Dear Rabbi – Details, episodes & analysis

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Dear Rabbi

Menachem Lehrfield

Religion & Spirituality

Education

Frequency: 1 episode/17d. Total Eps: 98

Concise weekly answers to your questions about Judaism. If you are a wondering Jew, visit www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi to submit your own questions.

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Apple Podcasts

🇫🇷 France - judaism
17/10/2025
#88
🇫🇷 France - judaism
16/10/2025
#47
🇺🇸 USA - judaism
25/09/2025
#97

Spotify

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https://www.joidenver.com
91 shares
http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
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Score global : 59%

Publication history

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Why Is Food the Centerpiece of Every Jewish Experience?

Season 4 · Episode 9

Wednesday, September 24, 2025 • Duration 02:28

✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore why food plays such a central role in Jewish life and religious experience. While many people notice that Jews have a strong affinity for food, there's actually a profound spiritual significance behind this focus. Judaism is unique among religions in that we don't view the physical world as something to overcome or avoid, but rather as something to elevate and make spiritual. Food represents one of the most basic, animalistic human activities - something we do multiple times every day. This makes it the perfect vehicle for spiritual elevation through blessings, mindful eating, and using the nourishment we receive to better ourselves and the world. I share a story about two people approaching the same apple tree with completely different intentions: one person sees the apple and makes a blessing to eat it, while a rabbi sees the apple and wants to make a blessing, so he eats it. Though they perform identical actions, their spiritual focus creates worlds of difference. When we make blessings before and after eating, and use the energy food provides to do good in the world, we transform the physical act of eating into something holy and spiritual. This approach reflects Judaism's core philosophy that we're here not to avoid the physical world, but to elevate it and make it divine.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

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Why Do Jews Celebrate New Year in September? Understanding Rosh Hashanah

Season 4 · Episode 8

Wednesday, September 17, 2025 • Duration 01:58

✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explain why Jewish coworkers wish each other "Happy New Year" in September rather than January. The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, falls at the beginning of the Jewish calendar year, which differs from the secular calendar we use in America. I clarify a common misconception: while many people think Rosh Hashanah celebrates the creation of the world, we're actually celebrating the creation of the first human being, Adam - the first person imbued with a divine soul. This marks the beginning of human history and our relationship with the divine. I explore how this timing connects to our spiritual renewal, as our souls return to our bodies for another year of godly work in this world. The celebration occurs on the first of Tishrei, exactly when tradition teaches Adam was created. I also note how Jewish schools get to use the same corny jokes about "seeing you next year" - just in September instead of December. For those interested in learning more about how the Jewish calendar works compared to the secular calendar, I reference our earlier episode that provides a deep dive into this fascinating topic.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest -Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

Why Jews don't eat cheeseburger Part 6

Season 3 · Episode 35

Wednesday, July 2, 2025 • Duration 04:28

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I examine Ellen Gilad's argument that the Hebrew word "bashel" (translated as "seethe") might mean "ripen" or "mature" rather than "cook," potentially changing our understanding of the biblical prohibition against mixing meat and milk. I acknowledge that this interpretation has precedent with fruits maturing and was even considered by the classical commentator Bechor Shor as an intellectual exercise. However, I explain why this alternative translation doesn't change Jewish law or practice. I delve into why the Torah repeats this commandment three times - "do not seethe a kid in its mother's milk" - showing how traditional Jewish interpretation understands this repetition as establishing three distinct prohibitions: cooking meat and milk together, eating them together, and benefiting from their mixture. I emphasize the crucial role of the Oral Torah in understanding the written text, explaining how the Jewish people received both the written and oral traditions simultaneously at Mount Sinai, making the prohibition against mixing meat and milk a divinely transmitted law rather than a rabbinic interpretation.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

Why Jews don't eat cheeseburger Part 5

Season 3 · Episode 34

Wednesday, June 18, 2025 • Duration 08:24

In this episode of my ongoing response to Elon Gilad's viral video, I explain why Judaism requires both written and oral Torah components. I address the fundamental question of why the Torah wasn't simply written down completely, exploring how the Oral Torah serves as an essential living tradition that cannot be contained in text alone. Drawing on analogies from medical training and modern communication, I illustrate why Torah study necessitates real-world experience, teacher-student relationships, and authentic transmission. I also examine how the Oral Torah protects against manipulation and provides crucial context that prevents misinterpretation. Unlike historical groups like the Sadducees, who consistently rejected oral tradition (even sitting in darkness on Shabbat), I show how selective rejection of the Oral Torah is intellectually dishonest. Through examples such as Shabbat practices and the tradition of eating hot cholent, I illustrate how our unbroken chain of transmission from Mount Sinai ensures an authentic understanding of Torah commandments across all Jewish communities worldwide.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiySubscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

