Meaningful Judaism

Latest Episodes:

Rediscovering Tzitzit: Insights from Parshat Shelach (Re-release of "What’s Meaningful About Tzitzit? Part 2) Jun 27, 2024

(Part 2 of 2) Are tzitzit supposed to “mean” something? Most people who wear tzitzit probably don't find it especially objectionable or burdensome, but how many people can honestly say that wearing tzitzit is a deeply meaningful spiritual practice? That it helps them to be a better Jew, a better person, to feel closer to God? Probably not so many. For everyone else, tzitzit is, at best, a testament to one's commitment to following the Torah but without any unique meaning or character, and at worst, a ritual, performed by rote, simply because everyone else seems to be doing it, devoid of any meaning at all.

Is there a reason that God commands us to wear these funny tassels? The Torah tells us that tzitzit are supposed to remind us of God and mitzvot, they’re supposed to make us holy. But how exactly does that work? God could have asked us to tie a string around our finger to remember the mitzvot, or asked us to only wear shirts with the words “Remember God! Be holy!” printed on them. But instead we get this mitzvah about having fringes hanging down from the corners of our clothes. If God wants us to wear something that will remind us not to sin, tzitzit seems like a very random choice.

In this episode, Imu Shalev and Daniel Loewenstein tackle these questions and search for the spiritual meaning of tzitzit, diving deep into the Torah’s verses that describe the mitzvah. Their journey leads them to a host of surprising and thrilling destinations and, ultimately, to a whole new understanding of the message behind this commandment.

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Meaningful Judaism is a project of Aleph Beta Labs. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide. For our full library of over 1,000 videos and podcasts, please visit www.alephbeta.org.
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Rediscovering Tzitzit: Insights from Parshat Shelach (Re-release of "What’s Meaningful About Tzitzit? Part 1) Jun 26, 2024

(Part 1 of 2) The Aleph Beta Team is hard at work on new episodes of Meaningful Judaism. But in the meantime, we decided to go back to our archives and share this episode about tzitzit, which is discussed in this week's parsha.

Are tzitzit supposed to “mean” something? Most people who wear tzitzit probably don't find it especially objectionable or burdensome, but how many people can honestly say that wearing tzitzit is a deeply meaningful spiritual practice? That it helps them to be a better Jew, a better person, to feel closer to God? Probably not so many. For everyone else, tzitzit is, at best, a testament to one's commitment to following the Torah but without any unique meaning or character, and at worst, a ritual, performed by rote, simply because everyone else seems to be doing it, devoid of any meaning at all.

The Hidden Angels in the Megillah [Introducing our new season of A Book Like No Other] Mar 11, 2024

The Book of Esther has no Divine instructions, no prophecies, no outright miracles. God doesn’t even get mentioned. We all love hearing how Mordechai and Esther saved their people in a time of crisis – but does this story have any moral message for us? As we’re listening to the Megillah on Purim, what can we learn about coming close to God in our everyday lives?

Join Imu Shalev and Rabbi David Fohrman as they dive deeply into Megillat Esther to find an answer to this question. They start off with a very odd set of comments from our sages, claiming that there were angels at work in the Esther story. The Megillah doesn’t say anything about angels, so what on earth made the rabbis think that? Rabbi Fohrman teases the possibility that these strange angel stories are all pointing to a link between Esther, a narrative from the end of Tanach, and another story all the way back in Genesis. If we explore that connection, we may eventually find the key to the Megillah’s moral message.

A Book Like No Other is a product of Aleph Beta, and made possible through the generous support of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum. Aleph Beta is a Torah media company dedicated to spreading the joy and love of meaningful Torah learning worldwide.

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A Book Like No Other: Season 3 - Trailer Mar 09, 2024

A Book Like No Other is a chance to learn alongside Aleph Beta Founder and Lead Scholar, Rabbi David Fohrman, a master close reader of Torah, as he embarks on his most far-reaching and in-depth explorations. Each season is a stand-alone journey into a different Torah text. Our only goal: reading the Torah carefully, on its own terms, and following wherever that leads. Together, we'll unwrap remarkable patterns and surprising connections that lie just beneath the Torah's surface, revealing the beauty and insight that truly make the Torah a book like no other.

A Book Like No Other is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum, as well as the support of our members like you. Don’t forget, your membership gives you access to Aleph Beta’s full library of over 1,000 videos and podcasts, as well as bonus content for A Book Like No Other. Visit www.alephbeta.org to keep learning. And be sure to email us at info@alephbeta.org with any questions or concerns.

