http://joidenver.com/dearrabbiwww.joidenver.com/dearrabbi to submit your own questions.]]>enJudaismCopyright Rabbi Menachem Lehrfieldhttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/180e25d840a0fb0e07ef3f6fbb78a27b.jpghttp://joidenver.com/dearrabbiWed, 08 Jul 2026 11:50:05 +0000Menachem LehrfieldMenachem Lehrfieldmlehrfield@joidenver.comConcise weekly answers to your questions about Judaism. If you are a wondering Jew, visit www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi to submit your own questions.www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi to submit your own questions.]]>falseepisodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-don-t-orthodox-jewish-men-wear-wedding-rings--72867567www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people wonder about: Why don't Orthodox Jewish men wear wedding rings? While I do know some Orthodox men who do wear them, traditionally many Orthodox men do not, and there's actually a specific reason.

In a traditional Jewish wedding, the man gives the woman something of value, typically a ring, as a gift. The key word here is "gift," not exchange. The entire foundation of a Jewish wedding is built on the concept of giving; the man gives to the woman to establish the marriage bond.

If the man were to give the woman a ring and the woman were to give the man a different ring in return, that would be an exchange, not giving. An exchange is fundamentally different from giving and doesn't align with how a Jewish wedding is constructed. Therefore, a man's wedding ring was never really part of the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony.

Additionally, there's a Torah prohibition against men wearing feminine clothing, which according to many opinions includes jewelry. Traditionally, Orthodox Jewish men don't wear jewelry at all, so a wedding band, which has no part in the Jewish wedding ceremony, was never included in the practice.

Some Jewish men do wear wedding rings today, often as a practical sign that they're married (especially in the workplace to signal to others that they're taken). But this is a modern practice separate from traditional Jewish wedding customs.

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72867567Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:50:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people wonder about: Why don't Orthodox Jewish men wear wedding rings? While I do know some Orthodox men who do wear them,...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people wonder about: Why don't Orthodox Jewish men wear wedding rings? While I do know some Orthodox men who do wear them, traditionally many Orthodox men do not, and there's actually a specific reason.

In a traditional Jewish wedding, the man gives the woman something of value, typically a ring, as a gift. The key word here is "gift," not exchange. The entire foundation of a Jewish wedding is built on the concept of giving; the man gives to the woman to establish the marriage bond.

If the man were to give the woman a ring and the woman were to give the man a different ring in return, that would be an exchange, not giving. An exchange is fundamentally different from giving and doesn't align with how a Jewish wedding is constructed. Therefore, a man's wedding ring was never really part of the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony.

Additionally, there's a Torah prohibition against men wearing feminine clothing, which according to many opinions includes jewelry. Traditionally, Orthodox Jewish men don't wear jewelry at all, so a wedding band, which has no part in the Jewish wedding ceremony, was never included in the practice.

Some Jewish men do wear wedding rings today, often as a practical sign that they're married (especially in the workplace to signal to others that they're taken). But this is a modern practice separate from traditional Jewish wedding customs.

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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.]]>139chuppahceremony,customs,dearrabbi,groom,jewish,jewishbride,jewishmarriage,jewishmen,jewishwedding,judaism,judaismexplained,ketubahwedding,menachemlehrfield,orthodox,orthodoxjudaism,torah,traditional,traditions,wedding,weddingringsfalse438fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-aren-t-dinosaurs-mentioned-in-the-bible--72769146www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fascinating question: Why don't we find any mention of dinosaurs in the creation story in the Bible? The answer reveals how we should read and interpret biblical texts.

First, let me point out that we also don't find any mention of oranges in the creation story, yet no one doubts that oranges exist. The Bible simply doesn't mention every single thing that was created. It provides categories and highlights certain creations, but it's not an exhaustive inventory of all creations.

However, there's an interesting possibility. In Genesis 1:21, the Bible describes the creation of animals and gives different categories. One category is "tannin." Gerald Schroeder, a brilliant MIT physicist, explains that in Exodus 3, the word "tannin" (singular of tannin) refers specifically to a snake. Since the general term for a snake or the category is "reptile," he translates "tannin" as "large reptiles," and the Greek word for a large reptile is "dinosaur." So Schroeder believes the "tannin" mentioned on day five of creation was actually a dinosaur.

According to oral tradition and the Midrash, these large creatures (tannin golem) were long extinct before humans came onto the scene. This aligns with what we know about dinosaurs from fossil records.

Dinosaurs do raise important questions about the age of the universe, which is a separate discussion. For deeper exploration of both topics, I recommend Gerald Schroeder's books, particularly "The Science of God" and his smaller work "What About the Dinosaurs?"

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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 ex]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72769146Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:00:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fascinating question: Why don't we find any mention of dinosaurs in the creation story in the Bible? The answer reveals how we should read and...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fascinating question: Why don't we find any mention of dinosaurs in the creation story in the Bible? The answer reveals how we should read and interpret biblical texts.

First, let me point out that we also don't find any mention of oranges in the creation story, yet no one doubts that oranges exist. The Bible simply doesn't mention every single thing that was created. It provides categories and highlights certain creations, but it's not an exhaustive inventory of all creations.

However, there's an interesting possibility. In Genesis 1:21, the Bible describes the creation of animals and gives different categories. One category is "tannin." Gerald Schroeder, a brilliant MIT physicist, explains that in Exodus 3, the word "tannin" (singular of tannin) refers specifically to a snake. Since the general term for a snake or the category is "reptile," he translates "tannin" as "large reptiles," and the Greek word for a large reptile is "dinosaur." So Schroeder believes the "tannin" mentioned on day five of creation was actually a dinosaur.

According to oral tradition and the Midrash, these large creatures (tannin golem) were long extinct before humans came onto the scene. This aligns with what we know about dinosaurs from fossil records.

Dinosaurs do raise important questions about the age of the universe, which is a separate discussion. For deeper exploration of both topics, I recommend Gerald Schroeder's books, particularly "The Science of God" and his smaller work "What About the Dinosaurs?"

