What happens when women finally enter the conversation that's been about them all along?

In this episode of Madlik: Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz are joined by Prof. Rabbi Wendy Zierler — Sigmund Falk Professor of Modern Jewish Literature and Feminist Studies at HUC-JIR, ordained by Yeshivat Maharat, and author of Going Out with Knots: My Two Kaddish Years with Hebrew Poetry.

1. Expect to rethink assumptions about primary biblical characters—especially the matriarchs—and appreciate the living tradition of midrash as a vehicle for creativity and challenge.
2. Hear how feminist perspectives and modern poetry revitalize Jewish text study, offering new interpretations for "the life of Sarah"—and the legacies that women shape.
3. Explore the argument that literary and artistic creation in Hebrew is as much a part of Jewish commentary as classic text study.

[00:00:00] Geoffrey introduces the episode and guest Rabbi Professor Wendy Zierler, setting up a feminist exploration of Sarah's story in Genesis.

[00:02:31] Discussion begins on Sarah's laughter and how women's scholarship reframes her response and role in Torah narratives.

[00:03:46] Wendy explains the irony of "Chayei Sarah" focusing on Sarah's death and how reading the gaps reveals her inner life.

[00:05:36] They examine Abraham and Sarah's separation after the Akedah and what it reveals about love, obedience, and divine testing.

[00:09:02] Wendy argues the Akedah causes a rupture—between Abraham and Sarah, Abraham and Isaac, and even Abraham and God.

[00:12:40] The hosts explore new feminist midrash: Sarah's imagined agency, waiting for angels, and representing love over fear.

[00:17:22] Conversation turns to Sarah's burial choice as an act of leadership that shaped the matriarchal roots of the Jewish story.

[00:19:53] Transition to Wendy's book Going Out with Knots and how Hebrew poetry became her lens for mourning and feminist study.

[00:21:41] Wendy teaches Leia Goldberg's reinterpretation of "the three pillars of the world," highlighting women's creative renewal of tradition.

[00:26:42] Discussion closes with Yehuda Amichai's outsider voice, women's return to Hebrew literature, and modern creativity as living midrash.

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Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

Link to Wendy's Book: https://jps.org/books/going-out-with-knots/

Link to theTorah.com article: https://www.thetorah.com/article/sarah-finally-separates-herself-from-abraham

A Netflix rom-com jokes that Judaism "encourages me to argue." Turns out, that's not a joke—it's what set Abraham apart.

A Netflix rom-com gives us a throwaway line that might be the most Jewish thing ever said on screen. When a young rabbi admits that Judaism loves two opposing opinions, his girlfriend lights up: "A religion that encourages me to argue? Love that." It's meant as a joke, but this week's Torah portion proves her right. Sarah laughs at divine promises, Abraham bargains with God over justice, and on Mount Moriah, even silence feels like protest. Judaism doesn't shy from disagreement—it builds holiness out of it. In Nobody Wants This Argument With God, we explore how faith, laughter, and dissent became inseparable in the Jewish imagination.

1. From Sarah's laughter to Abraham's debate, the Torah's heroes don't obey blindly — they question boldly.
2. In Judaism, arguing with God isn't heresy — it's how prayer begins.
3. Laughter is not only a survival mechanism its an act of defiance.

• [00:00:00] Opening story – bingeing "Nobody Wants That" and connecting its theme of argument to the Abraham story.
• [00:01:22] Framing the Torah portions – arguing as Judaism's "love language."
• [00:02:19] Introduction to the podcast and this week's Parsha topic.
• [00:05:34] Beginning analysis of Genesis 18 – Sarah's laughter and disbelief.
• [00:08:09] Discussion of women's Torah commentary and reinterpretation of Sarah's fear.
• [00:12:30] Transition to the Sodom narrative – Abraham arguing with God.
• [00:17:41] Exploration of rabbinic interpretations that amplify Abraham's argument.
• [00:20:07] "Prayer as battle" – how the rabbis turned debate with God into daily practice.
• [00:26:13] Transition to the Binding of Isaac – silent inner arguments and faith.
• [00:30:44] Closing reflections – dialogue with God as Judaism's defining feature and farewell.

