Best Xava De Cordova Podcasts (2025)

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235. Pleasure Reading 30:49

Play Pause

15d ago30:49

30:49

Xava's got a listener question about what we're allowed to read on Shabbat. Is it only fun stuff, only serious stuff? Or a secret third thing? Tell you this it is NOT menus. Check out Shel Maala at Sadeh at http://bit.ly/sadehsleeplessTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyo…

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Stories of Return: Identity & Displacement with Layla Maghribi 1:25:55

29d ago1:25:55

1:25:55

In this episode, Layla Maghribi shares personal stories of ancestral pilgrimage to Libya and Syria. She traces her family history of activism against colonialism, which she continues through her own work, and highlights the critical history of Italian colonialism in Libya that is so often overlooked. In conversation with Hadar Cohen, Layla explores…

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234. What's in a name? 33:24

2M ago33:24

33:24

Michael brings some wisdom from Aryeh Kaplan about the ineffable name, charity, the gift of existence and kabbalah! Check out Shel Maala's New York tour here: https://bit.ly/shelmaalanycTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com…

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233. To the Point of Distraction 27:07

2M ago27:07

27:07

Xava brings some sugyes about intention and prayer that connect back to episode 228, plus why you should never hold bread and pray! Check out Torah from the Inside Out Here: http://bit.ly/torahinsideout Check out Laasok here: http://bit.ly/laasokTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at …

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232. Squashing the Opposition 31:02

3M ago31:02

31:02

Michael brings us a Purim-relevant sugye on reasoning and rhetoric, full of gourds and goodies! Sign up for Torah from the Inside Out here: http://bit.ly/torahinsideoutTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Mus…

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231. Rich Torah, Poor Torah 32:47

4M ago32:47

32:47

Xava brings a sugye on the things that can "distract" us from Torah study, which leads to a discussion on how the hell we're supposed to relate to Torah when it's being used for wicked ends. Register for Torah from the Inside Out here: http://bit.ly/torahinsideout To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1…

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One Democratic State Initiative with Juliette Samman 48:20

5M ago48:20

48:20

Listen into this conversation with Juliette Samman to learn about a grassroots movement led by Palestinians who articulate a vision of liberation through the One Democratic State Initiative. The “One Democratic State” solution is a political vision that identifies Zionism’s settler-colonial endeavor as the root cause of suffering and violence in Pa…

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230. Public Affairs 40:15

5M ago40:15

40:15

What does Jewish law look like on a group scale? How do we deal with harm to the public? How do you do teshuva for the commons? Find out on this episode! Sign up for Shel Maala in Seattle at http://bit.ly/shelmaalaseattleTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. S…

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Roots and Resistance: Art, Activism, and the Spiritual Path with Rawan Roshni 1:20:40

5M ago1:20:40

1:20:40

Rawan Roshni takes us on an elemental journey through her life as a Palestinian woman, global citizen, and artist. She weaves stories about how the Earth - olive trees, roots, birds, our bodies - are inextricably linked to a spiritual path, offers us tools for facilitating transformative group processes, and shares insights into the interplay betwe…

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God Fellowship: Cultivating A Relationship with the Divine with Verenice Berroa Torres 58:58

5M ago58:58

58:58

Hadar's Web is a podcast featuring community conversations on spirituality, healing, justice, and art. Available on Spotify, Google Podcast, Apple Podcast and more. Check it out at malchut.one. Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/hadarcohen Verenice Berroa Torres is a spiritual doula and creator. She was the first God Fellow …

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229. Can you un-Jew yourself? 35:15

6M ago35:15

35:15

Michael brings a bevy of texts to help answer the question: can you ever become un-Jewish? We’re looking at thoughts and answers from throughout history, plus one extra special Jewish monk! Sign up for Sabbatean Heresy here: https://bit.ly/sabbateanheresy Sign up for Shel Maala in Seattle here: https://bit.ly/shelmaalaseattleTo ask us questions, te…

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228. Intention vs Structure 28:24

7M ago28:24

28:24

Xava brings a buffet of texts exploring intention and structure, mitzvahs, prayer, baby birds and being force fed matza. Sign up for In Every Tongue with Ada Morse here: https://bit.ly/ineverytongueTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at…

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227. Cannibalism, Vegetarianism, and Origin of Morality 32:35

7M ago32:35

32:35

Michael brings us texts that connect Yellowjackets, moral norms, aesthetic values, cannibalism and vegetarianism. Check out Shel Maala in New Haven here: https://bit.ly/beyondrepairNH and in Baltimore/DC here: https://bit.ly/ShelMaalaDMVTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihoware…