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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 ex]]>151askarabbi,bible,creation,dearrabbi,dinosaurs,genesisdinosaurs,geraldschroeder,jewisheducation,jewishpodcast,jewishscience,jewishwisdom,judaism,judaismexplained,menachemlehrfield,science,story,tannindinosaur,torahfalse437fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/can-someone-with-a-tattoo-be-buried-in-a-jewish-cemetery--72318921www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a common misconception: Can a person with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? The short answer is yes, someone with a tattoo can absolutely be buried in a Jewish cemetery.

That's not to say tattoos are condoned by Judaism. The Torah makes it very clear that it is forbidden to get a tattoo. But why? I explain that we look at our bodies as holy receptacles for our souls. Just like you wouldn't borrow a Bentley from someone and put bumper stickers all over it, we believe our bodies are, so to speak, borrowed. They're here to fulfill a specific purpose, housing our souls and allowing us to connect spiritually through action in this world. Therefore, we don't want to permanently mark them up with those proverbial bumper stickers.

However, having a tattoo doesn't disqualify someone from Jewish burial. This is just one of many misconceptions people have about Jewish law and burial practices. The reality is far more compassionate and nuanced than the myths suggest.

Whether you have tattoos yourself, know someone who does, or are simply curious about Jewish burial customs and what actually disqualifies someone from Jewish cemetery burial, this episode clears up a widespread misunderstanding.

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72318921Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:00:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a common misconception: Can a person with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? The short answer is yes, someone with a tattoo can...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a common misconception: Can a person with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? The short answer is yes, someone with a tattoo can absolutely be buried in a Jewish cemetery.

That's not to say tattoos are condoned by Judaism. The Torah makes it very clear that it is forbidden to get a tattoo. But why? I explain that we look at our bodies as holy receptacles for our souls. Just like you wouldn't borrow a Bentley from someone and put bumper stickers all over it, we believe our bodies are, so to speak, borrowed. They're here to fulfill a specific purpose, housing our souls and allowing us to connect spiritually through action in this world. Therefore, we don't want to permanently mark them up with those proverbial bumper stickers.

However, having a tattoo doesn't disqualify someone from Jewish burial. This is just one of many misconceptions people have about Jewish law and burial practices. The reality is far more compassionate and nuanced than the myths suggest.

Whether you have tattoos yourself, know someone who does, or are simply curious about Jewish burial customs and what actually disqualifies someone from Jewish cemetery burial, this episode clears up a widespread misunderstanding.

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>93canjewshavetattoos,cemetery,dearrabbi,halakhatattoos,holiness,jewish,jewishbody,jewishburialcustoms,jewishcemetery,jewishfuneral,jewishlaw,jewishmisconceptions,jewishmyths,judaism,koshertattoos,menachemlehrfield,rules,tattoo,tattooburialjewish,torahfalse436fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-don-t-jews-mix-milk-and-meat--72318922www.joidenver.com/podcasts


In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fundamental question about Jewish dietary laws: Why don't Jews mix milk and meat? The short answer is simple: because God said so. But there's so much more to understand about this ancient practice.

I explain that kashrut laws are essentially a spiritual diet for our souls. Just as certain foods clog our physical arteries, there are foods that clog our spiritual arteries. God shares this with us because if we want to get the most spiritually out of life and be open to spiritual realities, we must ensure our diet is in line with that goal.

When we explore reasons for specific mitzvot, we need to understand that these reasons are layered, not definitive. The Hebrew word for reason is "tam" the same word as "taste." Just as God could have created bland food for survival but instead made magnificent foods with beautiful colors, tastes, and textures, the reasons for mitzvot enhance our intellectual and spiritual connection to them.

There are multiple reasons given for not mixing milk and meat. On the practical side, pagan idolaters mixed milk and meat, so by avoiding this practice, Jews distinguish themselves from pagan worship. On the kabbalistic side, milk represents life (it's white, representing purity and sustenance), while meat represents death. By keeping them separate, we acknowledge the clear distinction between life and death two fundamental forces we must never intermingle.

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72318922Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:00:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fundamental question about Jewish dietary laws: Why don't Jews mix milk and meat? The short answer is simple: because God said so. But...www.joidenver.com/podcasts


In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fundamental question about Jewish dietary laws: Why don't Jews mix milk and meat? The short answer is simple: because God said so. But there's so much more to understand about this ancient practice.

I explain that kashrut laws are essentially a spiritual diet for our souls. Just as certain foods clog our physical arteries, there are foods that clog our spiritual arteries. God shares this with us because if we want to get the most spiritually out of life and be open to spiritual realities, we must ensure our diet is in line with that goal.

When we explore reasons for specific mitzvot, we need to understand that these reasons are layered, not definitive. The Hebrew word for reason is "tam" the same word as "taste." Just as God could have created bland food for survival but instead made magnificent foods with beautiful colors, tastes, and textures, the reasons for mitzvot enhance our intellectual and spiritual connection to them.

There are multiple reasons given for not mixing milk and meat. On the practical side, pagan idolaters mixed milk and meat, so by avoiding this practice, Jews distinguish themselves from pagan worship. On the kabbalistic side, milk represents life (it's white, representing purity and sustenance), while meat represents death. By keeping them separate, we acknowledge the clear distinction between life and death two fundamental forces we must never intermingle.

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>218dearrabbi,jewish,jewishdietary,jewishfoodlaws,judaism,kabbalistic,kashrut,kosherlaws,laws,lifeanddeath,meat,meatdairy,milk,milkandmeat,mitzvot,pagan,rules,spiritualdiet,torahdietary,worshipfalse435fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-can-jews-charge-interest-to-non-jews--72318920www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a question about Jewish lending practices: Why are Jews allowed to charge interest to non-Jews? The answer reveals deeper Jewish values about family, community, and morality.

First, let me be clear: there's nothing immoral about charging interest. If I rent out a car, there's a price for that rental. If I rent out my money, there's a price for that too. Interest is simply the price for renting money; it's a fair economic transaction.