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Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

Are there times were we should strive not to be present or in the moment?

As we enter the month of Elul and approach the High Holidays, many of us instinctively tighten our grip on spiritual practices. We double down on prayer, intensify our focus, and strive for flawless kavanah (intention). But what if true holiness sometimes emerges when we loosen our hold?

In this week's Torah portion, Ki Teitze, we encounter a surprising perspective on mitzvot (commandments) that challenges our assumptions about intentionality and control. Let's explore how embracing the unintentional might deepen our spiritual practice and transform our relationship with the Divine.

1. The nuanced approach to returning lost objects and when it's okay to "hide your eyes"
2. How the agricultural law of forgotten sheaves (shichecha) relates to selective memory during the High Holidays
3. The serendipitous nature of the bird's nest commandment and its character and environmental implications

• [00:00:00] Holiness in forgetting and letting go
• [00:02:07] Rabbi joins from Italy
• [00:03:00] Announcements and upcoming live event
• [00:04:00] Returning lost objects in Deuteronomy
• [00:06:03] The subway lesson: looking away
• [00:09:00] Exceptions to returning lost items
• [00:12:00] The mitzvah of forgetting sheaves in the field
• [00:17:00] Selective memory and Rosh Hashanah
• [00:22:00] The bird's nest commandment
• [00:28:00] Wrapping up: intentional vs. unintentional holiness

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Rav Stav is the co-founder of the Tzohar, a rabbinical organization which aims to provide religious services to and create dialogue with the broader Israeli population. He also serves as the rabbi of the city of Shoham. Previously he served as the rabbi of the religious film school, Maale, and was one of the founding heads of Yeshivat Hesder Petach Tikva. He is the author of Bein Ha-Zemanim, a book about culture and recreation in Jewish thought and law. One of Israel's most visible rabbinic figures, he regularly appears on Israeli television and radio, and lectures to a wide range of audiences. We discuss his organization and the challenges and opportunities presented by the war and its aftermath.

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. In the only parsha named after a woman we continue our exploration of issues raised by Israel at war. In the Jewish State, Jewish law (Halacha) has exclusive jurisdiction over marriage and divorce for Jews. One area where Orthodox women have radically broken with Rabbinic authority is with regard to divorce. Traditionally women have been at the mercy of the patriarchy, whether their husbands or the rabbinic courts.  These women, the NGOs and Rabbis who support them have used Biblical and Rabbinic texts to claim rights long denied. The primary source relates to King David and a single verse in the Book of Samuel protecting military wives. Join us as we explore these initiatives and texts.

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/523840 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/11/08/women-wage-war/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. Over 250,000 innocent civilians have been displaced since the advent of the Oct 7th war from both the South and the North of Israel. Volunteers, non-government organizations and tech workers who were organizing protests a month ago have taken the lead in welcoming these fugitives and providing all sorts of support, both physical, spiritual, social and psychological. Join us as we study a parsha that celebrates the hosting of guests.

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/522063

Transript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/11/01/making-place-for-the-displaced/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. What about Abraham was so radical? What about Abraham has created such extremes of love and hate… such rivalry, such animosity, such promise and such despair?

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/520323 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/10/25/abraham-and-the-birth-of-anit-semitism/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. Noah has been denigrated for saving only himself and his family and not for saving all of humanity. In a world where victims and survivors of terrorism are vilified and protecting ones life and the security of ones family a sin, we look at Noah differently and learn something about ourselves and our enemies.

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/518474

Transcript on Episode Web page: https://madlik.com/2023/10/18/a-tzaddik-in-peltz/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. As Hamas finally achieves its goal of massacring thousands of Israelis, we reconsider the Talmudic saying that man was created single to teach that for anybody who destroys a single life it is counted as if he destroyed an entire world. So join us as we mourn and Study Torah....

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/516652 

Transcript: https://madlik.com/2023/10/11/a-single-life/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. As we finish the annual Torah cycle we use the legendary partnership between Zebulun and Issachar  to explore Rabbinic Judaism's various and many times conflicting position on financial support for Torah Study.

