Best Left In The Attic Podcasts (2025)

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LITA 3: Tackling Tabor & The Future of Colorado's Tax Policy with Chris deGruy Kennedy 50:01

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2d ago50:01

50:01

In this episode of Left in the Attic hosts Ana and Deep dive into a detailed discussion on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) and the potential for a new tax policy to reshape Colorado's future. They welcome special guest Chris deGruy Kennedy, head of the Bell Policy Center, who shares insights into the historical context and challenges posed by T…

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Episode 48 - Both Alike in Dignity 20:59

22h ago20:59

20:59

“AN/RN-202210-B circuli intra circuli [circles within circles] AN/RN-202210-C evolutio [an evolution] AN/RN-202210-D regarding AN/TA-ENTIRE” Transcripts available here: https://www.planarprod.com/the-attic-monologues-transcripts CONTENT WARNINGS: Discussion of needles and fear of needles, child labour, totalitarian government and control of informa…

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Episode 25: Nitza’s Attic 57:23

4d ago57:23

57:23

“When the Rabbis start saying: Well, when does this line in the Torah apply? And when doesn't apply? – You forget that their first radical move was to imply: This doesn't always apply. That's enormous. It's that shift that makes anything possible.” - Benay Lappe Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discoverin…

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Ep 94 - They Stole All His Jewels and Left Only Dirt – This Was His Response (Taanit 21a) 43:32

6d ago43:32

43:32

The Talmud (Ta’anit 21a) teaches the life-attitude of “Gam Zu L’Tovah” – this too is for the good – through the unforgettable figure of Nachum Ish Gamzu, a tzaddik who was blind, without hands or legs, and covered in boils, yet insisted that even his own horrific suffering was for the best because he once delayed helping a starving man and accepted…

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Episode 24: Sacred Disobedience 1:01:07

11d ago1:01:07

1:01:07

“Jewish law works like any legal system that survives for a long period of time – and it does so by the same mechanisms. And those mechanisms are the human insight that is brought to bear to modify, qualify, limit, and expand the law as one receives it.” - Benay Lappe Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, disc…

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LITA 2: Direction of Dems, the Housing Crisis, and more with Rep. Javier Mabrey. 39:31

11d ago39:31

39:31

In this episode of 'Left in the Attic,' hosts Ana and Deep delve into the direction of the Democratic Party, critiques of national Democrats' handling of the shutdown, and the ongoing housing crisis. They are joined by special guest, Rep. Javier Mabry, who shares his inspiring journey from homelessness to becoming a state lawmaker and champion for …

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Ep 93 - Rabbi Akiva Lost His Donkey, Rooster & Light – Then THIS Saved His Life! (Berachot 60b) 41:23

13d ago41:23

41:23

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast on Brachot 60b, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe teaches the foundational mindset for confronting life’s challenges: “Kol mah d’avid Rachmana l’tav avid”—everything the Merciful One does is for the best. Drawing from Rabbi Akiva’s journey, he arrives in a town seeking lodging but is refused everywhere; he sleeps i…

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Episode 47 - As If We Were Villains 29:44

15d ago29:44

29:44

“AN/TA-???#1 - gildi [a return] AN/TA-???#2 - annuus recension [annual review] AN/TA-???#3 - midforrad [middle management] AN/TA-???#4 - spaginnung [the call of the void] AN/TA-???#5 - absens [missing]” Transcripts available here: https://www.planarprod.com/the-attic-monologues-transcripts CONTENT WARNINGS: Performance reviews, threat (non-specific…

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Episode 23: Life Comes First 1:00:12

18d ago1:00:12

1:00:12

“How do you take what you have and analogize, and tie some new radical thing that you don't have but you want to insert into the tradition? This entire passage is part of the instruction manual! This is some new twist of creativity, a twist of imagination.” - Benay Lappe Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, d…

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Ep 92 - He Told a Crying Calf “That’s Your Purpose” – Then Suffered 13 Years of Agony! (Bava Metzia 85a) 27:25

20d ago27:25

27:25

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast on Bava Metzia 85a, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe delves into the profound theme of suffering, mercy, and redemption through the stories of Rebbe (Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi) and Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon. Rebbe, inspired by Rabbi Elazar’s preserved body due to accepted suffering, voluntarily endured 13 years of e…

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LITA 1: Building Hope in an Attic 47:52

21d ago47:52

47:52

Left in the Attic is a Colorado born podcast where two friends, Ana and Deep, discuss politics, power, community, and big life transitions while filming in an actual attic in Denver. Expect local and national headline debriefs, organizing stories, the chaos of life transitions (Ana in a career pivot & dating in Denver, Deep having a newborn), and g…

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Episode 22 - Hillel & Shammai: Beyond Elu v’Elu 58:43