The reason Jews don't charge other Jews interest is because we see the entire Jewish people as a family. While there's nothing wrong with charging someone interest in a business transaction, if your brother asks to borrow money and you charge them interest, it's not the nicest thing to do. The Torah sets a very high bar for us, demanding that we lend to our brothers and sisters without interest.

We lend to them because it's the right thing to do and because we love them and care for them, not because of the interest we might gain. This practice reflects the Jewish principle of seeing our people as one family bound together by covenant and mutual responsibility.

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72318920Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:35:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a question about Jewish lending practices: Why are Jews allowed to charge interest to non-Jews? The answer reveals deeper Jewish values about...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a question about Jewish lending practices: Why are Jews allowed to charge interest to non-Jews? The answer reveals deeper Jewish values about family, community, and morality.

First, let me be clear: there's nothing immoral about charging interest. If I rent out a car, there's a price for that rental. If I rent out my money, there's a price for that too. Interest is simply the price for renting money; it's a fair economic transaction.

The reason Jews don't charge other Jews interest is because we see the entire Jewish people as a family. While there's nothing wrong with charging someone interest in a business transaction, if your brother asks to borrow money and you charge them interest, it's not the nicest thing to do. The Torah sets a very high bar for us, demanding that we lend to our brothers and sisters without interest.

We lend to them because it's the right thing to do and because we love them and care for them, not because of the interest we might gain. This practice reflects the Jewish principle of seeing our people as one family bound together by covenant and mutual responsibility.

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>94askarabbi,dearrabbi,explained,halakha,interest,jewish,jewishcommunity,jewisheconomic,jewishlaw,jewishpodcast,jewishtradition,jewishwisdom,jews,judaism,law,lending,lendingtojews,menachemlehrfield,monetarylaw,torahfalse434fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/should-jews-buy-german-cars--72186571www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a sensitive question: Can or should Jews drive Volkswagens or other German-made vehicles? I like how you asked both "can" and "should" because honestly, that's the distinction. First, the legal answer: A Jew is absolutely allowed to buy a German car.

There's nothing in halakha (Jewish law) that forbids it. But with that said, there's definitely a sensitivity about not supporting those who tried to exterminate every single Jewish person  man, woman, and child from the world. I explore the dark histories of German car manufacturers. Auto Union (Audi's parent company) recently admitted to using concentration camp inmates to produce cars.

BMW used slave labor and supported the Nazi war effort by making aircraft and motorcycles. Volkswagen, Daimler, and Mercedes-Benz did the same. Ferdinand Porsche, the famous engineer, was a Nazi Party member who invented the Volkswagen Beetle specifically on Hitler's orders. But here's the important point: if we're going to boycott companies with dark antisemitic pasts, we need to be consistent. Henry Ford was one of the most vile antisemites ever - he bought a newspaper specifically to spread antisemitic propaganda across America. The founders of Adidas and Puma were brothers and both Nazi Party members.

Hugo Boss made uniforms for the SS and Hitler Youth, yet many people wear his clothes without hesitation. IBM allegedly provided extensive support to Nazi Germany. The reality is that many companies have dark antisemitic histories. Beyond the past, there are current companies signed onto the BDS movement (boycott, divest, sanction Israel) that refuse to acknowledge Israel's right to exist. The list is quite large.

Personally, I'm not comfortable driving a German car or Ford car. I'd choose Häagen-Dazs over Ben and Jerry's because of their stance on Israel. But this is a personal choice, not a religious requirement. I'm not making judgments about others, it's a sensitivity that people either have or don't.

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72186571Wed, 27 May 2026 14:50:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a sensitive question: Can or should Jews drive Volkswagens or other German-made vehicles? I like how you asked both "can" and "should" because...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a sensitive question: Can or should Jews drive Volkswagens or other German-made vehicles? I like how you asked both "can" and "should" because honestly, that's the distinction. First, the legal answer: A Jew is absolutely allowed to buy a German car.

There's nothing in halakha (Jewish law) that forbids it. But with that said, there's definitely a sensitivity about not supporting those who tried to exterminate every single Jewish person  man, woman, and child from the world. I explore the dark histories of German car manufacturers. Auto Union (Audi's parent company) recently admitted to using concentration camp inmates to produce cars.

BMW used slave labor and supported the Nazi war effort by making aircraft and motorcycles. Volkswagen, Daimler, and Mercedes-Benz did the same. Ferdinand Porsche, the famous engineer, was a Nazi Party member who invented the Volkswagen Beetle specifically on Hitler's orders. But here's the important point: if we're going to boycott companies with dark antisemitic pasts, we need to be consistent. Henry Ford was one of the most vile antisemites ever - he bought a newspaper specifically to spread antisemitic propaganda across America. The founders of Adidas and Puma were brothers and both Nazi Party members.

Hugo Boss made uniforms for the SS and Hitler Youth, yet many people wear his clothes without hesitation. IBM allegedly provided extensive support to Nazi Germany. The reality is that many companies have dark antisemitic histories. Beyond the past, there are current companies signed onto the BDS movement (boycott, divest, sanction Israel) that refuse to acknowledge Israel's right to exist. The list is quite large.

Personally, I'm not comfortable driving a German car or Ford car. I'd choose Häagen-Dazs over Ben and Jerry's because of their stance on Israel. But this is a personal choice, not a religious requirement. I'm not making judgments about others, it's a sensitivity that people either have or don't.

CONNECT WITH US:
🎧 Listen to all our podcasts: [www.joidenver.com/podcasts]

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>325antisemiticcompanies,bdsmovement,consciousconsumers,corporateresponsibility,dearrabbi,faithandprinciples,holocaustmemory,israelsupport,jewishboycott,jewishcommunity,jewishethics,jewishpodcast,jewishvalues,judaismexplained,menachemlehrfield,nazierabusiness,religiouseducation,religiousjewish,shouldjewsbuygermancars,vwhistorynazifalse433fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/is-being-anti-israel-the-same-as-being-antisemitic--72082181www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a great and very timely question: Is it antisemitic to be anti-Israel? This is a nuanced issue that requires careful understanding of the difference between legitimate criticism and hate.