Sefaria Source Sheet:  www.sefaria.org/sheets/515056

Transcript on Episode web page:  https://madlik.com/2023/10/04/learning-torah-for-a-living/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern recorded on Clubhouse as he preaches the Yom Kippur Sermon on the 50th Anniversary of the Yom Kippur War and while 100s of thousand Iisraeli citizens are protesting on a weekly basis for the soul of Israel and the future of the Jewish People.

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/513577 

Transcripton on episode website: https://madlik.com/2023/09/26/the-yom-kippur-sermon-i-wanted-to-hear/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. We have previously remarked that the ultra-orthodox are re-creating a world and traditions that never existed. Moses admonishes the Children of Israel to "Ask your parent, who will inform you" and we explore the function and exploitation of custom in the Rabbinic Tradition up unto today.

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/512114 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/09/20/inventing-tradition/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. One of the arguments that you hear for not supporting the current demonstrations in Israel is that they are supported or funded by foreign players or …. that criticizing the Government of Israel will provide fodder to our enemies. And so …. we examine a deep-seeded reflex of the Ancient Israelites and their heirs to focus on foreign opinion and blame foreign intervention to vindicate their shortcomings.

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/509231

Transcript on episode website: https://madlik.com/2023/09/06/what-will-the-goyim-say/ 

The Torah bans bribery — so why do our holiest rituals look like payoffs?

We're diving into a provocative topic as we enter the month of Elul - bribes, sacrifices, and cosmic payoffs in Judaism. We explore the tension between Deuteronomy's clear prohibition on bribery and the sacrificial rituals found elsewhere in the Torah that look suspiciously like attempts to curry favor with the divine.

1. The language of bribery and ransom intersects with concepts of atonement in Jewish texts
2. Deuteronomy emphasizes internal purification over ritualistic practices
3. Rituals like Kaparot and Tashlich can be viewed as attempts to influence divine judgment

• [00:00:00] Bribery in Torah and the puzzle of Yom Kippur's absence in Deuteronomy
• [00:02:29] Surprising omission of the High Holidays in Deuteronomy
• [00:03:00] Deuteronomy's clear ban on bribery and its implications
• [00:06:20] Ransom, redemption, and the link to atonement
• [00:08:06] Rambam and the scapegoat: is it a bribe to Satan?
• [00:12:00] Rambam's sensitivity: accusations of idolatry and bribery in ritual
• [00:15:05] Yom Kippur as atonement—bribe or genuine repentance?
• [00:17:00] Deuteronomy's alternate vision: inner repentance over ritual
• [00:19:46] The Christian "Ransom Theory" of atonement and Jewish parallels
• [00:23:50] Kapparot, petty bribery, and the danger of cheap rituals

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Safaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/671028

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Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. We re-visit Bikkurim; the offering of the First Fruits to the priest. We explore the development of this parsha from its ancient beginnings where it excluded everyone besides a male landowner through Rabbinic literature up until the present where it is used to accommodate converts and gender differences.

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/507524

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/08/30/read-it-till-the-end/

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. The Biblical prohibition against leaving a human being unburied overnight; no matter how unworthy the deceased may be, has both practical and profound lessons …. which we shall explore.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/506265

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/08/23/god-hanging-here-from-these-gallows/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse.  As the State of Israel is polarized by the role and authority of the Supreme Court we read the Biblical injunction to provide Judges and pursue Justice. We will study the primary sources and we wonder ….. why both sides are claiming the mantle of Democracy but no one in the Jewish State is discussing Judaism! So join us for Courting Justice.

Sefaria source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/505087 

Transcipt: https://madlik.com/2023/08/16/courting-justice/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. Deuteronomy, and only Deuteronomy stipulates … over 20 times, centralized worship in what ultimately became Jerusalem. The Samaritans accepted this centralized approach but substitute Mt. Gerizim for Jerusalem. The Essenes rejected Jerusalem and its corrupt priests and power-brokers and moved to the desert to achieve spiritual purity. Finally the Rabbis ….. chose Yavneh and it's scholars… and we discuss....