25d ago58:43

58:43

“Ultimately the only way that you actually take these lessons into your soul is through trying to implement it in your actual life. And often that's gonna be failure!“ - Dan Libenson Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us rethink Judaism today…

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Ep 91 - Rabbi's Body Stayed FRESH for 22 Years in an Attic—You'll NEVER Guess Why! 😱 (Bava Metzia 84b) 1:01:20

27d ago1:01:20

1:01:20

In this Friday Thinking Talmudist episode on Talmud Bava Metzia 84b, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the extraordinary life and legacy of Rebbe Elazar ben Rebbe Shimon, a sage whose body remained undecayed in his attic for 18–22 years after death due to his unparalleled righteousness—his vessel solely for Torah and mitzvot, not worldly indulgence. The T…

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Episode 46 - The One Left Behind 22:30

29d ago22:30

22:30

“hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallow - £4.80 blueberry muffin - £3.60 autumn special with oat milk - £5.20 soul tracking necklace - £30 iced oat matcha latte with vanilla - £4.30 ousia tourques - £50 emotional damage - priceless, nonrefundable” Transcripts available here: https://www.planarprod.com/the-attic-monologues-transcripts CONT…

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Episode 21: Dissecting Daf Yomi with Ilana Kurshan 1:05:30

1M ago1:05:30

1:05:30

“Part of what I love about Talmud is that even if you're just listening, there's so many gaps, so many rough edges, so many places that don't quite fit together. There're all these holes and you, the reader, burrow into those holes. You find your nook, your cranny, your space, your neek’rat ha’tzur. And it's the nature of the discourse that has you…

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Ep 90 - Torah, Guilt, and Prayer: The Power of Rabbinic Rulings (Bava Metzia 84b) 18:14

1M ago18:14

18:14

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the discussion of Tractate Bava Metzia 84b, focusing on Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon’s emotional and spiritual struggle after executing a guilty laundryman (referenced from a prior episode, likely tied to the “vinegar, son of wine” incident). The episode explores themes…

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Episode 20: Transforming Story into Law with Jane Kanarek 57:45

1M ago57:45

57:45

“I want activist reads to also be responsible reads, which is why I’m so committed to people being anchored and being able to actually read these classical texts.” - Jane Kanarek Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us rethink Judaism today. Th…

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Ep 89 - How a Robber Became a Sage—Then Lost Everything! (Bava Metzia 84a) 1:02:27

1M ago1:02:27

1:02:27

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Tractate Bava Metzia 84a, focusing on the profound relationship between Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish, their transformative encounter, and the tragic fallout of their dispute. The episode delves into themes of Torah’s transformative power, respect for teachers, self-suf…

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Episode 45 - To Follow Flames 35:38

1M ago35:38

35:38

“AN/BC-202210-F - frustratio kindr [the disappointment of family] AN/RN-202210-A - dimidium ì elsk af flammae [half in love with flames] AN/BC-202210-G - ny-vaknadr [awakened] AN/BC-202210-H - hvar occursus praeterita et a-lengdar [where past and future meet] AN/BC-202210-I - jadarr fides [the edge of faith] AN/BC-202210-J - quisquiliae eldr [dumps…

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Episode 19: The Elu v’Elu Episode 54:21

2M ago54:21

54:21

“Opinions that are contradictory to one another, the opposite of one another are both the words of God.” - Dan Libenson Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us rethink Judaism today. This episode is dedicated to beloved Talmud translator Rabbi …

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Ep 88 - This Rabbi’s Beauty Changed Lives (Bava Metzia 84a) 17:07

2M ago17:07

17:07

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Tractate Baba Metzia 84a, focusing on a Talmudic discussion about Rabbi Yochanan’s exceptional beauty and its spiritual implications. The episode delves into the concept of the evil eye, the influence of parental thoughts on conception, and the responsibility to use one’s…

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Episode 18: What Tisha b’Av Can Learn From Yom Kippur 54:47

2M ago54:47

54:47

“We have to imagine that everything that we love today, or don't love, might end up in the Tisha b’Av of the future.” - Dan Libenson Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us rethink Judaism today. This episode was originally released for Tisha b…

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Ep 87 - Vinegar, Son of Wine: Sensitivity in Divine and Human Justice (Bava Metzia 83b) 44:48

2M ago44:48

44:48

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe discusses a passage from Tractate Baba Metzia 83b, focusing on an aggadic narrative about Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, and a Talmudic exposition of Psalms 104:20. The episode explores themes of divine justice, human sensitivity, and the role of punishment in Jewish law, usin…

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Episode 44 - Another's Burning 28:52