I lived in Israel for about nine years, and I can tell you that nobody is more critical of Israel than Israelis themselves. Well, maybe the UN, but aside from them, Israelis are Israel's harshest critics. There's nothing antisemitic about being against a specific aspect of the Israeli government or a particular policy they've implemented. Democracies invite and require criticism that's healthy and normal.

But with that said, there is a very fine line. We're finding that so much antisemitic rhetoric and antisemitic tropes that have existed for thousands of years are being rebranded as anti-Zionism or anti-Israel sentiment, and that IS antisemitic, and it IS a problem.

I point to concrete evidence: During the clash between Gaza and Israel in May 2021, antisemitic attacks around the world, including here in the United States, skyrocketed. There was a direct correlation between anti-Israel rhetoric and antisemitic violence. People were being beaten up on the streets of the United States who had no connection to Israel or anything specifically happening in the Middle East.

The key question to ask yourself: Am I criticizing the policy of a democratic country (which is totally okay), or am I trying to delegitimize Israel's right to exist? The former is legitimate political discourse. The latter is another form of antisemitism that's becoming increasingly popular today in the United States. If you follow the trends, it's actually quite scary.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72082181Wed, 20 May 2026 11:20:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a great and very timely question: Is it antisemitic to be anti-Israel? This is a nuanced issue that requires careful understanding of the...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a great and very timely question: Is it antisemitic to be anti-Israel? This is a nuanced issue that requires careful understanding of the difference between legitimate criticism and hate.

I lived in Israel for about nine years, and I can tell you that nobody is more critical of Israel than Israelis themselves. Well, maybe the UN, but aside from them, Israelis are Israel's harshest critics. There's nothing antisemitic about being against a specific aspect of the Israeli government or a particular policy they've implemented. Democracies invite and require criticism that's healthy and normal.

But with that said, there is a very fine line. We're finding that so much antisemitic rhetoric and antisemitic tropes that have existed for thousands of years are being rebranded as anti-Zionism or anti-Israel sentiment, and that IS antisemitic, and it IS a problem.

I point to concrete evidence: During the clash between Gaza and Israel in May 2021, antisemitic attacks around the world, including here in the United States, skyrocketed. There was a direct correlation between anti-Israel rhetoric and antisemitic violence. People were being beaten up on the streets of the United States who had no connection to Israel or anything specifically happening in the Middle East.

The key question to ask yourself: Am I criticizing the policy of a democratic country (which is totally okay), or am I trying to delegitimize Israel's right to exist? The former is legitimate political discourse. The latter is another form of antisemitism that's becoming increasingly popular today in the United States. If you follow the trends, it's actually quite scary.]]>142antiisrael,antisemitic,antisemitism,antisemitismtoday,antizionism,askarabbi,dearrabbi,delegitimizing,gaza,hate,israel,israelpolitics,israelright,jewishidentity,jewishpodcast,jewishsafety,jewishstate,judaismexplained,menachemlehrfield,zionismexplainedfalse432fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/my-dog-ate-my-kippah-does-it-need-jewish-burial--71988452
The question is, does a destroyed kippah need Jewish burial, or can it just be thrown out? The simple answer is no, it does not need genizah. A kippah (yarmulke) has no spiritual significance whatsoever. It's nothing more than a convenient way to cover our heads. Jewish men cover their heads to constantly remind themselves that God is above that's actually where the term "yarmulke" comes from: "yirat Malka," meaning "fear of the King" or "awe of Heaven."

But how I cover my head isn't mandated. I can use a turban, hood, baseball cap, or fedora—really, any head covering counts. The fact that I wear one type of covering versus another is insignificant. The yarmulke has absolutely no inherent spiritual value. I often see people drop their kippah, pick it up, and kiss it the same way we kiss a holy Jewish book or other sacred item that falls.

This is totally unnecessary because, as I said, it doesn't have any spiritual or religious significance.

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.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71988452Wed, 13 May 2026 11:00:03 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a beautifully rhymed question: "Michael ate my kippah." Does it need to go to genizah?" Let me first clarify the terms: a kippah is the head covering Jewish men traditionally wear, Michael is a dog, and genizah...
The question is, does a destroyed kippah need Jewish burial, or can it just be thrown out? The simple answer is no, it does not need genizah. A kippah (yarmulke) has no spiritual significance whatsoever. It's nothing more than a convenient way to cover our heads. Jewish men cover their heads to constantly remind themselves that God is above that's actually where the term "yarmulke" comes from: "yirat Malka," meaning "fear of the King" or "awe of Heaven."

But how I cover my head isn't mandated. I can use a turban, hood, baseball cap, or fedora—really, any head covering counts. The fact that I wear one type of covering versus another is insignificant. The yarmulke has absolutely no inherent spiritual value. I often see people drop their kippah, pick it up, and kiss it the same way we kiss a holy Jewish book or other sacred item that falls.

This is totally unnecessary because, as I said, it doesn't have any spiritual or religious significance.

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.]]>161askarabbi,burial,dearrabbi,dogatekippah,genizah,holyitemsburial,jewishburialcustoms,jewishcovering,jewishcustoms,jewishlearning,jewishpodcast,jewishpractice,jewishwisdom,judaismexplained,kippah,kippahrules,menachemlehrfield,spiritual,yarmulke,yarmulkemeaningfalse431fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/if-torah-forbids-adding-laws-how-do-rabbinic-mitzvot-exist--71885819www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle an excellent paradox: The Torah explicitly states that one is prohibited from adding or subtracting from the mitzvot. So how then do rabbinic mitzvot come to be? Isn't that adding to the Torah?

You're correct that the Torah forbids us from adding or detracting from it, and both are equally problematic. Your question is so good that the Ramban (Nachmanides) himself asks it: How did the rabbis make fences for the Torah? Isn't that adding to it?

I explain the crucial distinction between rabbinic mitzvot and adding to the Torah. Adding to the Torah would be claiming "this is what the Torah says" when the Torah doesn't actually say it. Rabbinic mitzvot are very different; the rabbis are doing exactly what the Torah commands them to do: putting up protective fences to prevent people from transgressing actual Torah law. 