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/503844 

Transcript on episode webpage: https://madlik.com/2023/08/09/next-year-in-yavneh/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and rabbi Adam Mintz, recorded on Clubhouse. Moses links the rights the Israelites have to occupy their homeland with the radically contingent nature of those rights. We marvel at how when asked what is the most important concept in the Torah, Israelis almost always answer 'am segulah' … a Chosen People, or the like and the Americans almost always answer 'tikkun olam' or the like. So, join us as we attempt to unravel this riddle.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/502940

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/08/02/jewish-homeland-or-homeland-for-the-jews/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Tisha B'av 2023 / 5783. In this past week, Israel has been subjected to nationwide protests, potentially catastrophic strikes, deep division and a total lack of political leadership culminating in a rash move by the Knesset. We've seen this movie before… so we mourn, we learn and maybe we discover a glimmer of hope.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/501664 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/07/26/tisha-bav-came-early-this-year/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. Moses tries to (re)formulate the message of the Torah for a new generation which did not know the Exodus. The founders of the State of Israel chose not to write a constitution and we wonder if and how the ideals of those who established the State of Israel can guide a new generation.

Sefaria Source Sheeet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/500692

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/07/19/eleven-days-from-horeb/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. In all honesty, we really can't promise to light a spark or shed some light on this week's parsha but we will, bli neder, review the laws of making and annulling vows and in so doing explore the ambiguous relationship that Judaism has with keeping one's word.

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.Sefaria.org/sheets/499543

Transcript on episode website: https://madlik.com/2023/07/12/no-promises/

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse as we review the literature on the obscure word "Atzeret" which can variously mean an assembly, a captive audience, a day-off from work or an after-party. With particular focus on "after-party" we use Atzeret as an opportunity to explore the concept of The Feast in the Ancient Near East and in the Torah.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/497992

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/07/05/party-on/ 

Join Rabbi Adam Mintz and Rabbi Avraham Bronstein recorded on Clubhouse.  This week while Geoffrey is Island hopping in Greece Madlik hosts a lively discussion between his two favorite co-hosts as they discuss the dramatic episode of Moses seeming disregard for God's command to talk to the rock and his fatal decision to strike it.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/497433

Transcript on episode page: https://wordpress.com/post/madlik.com/4231

The Radical Contraction and expansion of Ancient Israelite Religion

The book of Deuteronomy presents a radical shift in religious practice that continues to shape modern Judaism and beyond. Far from expanding religious institutions as empires typically do, Deuteronomy takes the surprising approach of contracting and centralizing worship while simultaneously broadening its reach into everyday life.

This week's Torah portion, Re'eh, highlights this revolutionary approach. It restricts temple worship to a single location and forbids importing practices from other cultures. At first glance, this seems counterintuitive. Why limit religious expression when entering a new land?

1. Deuteronomy proposes a unique path that refuses both colonization and cultural blending
2. The centralization of worship and prohibition of foreign practices creates a religious vacuum
3. This approach leads to a transformation of holiness from specific locations to everyday life

• [00:00:00] The radical shift in Deuteronomy – centralizing worship and banning outside practices
• [00:02:52] Why centralized worship was so controversial
• [00:04:28] Should destroyed cultures still influence us?
• [00:07:22] Why Israelites were tempted by idols
• [00:09:28] Borrowing rituals from other religions
• [00:12:39] Contracting Judaism as expansion begins
• [00:16:39] Religion beyond the land of Israel
• [00:19:41] The diaspora's role in the covenant
• [00:22:42] Sacralization vs. secularization of daily life
• [00:27:54] Final reflections and closing blessings

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Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse. We sense that Korach's rebellion has something to do with correct governance and even democracy, it's just not clear what the message is and whose side we're on. Join us as we survey Classical Jewish and philisophic literature on Korach and the enigma of Democracy.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/496058

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/06/21/the-people-v-korach/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on June 15th 202 on Clubhouse. The Biblical Spies looked like grasshoppers to themselves and so they imagined in the eyes of others. We review Rabbinic and later Zionist texts as we explore the pitfalls of a Slave and Ghetto mentality up until today.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/494982

Transcript of episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/06/14/the-grasshopper-mentality-and-the-new-jew/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on June 8th 2023 on Clubhouse. Pesah Sheni, the makeover Passover has been adopted by the Orthodox LGBTQ community as a Biblical holiday to accept different pathways, identities and evolutions amongst the Jewish People. We review the sources and celebrate!

