Best Tablet Magazine Podcasts (2025)

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Zevachim 47 and 48 - Where We Stand 12:07

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2d ago12:07

12:07

On today’s pages, Zevachim 47 and 48, we learn about Makom HaZevachim, the precise location where each Temple sacrifice was performed. But as Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin explains, this chapter became part of our daily prayers not for its geography, but its spirit: prayer itself is how we find our place in a chaotic world. What does it mean to build an ar…

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Zevachi 46 - For the Sake of Mindfulness 6:06

3d ago6:06

6:06

On today’s page, Zevachim 46, a Mishnah lists six intentions required when bringing a sacrifice—from naming the offering to aiming it toward God’s will. Read as a life practice, it’s a blueprint for mindfulness. What happens when we bring this level of purpose to everything we do? Listen and find out.…

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Zevachim 45 - Faith in Preparation 6:45

4d ago6:45

6:45

On today’s page, Zevachim 45, the rabbis wonder aloud why they’re debating laws for a Temple that doesn’t exist. The answer? Study isn’t just about what is — it’s about what could be. Why does learning something seemingly irrelevant keep faith alive? Listen and find out.By Tablet Magazine

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Zevachim 44 - Public Servants of the Sacred 7:16

5d ago7:16

7:16

On today’s page, Zevachim 44, the priests are granted a curious right: they may keep restitution from a thief who wronged a convert with no heirs. The lesson? The kohanim aren’t above us—they’re for us, spiritual family for the unrooted. What happens when power comes with empathy, not entitlement? Listen and find out.…

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Zevachin 42 and 43 - The Thought Counts 10:46

6d ago10:46

10:46

On today’s pages, Zevachim 42 and 43, the rabbis introduce the strange concept of pigul—a sacrifice made invalid not by an action, but by a stray thought. To explain this rare prohibition, Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explore why, in the Temple, even the mind was subject to divine law. What can this idealized world of kodshim teach us about al…

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Drug Wars, Sanctions, Nuclear Power, and Japan 30:52

9d ago30:52

30:52

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Trump's expanding military operations against Venezuelan drug traffickers, new US sanctions on Russia, China's nuclear power build-out, and Japan's new heavy metal-drumming, Thatcher-admiring, female prime minister.By Tablet Magazine

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Zevachim 40 and 41 - Less Is More 9:02

9d ago9:02

9:02

On today’s pages, Zevachim 40 and 41, the rabbis discuss the high priest’s two sets of garments—one dazzling and jeweled, the other plain white for Yom Kippur. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to explain why Judaism teaches that true importance isn’t shown by adding layers, but by stripping them away. What does holiness look like when we return to th…

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Zevachim 39 - The Spectrum of Sanctity 5:00

10d ago5:00

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On today’s page, Zevachim 39, the rabbis compare the Temple’s two altars—one outer and forgiving, one inner and exacting—and uncover a deeper lesson. Holiness, they suggest, isn’t binary but a spectrum. What happens when we stop chasing perfection and instead take one more small, sincere step toward the sacred? Listen and find out.…

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Zevachim 38 - Daf and On 19:31

11d ago19:31

19:31

On today’s page, Zevachim 38, we pause to reflect on the monumental project that makes daily study possible: the Steinsaltz Talmud. We’re joined by Rabbi Meni Even-Israel, son of the late Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz, to talk about translating the untranslatable, carrying a legacy forward, and what comes after the Daf Yomi cycle ends. How do y…

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Zevachim 37 - Neural Notes 6:48

12d ago6:48

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On today’s page, Zevachim 37, the rabbis teach that Torah can be shaped by both how it’s written and how it’s heard. Modern brain science agrees, showing that reading silently still lights up the mind’s acoustic pathways. What happens when ancient wisdom and modern neuroscience harmonize? Listen and find out.…

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Zevachim 35 and 36 - Broth and Soul 7:26

13d ago7:26

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 35 and 36, the Talmud says bones don’t count as food—but modern wisdom might disagree. Between the altar and the kitchen, we find a shared idea: nothing sacred—or edible—should go to waste. How can mindful eating become its own act of devotion? Listen and find out.By Tablet Magazine

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Zevachim 33 and 34 - Offering Slow Jams 9:47

16d ago9:47

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 33 and 34, the rabbis test the edges of sacrifice law: non-kosher limbs, wild game, and the line between an ideal instruction and a binding limit. The result is a masterclass in Talmudic logic that turns hypotheticals into clarity. How does precision in language shape what we can—and can’t—offer? Listen and find out.…

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Zevachim 30, 31, and 31 - Touching Me, Touching You 7:01

17d ago7:01

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 30, 31, and 32, the rabbis ask whether simply reaching a hand into the Temple counts as entering it—reminding us that even the smallest touch has power. From sacred law to modern science, touch shapes how we connect, heal, and feel alive. What does the Talmud teach us about rediscovering the holiness in human contact? Lis…

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The Return of the Hostages, an AfPak War, and India 30:30