The key is understanding the distinction between rabbinic law and Torah law. As long as we recognize these are safeguards protecting us from violating biblical Torah law, it's not only acceptable but actually required by the Torah itself. Think of guardrails on a highway or a fence on top of a high roof. If we take Torah seriously, we need those guardrails to keep us in line.

History proves the wisdom of rabbinic laws. I've personally looked at some and thought, "Are you serious?" If X happens, then Y will happen? They seem totally disconnected!" But history shows that Jewish communities that abandoned rabbinic laws began abandoning Torah laws as well. The direct correlation validates the rabbis' foresight.


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.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71885819Wed, 06 May 2026 11:00:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle an excellent paradox: The Torah explicitly states that one is prohibited from adding or subtracting from the mitzvot. So how then do rabbinic...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle an excellent paradox: The Torah explicitly states that one is prohibited from adding or subtracting from the mitzvot. So how then do rabbinic mitzvot come to be? Isn't that adding to the Torah?

You're correct that the Torah forbids us from adding or detracting from it, and both are equally problematic. Your question is so good that the Ramban (Nachmanides) himself asks it: How did the rabbis make fences for the Torah? Isn't that adding to it?

I explain the crucial distinction between rabbinic mitzvot and adding to the Torah. Adding to the Torah would be claiming "this is what the Torah says" when the Torah doesn't actually say it. Rabbinic mitzvot are very different; the rabbis are doing exactly what the Torah commands them to do: putting up protective fences to prevent people from transgressing actual Torah law. 

The key is understanding the distinction between rabbinic law and Torah law. As long as we recognize these are safeguards protecting us from violating biblical Torah law, it's not only acceptable but actually required by the Torah itself. Think of guardrails on a highway or a fence on top of a high roof. If we take Torah seriously, we need those guardrails to keep us in line.

History proves the wisdom of rabbinic laws. I've personally looked at some and thought, "Are you serious?" If X happens, then Y will happen? They seem totally disconnected!" But history shows that Jewish communities that abandoned rabbinic laws began abandoning Torah laws as well. The direct correlation validates the rabbis' foresight.


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.]]>183askarabbi,commandments,jewisheducation,jewishlaw,jewishlaws,jewishlearning,jewishpodcast,jewishtradition,jewishwisdom,judaism,judaismexplained,mitzvot,nachmanides,orallaw,rabbiniclaw,ramban,talmud,torah,torahstudy,writtenlawfalse430fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-do-i-start-being-more-jewish--71730437www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people ask: What is the best way to get started in wanting to be more involved in Jewish life? The answer is refreshingly simple and accessible.

Luckily, Judaism is not all or nothing. It's better to do something than to do nothing at all. While that might sound obvious, it's not the way many Jews approach Judaism. I hear people say all the time, "Rabbi, why should I light Shabbat candles?" I don't keep Shabbos." But here's the truth: the fact that you might go to the movies after lighting candles does not invalidate the mitzvah you've done by lighting those Shabbat candles. This applies to all of our mitzvot.

My recommendation is to find those aspects of Judaism that speak to you personally. Find what's most meaningful, and if you're going to start somewhere, start there. But how do you know which aspects are most meaningful? The only way to really know is to begin learning more about Judaism. The more you study Torah, the more you discover what's out there and the different ways Judaism can enhance your life. Start studying, whether one-on-one with a rabbi or anyone who knows more Torah than you, or through resources like Aish.com, which has thousands of articles on every topic imaginable. 

Rabbi Akiva famously said in the Talmud that learning is most important because learning leads to action. You can't possibly do the mitzvot until you learn about them, what they are, how they work, and how they can enhance your life.

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.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71730437Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:10:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people ask: What is the best way to get started in wanting to be more involved in Jewish life? The answer is refreshingly simple...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people ask: What is the best way to get started in wanting to be more involved in Jewish life? The answer is refreshingly simple and accessible.

Luckily, Judaism is not all or nothing. It's better to do something than to do nothing at all. While that might sound obvious, it's not the way many Jews approach Judaism. I hear people say all the time, "Rabbi, why should I light Shabbat candles?" I don't keep Shabbos." But here's the truth: the fact that you might go to the movies after lighting candles does not invalidate the mitzvah you've done by lighting those Shabbat candles. This applies to all of our mitzvot.

My recommendation is to find those aspects of Judaism that speak to you personally. Find what's most meaningful, and if you're going to start somewhere, start there. But how do you know which aspects are most meaningful? The only way to really know is to begin learning more about Judaism. The more you study Torah, the more you discover what's out there and the different ways Judaism can enhance your life. Start studying, whether one-on-one with a rabbi or anyone who knows more Torah than you, or through resources like Aish.com, which has thousands of articles on every topic imaginable. 

Rabbi Akiva famously said in the Talmud that learning is most important because learning leads to action. You can't possibly do the mitzvot until you learn about them, what they are, how they work, and how they can enhance your life.

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.]]>164jewishbeginner,jewisheducation,jewishobservance,jewishpodcast,jewishpractice,jewishwisdom,judaism,judaismexplained,learningtorah,mitzvotexplained,rabbiakiva,shabbatcandles,studytorahfalse429fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-do-jewish-women-cover-their-hair--71550931www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, we answer a question about a distinctive Jewish practice: Why do some Jewish women cover their hair? For this episode, my wife Sarah Lehrfield shares her personal perspective as a Jewish woman who covers her hair. Sarah explains that hair covering marks a significant transition in a woman's life as she enters marriage. The unification of souls is an essential part of this transition, which for centuries and even today involves the first experiences with intimacy.

This transformation makes a woman aware of what her body is capable of and the power her physical feminine presence holds. She discusses how a woman can sometimes get distracted by the gift of her own sensuality and begin to identify herself more as a body than as a person with a mind, thoughts, opinions, personality, gifts, creativity, and intellect. It's easy to forget her prime identity, her soul, her internal and most valuable self. Many women find joy and benefit in covering their hair for different reasons. 