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/493778

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/06/07/kosher-queer/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse on June 1st 2023. We compare and contrast the Biblical Sotah (Suspected Woman) and the ritual of the bitter waters to the trial by ordeal found in ancient societies up until the Salem Witch Trials. We ask, what we can learn from this primitive form of justice.

Sefaria Source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/492460

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/06/01/truth-or-dare/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern for live Shavuot night learning on Clubhouse. We'll prove, with the help of Yehudah Halevi, and beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the Torah was given at Sinai. In the process, we hope to share an insight into the meaning and challenge of Sinai.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/489667 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/05/24/the-echo-of-sinai/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on May 18th 2023 on Clubhouse. The Torah counts every able-bodied male to serve in the army and to pay their share of taxes and we look at the Haredi demand that they be exempt from military service and subsidized by the State and wonder…. why?

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/487982 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/05/18/god-wants-you-to-serve/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on May 11th 2023 on Clubhouse. We marvel at how Rabbinic Judaism modified if not totally abrogated explicite Biblical injunctions against selling land in perpetuioty and taking interest on loans. Using the Pruzbol and Heter Iska as case studies we explore the audacity of Rabbinic Judaism.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/486023 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/05/10/prozbul-and-iska-llc/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on May 4th 2023 on Clubhouse. This week's Torah portion is Emor.  In it we come across the source for the tradition for Jewish men to grow beards and Peyot (side curls) and the prohibition to cut the corners of the beard. We are struck by a recurring theme of the holiness of the corner whether in beard grooming, agricultural laws or in the four-cornered garment and we wonder whether there is something more at play.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/484211

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/05/04/rounding-the-corner-2/

Join Geoffrey Stern ansd Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse on April 27th 2023. This week's Torah portion is Achrei Mot-Kedoshim.  It contains what is known as the Holiness code which describes and prescribes pretty much every sexual deviation. It is the perfect opportunity to celebrate and review a radical responsa that was published earlier this year. It was written by Rabbi Jeffrey Fox, and called Gay Women (Nashim Mesolelot) A Teshuva and published by Maharat Yeshiva. So join us for Women who love women who love Torah.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/482838 

Direct Link to the Responsa: https://www.yeshivatmaharat.org/gay-women-teshuva 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/04/26/women-who-love-women-and-the-torah-a-responsa/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse on Thursday April 20th. – We peel away the stigma of leprosy from the biblical Tzorat and instead look at it through the lens of the death-averse Tumah/Taharah paradigm …. with some insights into life.

Sefaria Source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/480513

Transcript: https://madlik.com/2023/04/19/cosmetic-theology/ 

The Dangers of a world seen on a screen: What Judaism Knew All Along

In our visually-dominated world, we're raising a generation that can see but not hear. This week's Madlik episode challenges us to reconsider the primacy of listening in Jewish tradition and its profound impact on our spiritual and emotional lives.

1. Deuteronomy emphasizes listening 92 times, highlighting Judaism's unique focus on auditory over visual experiences.
2. Memory and Music: We explore how sound and music are deeply connected to memory and emotion, even in cases of dementia.
3. High Fidelity Judaism: From the shofar to Torah chanting, we discuss how sound preserves traditions across millennia.

• [00:00:00] Seeing vs. Hearing – The Deuteronomy Perspective
• [00:01:33] Why "Just Listen" Matters in a Screen-Obsessed World
• [00:03:01] The Word "Ger" – Stranger and Convert
• [00:05:11] Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on the Radical Act of Listening
• [00:08:42] "Nothing But a Voice" – The Mount Sinai Moment
• [00:11:04] Video Killed the Radio Star – A Spiritual Parallel
• [00:14:28] How Screens Impact Language and Social Development
• [00:16:14] Music, Memory, and the Jewish Tradition
• [00:20:37] Mnemonics, Oral Torah, and Memory Devices
• [00:26:19] Maimonides and the Loss of Oral Tradition

