America’s technological edge in defense. Berel lives with his wife and children in Baltimore, Maryland, where he also learns in Yeshivas Ner Yisroel.
References:
Emunah and Physics: A Jewish Resolve by Dr. Berel Leib Epstein
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YY Jacobson: 'Jews were chosen to hold onto the frequency of redemptive consciousness' [18 Questions, 40 Mystics] Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

While we await the next installment of the 18Forty Podcast, we invite you to enjoy this episode from our serires 18 Questions, 40 Mystics.
In this insightful conversation, Rabbi YY Jacobson presents Jewish mysticism as a dynamic framework for consciousness and connection rather than abstract theology. He passionately and clearly illustrates how faith and, ultimately, surrender can redefine how we see ourselves, our pain, and the world around us.
Before the Lubavitcher Rabbi’s passing, Rabbi Jacobson served as one of his oral scribes. As a close disciple of the Rabbi, he developed a strong foundation in the world of Chassidut [Hasidism] and Jewish mysticism. Now, Rabbi Jacobson is a world-renowned speaker and scholar.
He now joins us to answer eighteen questions with Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy on Jewish mysticism including how Torah is the map of reality, how spirituality should inform your relationships, and the function of humility in religious growth.
Here are our questions:
What is Jewish mysticism?
How were you introduced to Jewish mysticism?
In an ideal world, would all Jews be mystics?
What do you think of when you think of God?
What is the purpose of the Jewish people?
How does prayer work?
What is the goal of Torah study?
Does Jewish mysticism view men and women the same?
Should Judaism be hard or easy?
Why did God create the world?
Can humans do something that is against God’s will?
What do you think of when you think about Moshiach?
Is the State of Israel part of the final redemption?
What is the greatest challenge facing the world today?
How has modernity changed Jewish mysticism?
What differentiates Jewish mysticism from the mysticism of other religions?
Does one need to be religious to study Jewish mysticism?
Can mysticism be dangerous?
How has Jewish mysticism affected your relationships with yourself and with others?
What is a Jewish teaching that you always take with you?
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