For Sarah personally, covering her hair reminds her that her body is always secondary to her soul and that she wants to continue projecting to the world the parts of herself that matter most: her character, wisdom, and inner qualities rather than just her physical appearance. When a woman comes home and lets her hair down, she enhances the sacred, private, intimate connection with her spouse, the one person with whom there's no risk of being seen as anyone other than who she truly is. 

Sarah concludes with a beautiful parallel: A man covers his head to remind him of what is above him (God), and a woman covers her hair to remind her of what is within her (her soul).

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.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71550931Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:00:03 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, we answer a question about a distinctive Jewish practice: Why do some Jewish women cover their hair? For this episode, my wife Sarah Lehrfield shares her...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, we answer a question about a distinctive Jewish practice: Why do some Jewish women cover their hair? For this episode, my wife Sarah Lehrfield shares her personal perspective as a Jewish woman who covers her hair. Sarah explains that hair covering marks a significant transition in a woman's life as she enters marriage. The unification of souls is an essential part of this transition, which for centuries and even today involves the first experiences with intimacy.

This transformation makes a woman aware of what her body is capable of and the power her physical feminine presence holds. She discusses how a woman can sometimes get distracted by the gift of her own sensuality and begin to identify herself more as a body than as a person with a mind, thoughts, opinions, personality, gifts, creativity, and intellect. It's easy to forget her prime identity, her soul, her internal and most valuable self. Many women find joy and benefit in covering their hair for different reasons. 

For Sarah personally, covering her hair reminds her that her body is always secondary to her soul and that she wants to continue projecting to the world the parts of herself that matter most: her character, wisdom, and inner qualities rather than just her physical appearance. When a woman comes home and lets her hair down, she enhances the sacred, private, intimate connection with her spouse, the one person with whom there's no risk of being seen as anyone other than who she truly is. 

Sarah concludes with a beautiful parallel: A man covers his head to remind him of what is above him (God), and a woman covers her hair to remind her of what is within her (her soul).

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.]]>172covering,dearrabbi,hair,jewish,jewishfemininity,jewishhair,jewishmarriage,jewishmodesty,jewishpodcast,jewishwoman,jewishwomen,judaism,menachemlehrfield,omen,orthodoxjewishwomen,sarahlehrfield,tichel,tznius,tzniut,womenhairfalse428fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-does-god-stay-hidden--71317386www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a profound spiritual question: Why does God want some distance? Even when we draw close with broken hearts in prayer, why does God remain hidden? I explore this concept through the lens of Purim, where God is famously hidden throughout the entire story. In the Book of Esther, which we read on Purim, God's name is never mentioned explicitly. Yet our sages tell us the name is there, hidden. Every time the text says "HaMelech" (the King) by itself, it refers to God Himself - the ultimate King. When it says "Ahasuerus," it refers to the historical Persian king. I explain the mask analogy: When someone wears a mask, they're very close to you - if they were far away, the distance itself would hide their identity.

You only need a mask when you're close. Similarly, God was very close during the Purim story, which is why He needed the "mask" to remain hidden. But why does God do this? The simple answer is: I don't know. Moses himself asked God to understand His ways - why bad things happen to good people and vice versa - and God answered that humans cannot comprehend this and live. However, I offer an analogy from parenting: when my kids are in ski school, I want to watch their progress, but I hide behind a tree because if they see me, they won't work as hard. When something's difficult and your parent is right there, the natural tendency is to give up and ask for help.

Just as God told the Jewish people at the Red Sea, "Don't pray to me now - start walking, start doing, start acting," sometimes we need sink-or-swim moments. We need opportunities to rise to the occasion, and for that to happen, God needs to be hidden. It's uncomfortable and scary, but this is what eventually makes us become the people God knows we're capable of becoming.

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.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71317386Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a profound spiritual question: Why does God want some distance? Even when we draw close with broken hearts in prayer, why does God remain...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a profound spiritual question: Why does God want some distance? Even when we draw close with broken hearts in prayer, why does God remain hidden? I explore this concept through the lens of Purim, where God is famously hidden throughout the entire story. In the Book of Esther, which we read on Purim, God's name is never mentioned explicitly. Yet our sages tell us the name is there, hidden. Every time the text says "HaMelech" (the King) by itself, it refers to God Himself - the ultimate King. When it says "Ahasuerus," it refers to the historical Persian king. I explain the mask analogy: When someone wears a mask, they're very close to you - if they were far away, the distance itself would hide their identity.

You only need a mask when you're close. Similarly, God was very close during the Purim story, which is why He needed the "mask" to remain hidden. But why does God do this? The simple answer is: I don't know. Moses himself asked God to understand His ways - why bad things happen to good people and vice versa - and God answered that humans cannot comprehend this and live. However, I offer an analogy from parenting: when my kids are in ski school, I want to watch their progress, but I hide behind a tree because if they see me, they won't work as hard. When something's difficult and your parent is right there, the natural tendency is to give up and ask for help.

Just as God told the Jewish people at the Red Sea, "Don't pray to me now - start walking, start doing, start acting," sometimes we need sink-or-swim moments. We need opportunities to rise to the occasion, and for that to happen, God needs to be hidden. It's uncomfortable and scary, but this is what eventually makes us become the people God knows we're capable of becoming.

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.]]>201behindscenes,bookofesther,dearrabbi,divineconcealment,esther,faith,godconcealment,hidden,hiddenmiracles,jewishpodcast,judaism,menachemlehrfield,miracle,moses,prayeranswered,purim,redsea,spiritualdistance,unansweredprayer,whygodhiddenfalse427fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/if-torah-says-don-t-add-to-mitzvot-how-do-rabbinic-laws-exist--70868405www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle an excellent paradox: The Torah explicitly states that one is prohibited from adding or subtracting from the mitzvot. So how then do rabbinic mitzvot come to be? Isn't that adding to the Torah? You're correct that the Torah forbids us from adding or detracting from it, and both adding and detracting are equally problematic. Your question is so good that the Rambam (Maimonides) himself asks it: How did the rabbis make fences for the Torah? Isn't that adding to it? I explain the crucial distinction between rabbinic mitzvot and adding to the Torah.