2M ago28:52

28:52

“AN/BC-202210-A - fjordr et flammae [feather and flame] AN/BC-202210-B - volatus [flight] AN/BC-202210-C - adere [burning] AN/BC-202210-D - sam-eign stjarnai [the conflict of stars] AN/BC-202210-E - nyr adventus [a new arrival]” Transcripts available here: https://www.planarprod.com/the-attic-monologues-transcripts CONTENT WARNINGS: Ableism & infan…

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Episode 17: The Iranian Talmud with Shai Secunda 55:46

2M ago55:46

55:46

“I love the world of the Talmud. I love the fact that they need to justify, they wanna justify, they wanna talk and talk and talk; the way that people who are less socially confident sometimes find themselves doing, when we're in a situation where we're in a new community, and we just, you know, ramble! That's something I love about the Talmud.” - …

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Ep 86 - The Copper Serpent: Talmudic Lessons on Healing and Teshuva (Sanhedrin 82a) 27:29

2M ago27:29

27:29

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Parshas Chukas (Numbers 21:4–9), focusing on the episode of the poisonous serpents sent to punish the Israelites for complaining against God and Moshe. He connects this to Talmudic teachings (Pesachim 56a, Rosh Hashanah 29a) about King Chizkiyahu’s destruction of the copp…

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Episode 16: The Greatest Voices Are Anonymous with Daniel Boyarin 45:31

2M ago45:31

45:31

“I find it deeply moving and worthy of homilies that arguably the most influential voices in the history of Jewish thinking are anonymous.” - Daniel Boyarin Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us rethink Judaism today. This week Dan & Benay le…

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Episode 43 - Date Night 29:45

2M ago29:45

29:45

"AN/RN#202209-H - dilatio [reprieve] Voice Note #397 - idk idk idkkkkk AN/RN#202209- per nyr auga [through new eyes] AN/RN#202209- heima dulce heima [home sweet home] AN/RN#202209- thromri mundi [the edge of the world]” Transcripts available here: https://www.planarprod.com/the-attic-monologues-transcripts CONTENT WARNINGS: Lying, unhealthy family …

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Episode 15: Svara’ing Your Svara 1:03:42

2M ago1:03:42

1:03:42

“It's only when you know why, and the essence behind the whys, that you are able to create. You're able to then be free of the momentary form of a practice, which is trying to achieve a certain goal, and create other forms that achieve that same goal.” - Benay Lappe Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discov…

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Ep 85 - Poisonous Snakes, Divine Messages and Personal Growth (Pesachim 56a) 43:17

3M ago43:17

43:17

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Parshas Chukas (Numbers 21:4-9) and Tractate Pesachim 56a, focusing on the episode of the poisonous serpents sent to punish the Jewish people for their complaints against God and Moshe, and the subsequent copper serpent created by Moshe as a divine remedy. He explains tha…

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Episode 14: Reading the Angel of Death with Ruth Calderon 50:59

3M ago50:59

50:59

“Even if the good book was not written by God, the Talmudic page is often a good place to encounter the Divine.” - Ruth Calderon Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us rethink Judaism today. This week Dan & Benay learn with special guest schol…

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Episode 42 - A Soft Place to Land 40:02

3M ago40:02

40:02

“AN/RN#202209-D - meginurdr [the power to undo] AN/RN#202209-E - likr natum saudr [like a newborn lamb] AN/RN#202209-F - adversaconsequentia [reckoning] AN/RN#202209-G - diu mistae elsk [a long lost love]” Transcripts available here: https://www.planarprod.com/the-attic-monologues-transcripts CONTENT WARNINGS: Descriptions and discussion of war, de…

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Episode 13: Using Tradition to Overturn Tradition 59:51

3M ago59:51

59:51

“You don't have to stand outside of the tradition to fix it. If you realize where the tradition is wrong, that doesn't put you outside of it. That puts you squarely in the center of it, standing on the shoulders of the greatest ones who have the ability to, from the inside of tradition, using the Torah’s mechanisms and ideas to overturn it.” - Bena…

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Episode 12: The Ideal Person 1:00:09

3M ago1:00:09

1:00:09

“And in Jewish law, if you get 23 Jews to agree on something? You know something is wrong!” - Benay Lappe Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us rethink Judaism today. Come and learn BENAY’s favourite text in all Talmud: L’Taher et HaSheretz! …

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Episode 41 - Fear of Falling 39:46

3M ago39:46

39:46

“AN/RN#202209-A - actum thrir [act three] AN/RN#202209-B - absens [missing] Voice Note #396 - dear future bella AN/RN#202209-C - ræddoghe ruina [fear of falling]” Transcripts available here: https://www.planarprod.com/the-attic-monologues-transcripts CONTENT WARNINGS: Descriptions and discussion of death, falling, nightmares, body horror (disintegr…

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Episode 11: The Broken Social Contract 58:03