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226. The Secret Jewish History of the Etrog 26:47

8M ago26:47

26:47

In today's episode, Xava brings some sugyes and history about the etrog (aka the citron aka the Persian apple aka the thing that Rabbis look at with intense love and delight), and how it made its way into our sukkot ritual! Check out Shel Maala's East Coast Tour here: https://bit.ly/shelmaalaeastcoastTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicema…

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225. Brand Loyalty 28:00

8M ago28:00

28:00

This time Michael is bringing us a weird, challenging little sugye about business ethics, land deals gone wrong, breakfast food preferences and going above the letter of the law. Sign up to learn with Shel Maala in Western Mass here: https://bit.ly/shelmaalamassTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619…

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Undoing Indoctrination: A Conversation About "Israelism" with Erin Axelman and Sam Eilertsen 55:43

9M ago55:43

55:43

Erin Axelman is a queer Jewish filmmaker, based out of Somerville, MA. Israelism is their directorial debut. Erin and Sam Eilertsen founded Tikkun Olam Productions, a nonprofit filmmaking collective that focuses on documenting and supporting movements for justice. Erin has produced videos for Senator Ed Markey, as well as Congressman Jamaal Bowman.…

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224. Get Off My Lawn 27:38

9M ago27:38

27:38

Xava's got a sugye about keeping your side of the street clean, zoning ordinance, Rabbinic humility and home improvement. Sign up for Shel Maala in Western Mass at https://bit.ly/shelmaalamass !To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at pat…

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223. Secret Stones and Magic Dirt 25:56

9M ago25:56

25:56

Michael brings us a few sugyes about special stones, both paving and corner, in the Talmud. This leads to magic dirt and Nazis getting their faces melted off, naturally.To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Mu…

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222. Protesting Exactly the Right Amount 35:26

10M ago35:26

35:26

Xava brings a series of property law sugyes that tell us about how, why, and how much we should protest, halakhically speaking. Sign up for Shel Maala's Alef Bet class here: https://bit.ly/decodingalefbet, Sign up for Sand into Pearls here: https://bit.ly/sandintopearlsTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-…

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221. Mommy Issues 27:47

10M ago27:47

27:47

Michael brings us all a text about ascending and descending holiness rules, relocation, divorce, parental abandonment and taking other people's opinions too seriously. Sign up for Decoding the Alef Bet here: bit.ly/decodingalefbetTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gma…

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Decolonizing Spirituality: Jewish & Muslim Alliance with Ala' Khan 1:26:14

11M ago1:26:14

1:26:14

Ala’ Khan is a storyteller and filmmaker focused on community based storytelling - uplifting the authentic and diverse stories of BIPOC communities. Faith and spirituality are what ground Ala’ and motivate her work and engagement with the world as a community activist in pursuit of justice and racial equity. IG @amkjourneys Hadar Cohen is an Arab J…

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220. Tales of the Unbound 49:07

11M ago49:07

49:07

Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp of Judaism Unbound joins us to talk about incarcerated Jews, the problems with the way we handle conversion, what's next for Judaism and how the Rabbi's themselves responded to potential converts. Check out Tales of the Unbound here: http://www.judaismunbound.com/tales, sign up for Shel Maala at Sadeh here: bit.ly/shelmaala…

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219. Everything was Beautiful 29:37

11M ago29:37

29:37

Xava brings some kabbalah and xasidut about the transcendent nature of beauty, plus some Talmud and Torah that seems to contradict it by saying that beauty is basically worthless. Sign up for Trancestors and Chalices here: bit.ly/shelmaalasadehTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xa…

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218. Weirdos No One Has Heard Of 26:17

12M ago26:17

26:17

Michael brings a delightful obscure little Rabbi to the pod: Elijah Benamozegh! We'll learn about his universalist vision for Judaism and the strange and beautiful connections it has to other Jewish thinkers throughout the ages. Sign up for Trancestors and Chalices here: bit.ly/shelmaalasadehTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the…

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217. To Work, or not to Work? 25:37

1y ago25:37

25:37

We've got grain on the brain! In honor of counting the omer, Xava brought a text about grain, strain, pain and...Torah. Let's see if the sages can find a healthy work/life balance. Sign up for Shel Maala at Sadeh in England here: bit.ly/shelmaalasadehTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email u…

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216. Mourning and Ritual 21:57