The Blasphemer: Why Would Someone Curse God? [Introducing our new season of A Book Like No Other] Jan 15, 2024

Rabbi David Fohrman and Imu Shalev study the tale of the blasphemer, a dark and puzzling episode buried deep in Leviticus. The details of this story are scarce: an anonymous man provokes a fight in the Israelite camp, curses God, and ultimately is stoned to death as punishment. But a close read of these few short verses sends Rabbi Fohrman and Imu on a surprising journey, raising provocative moral questions about God’s judgment and uncovering an unlikely connection between the condemned blasphemer and one of the Bible’s greatest heroes.

Join Us for a Meaningful Tisha B'Av Jul 27, 2023

Support Meaningful Judaism today and gain access to tons of meaningful Tisha B'av content on the Aleph Beta website. Visit www.alephbeta.org and use the coupon code MJ2023.

What Else Is Meaningful About Tzitzit and Kashrut? (Season Finale) Jul 02, 2023

Season 1 of Meaningful Judaism is ending, but before we go, we just have to share some extra Torah that didn’t make it into earlier episodes. There’s the beautiful idea about angels that got cut from our episode on tzitzit – but we’ve found some amazing new evidence, so we’re bringing it back! And then there’s the problem of fish and birds. They got left out of the episode on kosher animals, so how do they fit into our theory of why some animals are kosher and not others? Join Imu Shalev and Beth Lesch as they reveal the answers to these questions, reflect on the reactions to our first season, and look ahead to Season 2.

Have feedback for us? Want to suggest topics for Season 2? Let us know: info@alephbeta.org

What’s Meaningful About Not Eating Bacon? Jun 28, 2023

It’s one of the most famous of the Torah's laws: no eating bacon! But is there any particular reason for this restriction? Why does God permit us to eat cow but forbid pig? In this episode, Imu Shalev and Beth Lesch look for clues in the Torah’s language and zoom in on something that’s easy to miss: The Torah never actually says "Pigs aren't kosher." Actually, the word “kosher” doesn't appear at all in the Chumash (the Five Books of Moses). The Torah uses an entirely different word to describe those animals which we are permitted to eat, a mysterious word that most people wouldn't associate with the topic of kashrut at all. Could it be a clue to the deeper meaning behind why the Torah allows us to eat certain animals and not others?

Questioning Whether This Podcast Should Exist Jun 18, 2023

Yep, you read the episode title right. Should this podcast even exist?? We here at Meaningful Judaism put our hearts into creating quality podcasts that probe the meanings behind the mitzvot… but what if this whole premise is misguided? What if there’s a fundamental flaw? Does God really want us to be demanding reasons for the mitzvot? If we were really pious, maybe we would be satisfied keeping the mitzvot simply “because the Torah says so”?? And if we’re trying to figure out the “real” reasons for the mitzvot… well, what if we get it wrong? How can we be so conceited as to think we can know God’s mind?

And those aren’t even the most haunting questions. Could Orthodox Judaism afford to spend more time focusing on meaning? And why do the “Meaningful Judaism” reasons behind the mitzvot not seem to be reflected in mainstream Jewish life? Why aren’t our schools and synagogues teaching that keeping kosher is about source awareness and tzitzit are about self-esteem? Is Orthodox Judaism getting it wrong… or are we?

And let’s say you can access the “reasons” behind the mitzvot… Will you find yourself magically rescued from the “roteness” of Jewish life? Such that you will suddenly perform every ritual with all-encompassing devotion, make every blessing with all-encompassing intention, and go about your days with an ever-present awareness of God? Or is that a pipe dream, and this project is unable to deliver on its promises, is doomed from the start?

If these questions itch or interest you, then this painfully honest conversation between Imu Shalev and his teacher, Aleph Beta Lead Scholar Rabbi David Fohrman, is not to be missed.

What’s Meaningful About Tzitzit? (Part 2) Jun 04, 2023

Check out our new YouTube channel: Meaningful Judaism.

What’s Meaningful About Tzitzit? (Part 1) Jun 04, 2023

(Part 1 of 2) Are tzitzit supposed to “mean” something? Most people who wear tzitzit probably don't find it especially objectionable or burdensome, but how many people can honestly say that wearing tzitzit is a deeply meaningful spiritual practice? That it helps them to be a better Jew, a better person, to feel closer to God? Probably not so many. For everyone else, tzitzit is, at best, a testament to one's commitment to following the Torah but without any unique meaning or character, and at worst, a ritual, performed by rote, simply because everyone else seems to be doing it, devoid of any meaning at all.

Check out our new YouTube channel: Meaningful Judaism.

What’s Meaningful About Keeping Shabbat? May 28, 2023

What’s meaningful about keeping Shabbat? Lots of things, right? It’s a day of rest, a chance to put down our phones, learn and pray, focus on our family and friends. But Shabbat has its challenging aspects too. Sometimes the restrictions of Shabbat weigh on us and make it hard for us to appreciate how meaningful it is. So how do we hold on to a sense of the beauty of this day?