3M ago58:03

58:03

Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us rethink Judaism today. Like our previous week’s episode, this was recorded in June of 2020, in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd at the hands of police. Likewise, we turn to another text which…

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Season 3 Trailer / Season 2 Recap 3:08

3M ago3:08

3:08

the stage is set... THE ATTIC MONOLOGUES RETURNS AUGUST 27TH

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Episode 10: The Obligation to Protest 52:40

4M ago52:40

52:40

“You’ve got to decide with whom and where your voice is going to be heeded. Where are you going to have the power to effect change? That’s your olam. If we get to this big world, we can become actually overcome with powerlessness. But I think that’s the driving question of the bottom line of this text. What’s your world? Who’s your kahal?” - Benay …

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Episode 9: Turning Around 57:02

4M ago57:02

57:02

“That was the rabbinic genius, to say that that which is wholly new also is given from God at Mount Sinai. That’s a genius sleight of hand that allows you to feel a sense of continuity and connection and history and sacredness in what is absolutely new.” - Benay Lappe Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, disc…

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Episode 8: Dreams and Discovery 54:01

4M ago54:01

54:01

“I don’t have to win; I don’t have to get the person to capitulate to me. I don’t have to hear the person’s apology – as long as I’ve gotten the world to be the way I need the world to be.” - Dan Libenson Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us…

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Episode 7: No More Gatekeeping 55:21

4M ago55:21

55:21

“There are barriers being put up that say ‘You’re not a good Jew if you don’t do it our way’ – but as soon as those barriers come down, there’s actually a huge interest! And then the question is: What do you do with that engagement? What does that involvement produce?” - Dan Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnershi…

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Episode 6: Narrating the Law with Barry Wimpfheimer 1:02:36

5M ago1:02:36

1:02:36

“In my book, I refer to ‘The Talmud's Golden Old Age.’ I was a little reluctant to use this terminology, because who knows if it's the golden old age? This could be the Midlife Period of the Talmud. We have no idea where we are historically!” - Barry Wimpfheimer Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discoverin…

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Episode 5: Excommunicating Dissent 52:58

5M ago52:58

52:58

“Is it inevitable and necessary to get the Rabbi Eliezers out of the room? Or is part of the story saying, ‘You actually need to keep him in the room. We understand that unity or progress or getting everybody rowing in the same direction is important, but you don’t take people out of the room.’” - Benay Lappe Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly …

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Episode 4: Retelling the History with David Kraemer 58:48

5M ago58:48

58:48

“What the sages had was imagination and boldness.They were deeply rooted in the inherited tradition, and, rather than that rooting holding them back, the rooting allowed them to go forward.” - David Kraemer Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help …

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Ep 84 - Afflictions of Love: Divine Messages in Life’s Challenges (Berachos 5a) 50:00

5M ago50:00

50:00

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the discussion from Tractate Berachot 5B, building on the previous episode’s exploration of the three divine gifts given to the Jewish people through suffering: the Torah, the Land of Israel, and the World to Come. Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes that these gifts require immense …

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Episode 3: Misquoting God 54:36

5M ago54:36

54:36

The rabbis must have been leaving us a message. It says, "Please do to us what we did to God and whoever put the Torah together. We played fast and loose with what they were saying directly, and we understand that that means you’re going to do that to us, and we want you to." - Dan Libenson Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta …

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Ep 83 - Gifts Through Trials: Spiritual Struggles and Rewards (Berachos 5a) 20:17

5M ago20:17

20:17

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe delves into the Talmudic discussion on Berachot 5A, focusing on Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai’s teaching about three divine gifts given to the Jewish people through suffering: the Torah, the Land of Israel, and the World to Come. Rabbi Wolbe explains that these gifts—essential to Jewish…

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Episode 2: Voiding the Torah 51:48

5M ago51:48

51:48

“Maybe the reason they were undoing the original covenant was to give themselves a little breathing room, saying, ‘God actually gave us permission to play.’” - Benay Lappe Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study partnership, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us rethink Judaism today. Access th…

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Episode 1: Rebooting Judaism 48:31

5M ago48:31

48:31

“If you pay attention to the folks for whom the system isn’t working, you’ll know how the system will eventually not work for everybody.” - Benay Lappe Welcome to The Oral Talmud, our weekly deep dive chevruta study, discovering how voices of the Talmud from 1500 years ago can help us rethink Judaism today. Access the full Sefaria Source Sheet with…

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Episode 0: Learning Together 1:06:46

5M ago1:06:46

1:06:46

“I am responsible for my chevruta’s learning and my chevruta is responsible for my learning. I am invested in you.” - Benay Lappe Join study partners (chevrutas) Rabbi Benay Lappe & Dan Libenson as they reflect on five years of The Oral Talmud, and celebrate its transition from a video series to a podcast! What do lasting study partners recognize i…