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Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

https://sapirjournal.org/chosenness/2025/the-paradoxes-of-conversion/

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3fdQnTi6N3rG7MQfwFdy7H?si=bFHgMvQ3ShWc6-5J7x506A

Passover has finally come to an end and we are putting away our Passover plates and unboxing our Hametz.  What a great opportunity to revisit one of our favorite episodes recorded in 2021 where we challenge our Rabbis and ourselves to re-imagine our Synagogue Services after Covid.  Join us for a replay of Prayer and Services and the Sickness unto Death.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/313001

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse on March 29th 2023. We continue our exploration of Haggadot that break with the past.  Today we will focus on Kibbutz Haggadot which were written, for the most part, by secular Jews who had a deep understanding of Jewish texts and traditions. In these Haggadot these self-proclaimed "New Jews" reimagine the message of the Seder and inspire us to do the same.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/477153 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/03/28/protest-haggadah-cont/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Avraham Bornstein recorded on Clubhouse on March 24th 2023. This week's Torah portion is Vayikra. Vayikra is a call to action. In every generation we are admonished to imagine ourselves overthrowing the Pharaoh of our day and liberating the People of Israel.  Today we'll survey haggadot that take this challenge to heart and re-imagine the Haggadah in their time and for their time. As Israelis take to the streets, we challenge ourselves to join this tradition and write a new Hagaddah.

Sefira Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/475511 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/03/23/protest-haggadah/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recordeed on March 16th 2023 on Clubhouse. The craftsmen and craftswomen building the Tabernacle are commanded to weave curtains showcasing images of two Cherubs and fashion golden statues to match. We wonder how these winged-creatures differ from the Golden Calf and the forbidden images that the Bible ridicules with such scorn?

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/474160 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/03/15/man-made/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse on March 9th 2023. The Torah commands the Priests to wash their hands and feet before conducting the Temple service. The Rabbis command hand washing upon waking, before prayer, before eating and on multiple other opportunities. When I studied in the Yeshiva, I had a bowl and cup of water under my bed so that I could wash my hands before my feet touched the floor.  If you've been to an Orthodox wedding or a rest room in Israel you've likely seen a washing cup with two handles.  What's with all the washing you say.  I say, watch your mouth and….. Wash your hands!

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/472460 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/03/08/wash-your-hands/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on clubhouse on March 2nd 2023. We survey the prophetic and Rabbinic re-imagining of a Temple culture without a Temple but we also continue our discussion from last week where we noted how Jewish Messianism includes an often violent break with accepted practice, intentionally breaking moral and Rabbinic norms to hasten the end. We explore how after the Six Day War, but specifically after the Oslo Accords previous Rabbinic guidance relating to the sanctity of the Temple Mount has been cast aside. 

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/470857 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/03/02/temple-politics/ 

Join Goeffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse on February 24th. Last year when we discussed the creation of the tabernacle, we explored a powerful theological concept called Tzimzum where God creates the world by contracting his presence.  This year we continue the discussion from a historical, ideological and political perspective.  We explore how after the expulsion from Spain this concept profoundly impacted every aspect of the Jewish Journey into modernity and up until the current political crisis in Israel.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/469103

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/02/23/when-god-gets-small-cont/ 

Last year's Podcast: WHEN GOD gets small: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/madlik/WHEN_GOD_gets_small.mp3 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse on February 16th 2023. We continue our discussion of Sinai with a focus on the negative aspects foreshadowed even at the climactic moment of revelation. We survey the Rabbinic tradition as preserved in our texts and surprisingly in the Koran. Finally we wonder whether Israel and God have entered into a relationship at Sinai that neither one can resist?

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/467460 

Transcript on episode website: https://madlik.com/2023/02/15/shadows-of-sinai-cont/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on clubhouse on February 9th 2023. The Torah uses two words that describe the orientation of the Israelites towards Mt. Sinai: נֶ֥גֶד and תַחְתִּ֥ית. We survey the interpretation of these words in the Rabbinic tradition to shed some light on revelation and even to critique synagogue architecture.