Why Jews don't eat cheeseburger Part 4

Season 3 · Episode 33

Wednesday, June 11, 2025 • Duration 06:34

In this second episode of my series responding to Elan Gilad's viral video, I address his claim that Hebrew's lack of vowels creates uncertainty about the milk and meat prohibition. While acknowledging that Hebrew is indeed written without vowels, I explain how Judaism's Oral Torah tradition resolves this apparent ambiguity. I detail how the Oral Torah - distinct from rabbinic law - represents biblical teachings passed down in an unbroken chain from Moses at Mount Sinai. Using examples like tefillin, mezuzah, tzitzit, and ritual slaughter laws, I demonstrate how countless Torah commandments would be impossible to fulfill without this oral transmission. I explain how Jewish communities worldwide maintain identical Torah readings and practices precisely because of this preserved oral tradition, ensuring consistency across time and geography in understanding biblical texts.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

Why Don't Jews Mix Meat and Milk? Part 3

Season 3 · Episode 32

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 • Duration 08:49

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue to examine the biblical prohibition against mixing meat and milk by analyzing the placement of this commandment in various biblical contexts. I address why the verse "do not seethe a kid in its mother's milk" appears alongside temple sacrifice laws in Exodus, rather than with other dietary laws as in Deuteronomy. Through the lens of classical Jewish commentators like Rashi, Rabbi Moshe David Cassuto, and Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, I explore various interpretations: that the Torah reminds us about this prohibition when we consume large amounts of meat during festivals, that it contrasts Jewish practice with non-Jewish customs, and that it represents the spiritual separation between life-giving elements (milk) and physical matter (meat). I emphasize how traditional Jewish scholarship approaches these textual questions with intellectual honesty, seeking deeper understanding rather than justification for changing religious practice. This episode demonstrates how the Torah's precise placement of verses teaches multiple lessons simultaneously.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

Why Jews Don't Eat Cheeseburgers 2

Season 3 · Episode 31

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 • Duration 05:34

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue our discussion about why Jews don't mix meat and milk, focusing specifically on the biblical sources behind this kosher practice. I respond to claims made by Elon Gilad, examining each argument in detail while explaining how the Torah works with both written and oral components. I clarify how the three repetitions of "do not cook a kid in its mother's milk" in the Torah establish three distinct prohibitions: not cooking meat and milk together, not eating them together, and not benefiting from such mixtures. Beyond addressing alternative interpretations of the Hebrew word "bishul" (cooking), I illustrate the importance of the oral tradition that has preserved accurate Torah reading for thousands of years across Jewish communities worldwide. This episode provides insights into how Jewish dietary laws are anchored in biblical sources, the relationship between written and oral Torah, and why intellectual honesty matters when interpreting Jewish texts.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

Why Jews Don't Eat Cheeseburgers 1

Season 3 · Episode 30

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 • Duration 12:13

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a viral social media video by Elan Gilad claiming Jews can eat cheeseburgers due to a biblical "misunderstanding." I methodically debunk this claim, pointing out that Gilad incorrectly states the prohibition against cooking a kid in its mother's milk appears twice in Torah when it appears three times (Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, and Deuteronomy 14:21). I explain how the Deuteronomy reference places this law among dietary restrictions, confirming its connection to kosher laws. Beyond factual corrections, I discuss the arrogance of dismissing thousands of years of rabbinic scholarship and interpretation. Using an analogy about Rashi, our classic Torah commentator, I emphasize the comprehensive knowledge traditional scholars brought to their interpretations. This episode is the first in a series where I'll continue analyzing Gilad's claims in depth, giving proper context to Jewish dietary laws.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️

Why Are Kosher Restaurants So Expensive?

Season 3 · Episode 29

Wednesday, May 7, 2025 • Duration 01:30

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address the common question about why kosher restaurants typically have higher prices than non-kosher establishments. I explain that rather than simple price gouging, there are legitimate fixed costs that contribute to higher prices in kosher dining. These include specialized meat preparation requirements, meticulous inspection of fruits and vegetables for insects (as Jewish law prohibits consuming bugs), and the salary of a mashgiach (kosher supervisor) who ensures all kosher laws are properly observed. These additional expenses necessary for maintaining kosher certification ultimately get passed on to consumers, making kosher restaurants and kosher food in general more expensive. This episode provides insight into the economic realities behind kosher food production while acknowledging the genuine concerns of kosher-observant consumers about dining costs.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

Why Jews Have Wires Across Streets: The Mystery of the Eruv Explained

Season 3 · Episode 28

Wednesday, April 30, 2025 • Duration 05:58

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I unravel the mystery behind those fishing wire-like strings that hang across streets in Jewish neighborhoods. These strings, an eruv, serve as a ritual boundary that transforms public areas into a unified domain for Sabbath observance. I explain how Jewish law prohibits carrying objects between public and private domains on Shabbat, and how the eruv creates a symbolic enclosure that allows observant Jews to carry essential items (like house keys or push strollers) on the Sabbath. Beyond its practical function, I discuss how the eruv historically helped build strong Jewish communities by encouraging Jews to live near one another. This traditional practice represents both religious observance and community cohesion, though I note how changing observance patterns have affected this community-building aspect in modern times.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website - https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

Dear Rabbi – Details, episodes & analysis

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Dear Rabbi – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

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RSS feed quality and score

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Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

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