Adding to the Torah would be claiming "this is what the Torah says" when the Torah doesn't actually say it. Rabbinic mitzvot, however, are very different. The rabbis are doing exactly what the Torah commands them to do—putting up protective fences to prevent people from transgressing actual Torah law. The key is that we understand the distinction between rabbinic law and Torah law. As long as we recognize these are safeguards put in place to protect us from violating biblical Torah law, it's not only acceptable but actually required by the Torah itself.

Think of it like guardrails on a highway or a fence on top of a high roof - if we take Torah seriously and want to ensure we don't transgress biblical law, we need those guardrails to keep us in line. History proves the wisdom of rabbinic laws. I personally have looked at some rabbinic laws and thought, "Are you serious? You really think if X happens, then Y will happen?

They seem totally disconnected!" But we have the benefit of history, and we can see that Jewish communities that abandoned rabbinic laws actually began abandoning Torah laws as well. The direct correlation between transgression of rabbinic law and the forgetting of Torah law is remarkable and validates the rabbis' foresight.

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! 🕎📚🎙️
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/70868405Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:00:06 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle an excellent paradox: The Torah explicitly states that one is prohibited from adding or subtracting from the mitzvot. So how then do rabbinic...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle an excellent paradox: The Torah explicitly states that one is prohibited from adding or subtracting from the mitzvot. So how then do rabbinic mitzvot come to be? Isn't that adding to the Torah? You're correct that the Torah forbids us from adding or detracting from it, and both adding and detracting are equally problematic. Your question is so good that the Rambam (Maimonides) himself asks it: How did the rabbis make fences for the Torah? Isn't that adding to it? I explain the crucial distinction between rabbinic mitzvot and adding to the Torah.

Adding to the Torah would be claiming "this is what the Torah says" when the Torah doesn't actually say it. Rabbinic mitzvot, however, are very different. The rabbis are doing exactly what the Torah commands them to do—putting up protective fences to prevent people from transgressing actual Torah law. The key is that we understand the distinction between rabbinic law and Torah law. As long as we recognize these are safeguards put in place to protect us from violating biblical Torah law, it's not only acceptable but actually required by the Torah itself.

Think of it like guardrails on a highway or a fence on top of a high roof - if we take Torah seriously and want to ensure we don't transgress biblical law, we need those guardrails to keep us in line. History proves the wisdom of rabbinic laws. I personally have looked at some rabbinic laws and thought, "Are you serious? You really think if X happens, then Y will happen?

They seem totally disconnected!" But we have the benefit of history, and we can see that Jewish communities that abandoned rabbinic laws actually began abandoning Torah laws as well. The direct correlation between transgression of rabbinic law and the forgetting of Torah law is remarkable and validates the rabbis' foresight.

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! 🕎📚🎙️
]]>183halakha,jewisheducation,jewishlawexplained,jewishlearning,jewishlegalsystem,jewishpodcast,jewishtradition,jewishwisdom,judaism,maimonides,mitzvot,orallaw,rabbiniclaw,rambam,reincarnation,talmud,torah,torahstudy,torahvsrabbinicfalse426fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/do-jews-believe-in-reincarnation-gilgul-neshamot-explained--70714599www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question that surprises many people: Do Jews believe in reincarnation? The short answer is yes. Judaism does believe in the concept of gilgul neshamot (reincarnation of souls), according to many of our sages.

Practically all of us alive today are reincarnations of previous souls and lives. What this means is that if a person, for whatever reason, did not fulfill their purpose in this world during their lifetime, they get to try again. I know it sounds a lot like a video game: you do your best, try as hard as you can, and if you die without finishing your mission, you get to try again.

I explain how the Zohar finds a biblical reference to this in the laws of levirate marriage (yibum). When a man dies childless, his widow is obligated to marry his brother, and the Torah states that the firstborn son "shall succeed in the name of his dead brother, that his name not be erased from the Jewish people." " The Zohar reveals this as the secret of reincarnation: the child born from this union is actually a reincarnation of the deceased brother.

The earliest biblical reference may be from the Book of Job, chapter 33, verse 30: "Behold, God does all these things with man two or three times... to bring back his soul from the grave, to bask in the light of the living." So yes, Jews do believe in reincarnation, though it's not as widely known as other Jewish beliefs.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/70714599Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:15:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question that surprises many people: Do Jews believe in reincarnation? The short answer is yes. Judaism does believe in the concept of gilgul...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question that surprises many people: Do Jews believe in reincarnation? The short answer is yes. Judaism does believe in the concept of gilgul neshamot (reincarnation of souls), according to many of our sages.

Practically all of us alive today are reincarnations of previous souls and lives. What this means is that if a person, for whatever reason, did not fulfill their purpose in this world during their lifetime, they get to try again. I know it sounds a lot like a video game: you do your best, try as hard as you can, and if you die without finishing your mission, you get to try again.

I explain how the Zohar finds a biblical reference to this in the laws of levirate marriage (yibum). When a man dies childless, his widow is obligated to marry his brother, and the Torah states that the firstborn son "shall succeed in the name of his dead brother, that his name not be erased from the Jewish people." " The Zohar reveals this as the secret of reincarnation: the child born from this union is actually a reincarnation of the deceased brother.

The earliest biblical reference may be from the Book of Job, chapter 33, verse 30: "Behold, God does all these things with man two or three times... to bring back his soul from the grave, to bask in the light of the living." So yes, Jews do believe in reincarnation, though it's not as widely known as other Jewish beliefs.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>145afterlife,askarabbi,bookofjob,dearrabbi,dojewsbelievereincarnation,jewish,jewishbeliefs,jewishlearning,jewishmysticism,jewishpodcast,jewishreincarnation,jewishsouls,jewishwisdom,judaism,judaismexplained,kabbalah,reincarnation,torahfalse425fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-do-i-start-being-more-involved-in-judaism--70589411www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people ask: What is the best way to get started in wanting to be more involved in Jewish life? The answer might surprise you with how accessible and flexible it actually is.