1y ago21:57

21:57

A listener wrote in asking how we can mourn the lives lost in Gaza, if kaddish can be said for them, and how to grapple with the enormity of sadness in times like this. We do our very best to give at least a little bit of an answer. Sign up for Shel Maala at Sadeh in England here: bit.ly/shelmaalasadehTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicem…

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215. Noahide and Seek 27:07

1y ago27:07

27:07

A listener has a question about Noahidism and we've got answers! Also, the Chabad factor, alternate universes and the REAL messianic Jews. Sign up for Xava's class here: https://bit.ly/thornsinthevineyard Sign up for Shel Maala at Sadeh in England here: bit.ly/shelmaalasadehTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at…

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214. Wake Me Up Before You Gecko 23:31

1y ago23:31

23:31

We're talking about rashes, scorpions, the Leviathan, ancient Messianic political ambitions, campus protests and the power of the small. Sign up for Shel Maala at Sadeh in England here: https://bit.ly/shelmaalasadehTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support…

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213. The Rabbi and the Helpful Demon 23:30

1y ago23:30

23:30

Xava brings a story of politically useful sinning, the Rashbi, a suspiciously convenient demon friend and a truly bizarre system of law abolishment. Sign up for her next class here: https://bit.ly/thornsinthevineyardTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Suppor…

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Dancing Between the Polarities with Nadia Irshaid Gilbert 43:04

1y ago43:04

43:04

Nadia Irshaid Gilbert is a Palestinian-American artist working at the intersection of spirit, culinary production, experience design and filmmaking. Her multidisciplinary work invites us to dive deep, transform our relationships, and engage with the vision of interconnected, collective liberation. https://www.instagram.com/nadiadiaspora/ Hadar Cohe…

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212. Smells Like Holy Spirit 25:30

1y ago25:30

25:30

Michael returns us to the topic of charisma with a fascinating exploration of the holy spirit in Torah, how it appears linguistically, what kind of powers and effects it gives, and its potential pitfalls. Become a Shel Maala Member here: https://bit.ly/shelmaalajoin, Sign up for Heeling Our Soles here: https://bit.ly/heelingoursoles, Sign up for Th…

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211. Shammai Circumcision Blues 25:53

1y ago25:53

25:53

We're finally answering a listener question! In this case, what's the deal with hatafam dam brit for NB and trans folks and why does it seem like we're following Shammai when the halakaha is like Hillel?! Sign up for Heeling Our Soles here: https://bit.ly/heelingoursolesTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401…

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210. Rizz 16:40

1y ago16:40

16:40

Oops! Both of us forgot who was actually supposed to prepare this episode, so enjoy this minisode about charisma, our personal issues and hints at what our next actual episode will be about. To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreo…

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Shel Maala: An Anti-Zionist Queer Yeshiva with Binya Kóatz & Rabbi Xava De Cordova 1:00:12

1y ago1:00:12

1:00:12

Binya Kóatz is a talmud teacher and standup comedian, trying to be radical and funny wherever she goes. She helped start Shel Maala, an online Queer anti-zionist Yeshiva, and has performed and taught in cities across North America. Rabbi Xava De Cordova is a disabled, Sefradi, Mizraxi trans woman and co-host of the world's first Queer Talmud podcas…

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209. When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven 59:16

1y ago59:16

59:16

Author and scholar Rafael Neis joins us to talk about their book, "When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven: Rabbis and the Reproduction of Species", featuring a riveting discussion of furries, gender, what happens if your brother is a bird, gay demon divorce and much more! Keep up with them on insta @postrafelite and on their website at https://rachelr…

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208. Anger Management 27:41

1y ago27:41

27:41

Michael brings a bounty of sources from Talmud to Kabbalah to Xasidut on anger and what the Rabbis say we should do about it (but often don't do themselves).To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on t…

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Two Mystic Sisters Discuss the Spiritual Path with Maria Amiouni 1:03:10

1y ago1:03:10

1:03:10

Maria Amiouni is a spiritual coach, human design reader & published poet. She’s been devoted to the spiritual path for the past 10 years as it’s led her to remember who she is & why she is here. Her purpose is to help people break free from their conditioning & come out the other side more empowered & connected to the Divine. @maria.amiouni (ig), m…

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207. Foxy Loxy 21:16

1y ago21:16

21:16

Part 2 of Xava's spontaneous series on foxes! Featured are Babylonian pedagogy, greedy wolves, overzealous interpretation and selfishness in the Rabbinate. Sign up for Sacred Wiggles here: https://bit.ly/sacredwigglesTo ask us questions, text or leave us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]. Suppor…