Well, what if we knew that keeping Shabbat actually makes something important, something kind of magical, happen in the world… even when it seems as if we’re just sitting at home doing nothing? And wouldn’t it be amazing if we had something to do or say, every single week, to remind us that we’re about to make this transcendent thing happen?

In this episode of Meaningful Judaism, Rabbi David Fohrman dives deep into the words of the Torah’s commandment to keep Shabbat and uncovers a surprising message about the profound meaning of resting on the seventh day. In conversation with host Imu Shalev, Rabbi Fohrman takes a new look at a Shabbat practice we may never have thought much about. And what they discover is that this familiar ritual actually ushers us through a portal to the transcendent meaning we long for.

Boy soloist featured in this episode: Reuven Richman

What's Meaningful About Niddah? (Part 2) May 14, 2023

What is the meaning of the ‘niddah’ law? Why does the Torah require husbands and wives to separate when the wife has her period? The laws in Vayikra describe the “whats” of niddah but not the “why.” Why would God want to keep husbands and wives apart from one another? And what does menstruation have to do with it?

And those are just the easy questions! In this episode, guest host and scholar Beth Lesch respectfully yet candidly raises questions about the challenges of observing these laws. In conversation with Yoetzet Halacha Adina Blaustein and fellow scholar Tikva Hecht, Beth shares her own personal and intellectual struggles with niddah, using them as a springboard for a deep dive into the Torah text in search of the meaning of niddah. What she discovers has the power to transform not only how we experience this mitzvah, but how we understand what marriage is all about.

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What's Meaningful About Niddah? (Part 1) May 14, 2023

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What’s Meaningful About Not Mixing Milk and Meat? (Kashrut Part 2) May 07, 2023

What’s meaningful about not mixing milk and meat? Observant Jews who follow the Torah know that cheeseburgers are forbidden… but do you ever stop to ask why? What’s the problem with adding a slice of cheese to your hamburger? Why is it so important to God that we abstain? Is it some kind of test, that God wants us to not eating certain yummy things to prove that we’re committed to the Torah? Is it that God wants to make it extra complicated to keep kosher, so Jews will be more likely to socialize only with others who also keep the Torah? Is it a law that has no reason at all? Is it none of the above?

Imu Shalev and Beth Lesch explore this aspect of the laws of keeping kosher, delving deep into the Torah verse that instructs us “not to cook a baby goat in its mother’s milk.” Weaving together textual analysis, personal reflection, and joyful conversation, they arrive at a surprising and beautiful theory about the meaning of this law. Come along on the journey with them, and come away with an energizing new perspective on what it means to keep kosher.
This episode is the second in a three-part series exploring the topic of kashrut. (Part 1 is “What’s Meaningful About Keeping Kosher?”) Stay tuned for a future episode on the distinction between kosher and non-kosher animals.

What’s Meaningful About Keeping Kosher? Apr 30, 2023

What’s meaningful about keeping kosher? In this premiere episode of Meaningful Judaism, a brand-new podcast from Aleph Beta Labs, Imu Shalev and Beth Lesch tackle the topic of kashrut, or keeping kosher, beginning by raising a fundamental question that you might not have thought to ask: Does the Torah want us to eat meat?
Yes, we know that no Jewish holiday table seems complete without the brisket. But does that mean that the Torah wants us to kill animals and eat them? Is it a spiritually laudable thing to do? The more, the better? Or does the Torah express a more complex, even ambivalent attitude on the topic?
In order to answer this question, Imu and Beth delve deep into the Torah verses that govern how we slaughter animals and uncover the surprising meaning behind them. Over the course of their conversation, they consider our relationship with animals and with the earth, ultimately offering two compelling ways of thinking about the ethics of eating animals. Don’t miss out on this thought-provoking journey that begins with a serious study of Torah text and shows its profound relevance in our modern lives.
Stay tuned for future episodes that explore other intriguing aspects of kashrut (the laws of keeping kosher), such as the prohibition of mixing milk and meat and the distinction between kosher and non-kosher animals.

What is 'Meaningful Judaism'? Apr 20, 2023

Meaningful Judaism is a podcast dedicated to exploring why we do what we do in Jewish life, by diving deep into the Torah text. So many of our practices can feel like they’re just there; we go through the motions but they don’t feel especially meaningful. In this podcast, we search for that meaning. Each episode will take you on a journey, tackling questions such as “Why can’t we mix milk and meat?” and “What’s the meaning behind the laws of niddah?” Join our host, Imu Shalev, along with Rabbi Fohrman and Aleph Beta’s other wonderful scholars for this special journey.

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