19d ago30:30

30:30

This week, Walter and Jeremy return to discuss the Gaza hostage release and ceasefire deal, a possible war between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Walter's travels in India and Sri Lanka.By Tablet Magazine

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Zevachim 28 and 29 - Intent in Action 7:05

20d ago7:05

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 28 and 29, the rabbis return to a central theme: the power of kavanah—intentionality in action. A sacrifice counts only when it’s offered with total focus of heart and mind. To bring this teaching to life, we revisit a stirring speech from farmer and Tablet Magazine Sinai Award winner Joel Salatin, who speaks about devoti…

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Zevachim 26 and 27 - How to Train Your Brain 7:21

23d ago7:21

7:21

On today’s pages, Zevachim 26 and 27, a father challenges his son with puzzles worthy of a Talmudic logic olympiad. Behind the levitating livestock lies a deeper goal: to raise a child who can reason through chaos. How can the Talmud’s model of education help us teach not memorization but mindfulness and moral clarity? Listen and find out.…

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Zevachim 23, 24, and 25 - Stand and Deliver 6:54

24d ago6:54

6:54

On today’s pages, Zevachim 23, 24, and 25, the Talmud insists that priests must stand while serving, echoing Deuteronomy’s command to “stand to minister.” After a long stretch of holidays filled with more standing than sitting, this teaching hits home. What does standing up—literally—teach us about focus, presence, and prayer? Listen and find out.…

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Zevachim 21 and 22 - Sound Off 8:28

27d ago8:28

8:28

On today’s pages, Zevachim 21 and 22, we learn that the priests in the ancient Temple invented a noisy contraption for no other reason than letting their colleagues know it was time to begin getting ready for work. In doing so, it turns out, they figured out a massively important part of modern product design, namely making sure that our gadgets ma…

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Zevachim 19 and 20 - Friends in High Places 13:11

1M ago13:11

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 19 and 20, we glimpse a rare moment of honor from a Persian king. To reflect on what such moments mean, we welcome Yael Leibowitz, author of Ezra-Nehemiah: Retrograde Revolution. Can ancient lessons about dignity, partnership, and resilience guide us in thinking about international relationships today? Listen and find out…

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Zevachim 17 and 18 - Amazin’ Faith 10:58

1M ago10:58

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 17 and 18, the Talmud examines failures in the Temple—when even the priests can’t get it right. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to connect those failures to the enduring agony of Mets fans. Can learning to endure collapse without losing faith bring us closer to understanding Yom Kippur—and even the Messiah? Listen and find…

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Zevachim 16 - Good Grief 7:29

1M ago7:29

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On today’s page, Zevachim 16, the rabbis insist that no one grappling with acute grief, with the exception of the High Priest, be asked to partake in offering sacrifices, because mourners must be allowed to focus on their loss and their pain. What can we learn from the Talmud when it comes to thrusting the families of victims into the limelight? Li…

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Zevachim 14 and 15 - Essential Vessels 8:49

1M ago8:49

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 14 and 15, the Mishnah rules that only a proper priest can collect the blood of a sacrifice into a vessel. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin explains why this seemingly passive step is essential: it turns fleeting life force into something that can endure. What does this teach us about the vessels we need to hold our own spirit and p…

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Zevachim 12 and 13 - Cruel Intentions 8:22

1M ago8:22

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 12 and 13, the Talmud reminds us again that intention matters a lot when offering sacrifices. But why? After all, in every other aspect of life, when we do something good, few people care if we did the right thing for the wrong reason. How is the world of offering sacrifices to God different than the world of earthly huma…

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Zevachim 10 and 11 - The Day the Rabbi Was Impeached 8:32

1M ago8:32

8:32

On today’s pages, Zevachim 10 and 11, the Talmud tells the story of one of the most dramatic days in rabbinic history, the day one great rabbi was deposed as president and another young reformer elevated in his stead. Why the drama? And what lessons about politics and leadership can we moderns learn from this very ancient tale? Listen and find out.…

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Zevachim 7, 8, and 9 - Radical Kindness 7:09

1M ago7:09

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 7, 8, and 9, the rabbis debate the meaning of the mysterious Korban Olah, which was offered to God for no reason at all other than showing our love and gratitude. How can this ancient ritual help us forge better marriages, better friendships, and better lives? Listen and find out.…

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The Week When Decades Happened 38:07

1M ago38:07

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This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the Trump administration's apparent speech crackdown, the Saudi-Pakistani mutual defense pact, the rise of cocaine cartels in Mexico, the recent events that shook the Western order, and why rightwing influencers are obsessed by Israel and Jew hatred.By Tablet Magazine

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Zevachim 5 and 6 - Intent Matters 20:53

1M ago20:53

20:53

On today’s pages, ⁠Zevachim 5 and 6⁠, intent once again takes center stage: even a valid offering is incomplete if the mind isn’t in the right place. To mark the season, we share a special segment from our sister podcast Sivan Says, with Sivan Rahav-Meir guiding us into Rosh Hashanah. Can intentionality transform not just sacrifice but also the way…