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Israel's Black Panthers: The Radicals Who Punctured a Nation's Founding Myth with Asaf Elia-Shalev 1:38:06

1y ago1:38:06

1:38:06

Asaf Elia-Shalev is an Israeli-American journalist with Mizrahi roots. Based in Los-Angeles, he works as an investigative reporter for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. He was the historian behind the 2022 re-release of the Israeli Black Panthers Haggadah. He recently published a narrative nonfiction book titled, “Israel's Black Panthers: The Radicals…

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206. Our Purims, Our Selves 23:19

1y ago23:19

23:19

Michael has brought us some luscious Xasidic and Kabbalaistic wisdom on the soul, two major Jewish holidays and the extremes of human experience. Sign up for Building Our Brakhas here: bit.ly/3IsrEBjVisit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail. Support us on p…

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Ancestral Healing & Spiritual Leadership in A Time of Genocide with Daniel Foor 59:40

1+ y ago59:40

59:40

Daniel Foor is a doctor of psychology, experienced ritualist, and the author of Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing. He's an initiate in the Òrìṣà tradition of Yoruba-speaking West Africa and practicing Muslim who has also learned from the older ways of his English and German ancestors. Daniel is passionate about work at the…

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205. Fox News 24:02

1+ y ago24:02

24:02

Something's fishy as frenemy of the pod Rabbi Akiva returns with a parable about a fox...maybe the start of a fox series? We'll see! Also featuring: love of Torah and struggling with loving Judaism. Sign up for Sacred Wiggles at https://bit.ly/3IsrEBjVisit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 40…

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"I Am What Was Taken From Me": Unlearning Colonization and Embodying Resistance with Ariella Aïsha Azoulay 1:15:37

1+ y ago1:15:37

1:15:37

This episode was recorded on March 23, 2023 and is in collaboration with Jewish Ancestral Healing and the Sarah & Hajar Series. Ariella Aïsha Azoulay is an author, curator of anti-colonial archives, film essayist, and theorist of photography. She is a professor of Modern Culture and Media and Comparative Literature at Brown University. She is of Al…

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204. A Tomb with a View 29:23

1+ y ago29:23

29:23

Michael continues his archaeology rampage with some tales and tidbits about burial practices in the first century, which sheds some light on social structures, Jewish denominations in the time and collaborative funeral cookouts. Sign up for Building Our Brakhas here: bit.ly/buildingbrakhasVisit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com an…

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Mapping the Moment: Getting Unstuck on Jewishness, Zionism, and Trauma with Daniel Maté 1:24:12

1+ y ago1:24:12

1:24:12

Daniel Maté is an award-winning composer, lyricist, and playwright for musical theatre with an M.F.A. in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy from McGill. He co-authored the New York Times bestselling book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture, with his fat…

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203. Body Horror 26:52

1+ y ago26:52

26:52

Xava brings a source sheet from friend of the pod Olivia Devorah Tucker about bodies, fluids, clay and the strange ways they mix. Sign up for Building Our Brakhas here: https://bit.ly/buildingbrakhasVisit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail. Support us on p…

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202. Shared Sherds: a Story of Pots and Pans 31:49

1+ y ago31:49

31:49

Michael has brought our very first archaeology episode, in which we learn about the cultural significance of frittatas in the first century CE, ceramic studio pop ups and pre-revolt material culture. Sign up for Building Our Brakhas Here: https://bit.ly/3wgc215Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hot…

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201. Blood Stains 23:30

1+ y ago23:30

23:30

Xava brings us a (maybe) allegorical story about conquest, revenge, bloodshed and breaking cycles of violence. Visit our website to ask us questions at xaihowareyou.com and call or Text the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 and leave us a voicemail. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Follow us on twitter @xaihowareyou and @miss_figured…

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200. Average Joe 26:12

1+ y ago26:12

26:12

Michael brings us a sugye exploring the restrictions and stigma surrounding an "am ha'aretz", plus some historical speculation and context about how that role has shifted over time. Listen to Sam's 2023 Year in Review episode here: https://soundcloud.com/historiansplaining/2023-in-historical-context-dividing-the-harvest. Sign up for The Priests Eat…

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199. Temple OS 2: Modernity and Inspiration 1:05:11

1+ y ago1:05:11

1:05:11

Finally, part 2 of the TOS series is here! We're discussing the trends in computing that inspired Terry, the meaning of mysticism and the modern in spiritual thought along with friend of the pod, Sam! Sign up for The Priests Eat at Midnight here: https://bit.ly/TPEAMTo ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484…