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/465646 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/02/08/shadows-of-sinai/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on clubhouse on February 2, 2023. The Torah declares that the Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt "Hamushim" חֲמֻשִׁ֛ים , a word related to Hamesh, the number five. According to many commentaries this word implies that only some of the Israelites left Egypt … armed and ready to fight. This is the first time that distinctions are made between one set of Jews and another. So, as divisions begin to surface within the ranks of the Israelites, we raise our hand to identify and call out the birth of Jewish sectarianism.... A sepcial extended episode with live interaction with clubhouse friends of Madlik.

Sefaria source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/463446

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/02/01/high-five/ 

The Torah's allure is so powerful, rabbis had to warn against misusing it.

Exploring the concept of "limud" (learning) unique to Deuteronomy, we uncover the rabbis' complex relationship with Torah study. From the joy of learning to the fear of misuse, the discussion spans intentionality, secular study, and the power of Torah to attract even non-believers. We delve into the debate between studying "lishma" (for its own sake) vs. applied learning, and examine how different Jewish movements approach Torah study.

The rabbis recognized the profound allure of Torah study, to the point where they had to warn against misusing it for personal gain or pride… or even to make a living. We explore the emergence of the academic and scientific study of our texts as well as contemporary women's yeshivot and secular yeshivot and different rabbinic opinions on the matter, from those who believe any Torah study can lead to observance to those who fear misinterpretation. The segment provides insight into an ongoing debate within Judaism about the nature and purpose of sacred text study.

We conclude with the potential for new insights to arise from diverse groups studying Torah highlighted with the fascinating Talmudic story of Rabbi Meir learning from the heretic Elisha Ben Abuya, illustrating the idea that valuable wisdom can come from unexpected sources.

1. The word "limud" (learning) appears only in Deuteronomy, signaling a shift in Torah transmission.
2. Rabbis grappled with the allure of Torah study for non-religious purposes.
3. The debate continues: should Torah study be restricted to believers or open to all?

• [00:00:00] – The episode opens with a provocative framing: Can the Torah survive being studied like secular literature?
• [00:02:00] – Discussion on Tisha B'Av and the idea that Torah learning brings too much joy to be permitted on a day of mourning.
• [00:03:00] – Story from Rabbi Riskin about the heretic who insists he's not a goy, highlighting the irresistible pull of Torah study.
• [00:04:42] – Deep dive into Deuteronomy and the word "limud," and how teaching and learning emerge in the text.
• [00:07:00] – Exploring Maimonides' take on the commandment to teach Torah not just to sons, but to students as children.
• [00:10:00] – Pirkei Avot is introduced, differentiating learning to teach vs. learning to practice.
• [00:13:00] – Cautionary wisdom from the sages: Don't use Torah as a tool for ego or profit.
• [00:17:00] – Talmudic view that learning Torah for the wrong reasons may still lead to righteous practice.
• [00:23:00] – Norman Lamm and others weigh in on secular vs. sacred motivations for Torah study.
• [00:30:00] – The closing story of Rabbi Meir and Elisha ben Abuya explores the value of learning Torah even from a heretic.

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Safaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/667572

Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded live on Clubhouse on January 26, 2023. God hardens the heart of Pharaoh. We ignore the question of free will and God's omnipotence and instead we ask: "What makes a man's heart so hard that it can't be softened?

Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/462193 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/01/25/hard-hearts/ 

Join Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz recorded on Clubhouse on January 19th 2023. The Rabbis learn from Moses the importance of Hakarta HaTov; recognizing good and showing gratitude even to inanimate objects. We explore this character trait as it relates to personal conduct and current Israeli politics.

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/460393

Transcript on episode web page:

https://madlik.com/2023/01/18/thank-the-donkey-of-the-messiah/

Join Geoffrey Stern recorded on clubhouse on January 12th 2023. The Exodus from Egypt is not simply an episode in the script of the Jewish People; it is The refrain. The fact that it represents the essence of the Jewish people is captured in every commandment that is זֵכֶר לִיצִיאַת מִצְרָיִם to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. Modern liberation movements have taken their inspiration from the exodus as a paradigm so what does the Exodus Liberation paradigm look like for Jews and for Israel? 

Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/458913 

Transcript on episode web page: https://madlik.com/2023/01/11/liberation-theology-for-jews/