Luckily, Judaism is not all or nothing. It's better to do something than to do nothing at all. While that might sound obvious, it's not the way many Jews approach Judaism. I hear people say all the time, "Rabbi, why should I light Shabbat candles?" I don't keep Shabbos." But here's the truth: the fact that you might go to the movies after lighting candles does not invalidate the mitzvah you've done by lighting those candles. This applies to all of our mitzvot. 

My recommendation is to find those aspects of Judaism that speak to you personally. Find what's most meaningful to you, and if you're going to start somewhere, you might as well start there. But how do you know which aspects are most meaningful? The only way to really know is to begin learning more about Judaism. The more you study Torah, the more you discover what's out there and learn the different ways Judaism can enhance your life.

So the only way to begin is to start studying, whether one-on-one with a rabbi or anyone who knows more Torah than you, or through resources like Aish.com, which has thousands of articles on every topic imaginable. Rabbi Akiva famously said in the Talmud that learning is most important because learning leads to action. You can't possibly do the mitzvot until you learn about them, what they are, how they work, and how they can enhance your life.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/70589411Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:00:04 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people ask: What is the best way to get started in wanting to be more involved in Jewish life? The answer might surprise you...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people ask: What is the best way to get started in wanting to be more involved in Jewish life? The answer might surprise you with how accessible and flexible it actually is.

Luckily, Judaism is not all or nothing. It's better to do something than to do nothing at all. While that might sound obvious, it's not the way many Jews approach Judaism. I hear people say all the time, "Rabbi, why should I light Shabbat candles?" I don't keep Shabbos." But here's the truth: the fact that you might go to the movies after lighting candles does not invalidate the mitzvah you've done by lighting those candles. This applies to all of our mitzvot. 

My recommendation is to find those aspects of Judaism that speak to you personally. Find what's most meaningful to you, and if you're going to start somewhere, you might as well start there. But how do you know which aspects are most meaningful? The only way to really know is to begin learning more about Judaism. The more you study Torah, the more you discover what's out there and learn the different ways Judaism can enhance your life.

So the only way to begin is to start studying, whether one-on-one with a rabbi or anyone who knows more Torah than you, or through resources like Aish.com, which has thousands of articles on every topic imaginable. Rabbi Akiva famously said in the Talmud that learning is most important because learning leads to action. You can't possibly do the mitzvot until you learn about them, what they are, how they work, and how they can enhance your life.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>164askarabbi,becomingobservant,howtobejewish,jewish,jewishbeginnerguide,jewisheducation,jewishlearningresources,jewishobservance,jewishpodcast,jewishwisdom,judaism,learningtorah,mitzvotexplained,rabbi,shabbat,studytorahfalse424fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/can-someone-with-a-tattoo-be-buried-in-a-jewish-cemetery--70440028www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer one of the most common misconceptions about Jewish law: Can a person with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? The short answer is yes - even someone with a tattoo can absolutely be buried in a Jewish cemetery.

That's not to say tattoos are condoned by Judaism. The Torah (the Bible) makes it very clear that it is forbidden to get a tattoo. But why? I explain that we look at our bodies as holy receptacles for our souls. Just like you wouldn't borrow a Bentley from someone and put bumper stickers all over it, we believe our bodies are, so to speak, borrowed. They're here to fulfill a specific purpose - housing our souls and allowing us to connect spiritually through action in this physical world. Therefore, we don't want to permanently mark them up with those proverbial bumper stickers.

However, having a tattoo doesn't disqualify someone from Jewish burial. This is just one of many misconceptions people have about Jewish law and burial practices. The reality is far more compassionate and understanding than the myths suggest.

Whether you have tattoos yourself, know someone who does, or are simply curious about Jewish burial customs and what actually disqualifies someone from Jewish cemetery burial, this episode clears up a widespread misunderstanding about Jewish practice and law.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/70440028Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:25:02 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer one of the most common misconceptions about Jewish law: Can a person with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? The short answer is yes -...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer one of the most common misconceptions about Jewish law: Can a person with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? The short answer is yes - even someone with a tattoo can absolutely be buried in a Jewish cemetery.

That's not to say tattoos are condoned by Judaism. The Torah (the Bible) makes it very clear that it is forbidden to get a tattoo. But why? I explain that we look at our bodies as holy receptacles for our souls. Just like you wouldn't borrow a Bentley from someone and put bumper stickers all over it, we believe our bodies are, so to speak, borrowed. They're here to fulfill a specific purpose - housing our souls and allowing us to connect spiritually through action in this physical world. Therefore, we don't want to permanently mark them up with those proverbial bumper stickers.

However, having a tattoo doesn't disqualify someone from Jewish burial. This is just one of many misconceptions people have about Jewish law and burial practices. The reality is far more compassionate and understanding than the myths suggest.

Whether you have tattoos yourself, know someone who does, or are simply curious about Jewish burial customs and what actually disqualifies someone from Jewish cemetery burial, this episode clears up a widespread misunderstanding about Jewish practice and law.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>93askarabbi,canjewshavetattoos,dearrabbi,jewish,jewishburialcustoms,jewishcemetery,jewishfuneral,jewishlearning,jewishmisconceptions,jewishmyths,jewishpodcast,jewishwisdom,judaism,judaismexplained,kosher,tattoo,tattoojewishlaw,torahontattoosfalse423fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/where-did-the-all-jews-are-rich-stereotype-come-from--70263261www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a persistent stereotype: Where did the idea come from that all Jews are rich? I can assure you it's not true in my case, and we all know Jews who are wealthy and Jews who are struggling, just like all of society. But the origin of this stereotype reveals something profound about Jewish values. I share a fascinating insight from Mark Twain, who once wrote an article addressing the root causes of antisemitism.

While many people are familiar with the end of that article, where he talks about how Jews seem to be immortal, surviving despite everything the world has thrown at them, he makes a remarkable observation in the middle of the article. Mark Twain noted that because Jews take care of each other, you never find a Jewish beggar. Perhaps that's where the stereotype originated. Non-Jewish neighbors assumed Jews were all rich because they never saw Jewish people begging or asking for money on the streets.

The reason, of course, wasn't because poor Jews didn't exist; rather, the Jewish community took care of them quietly and effectively. While stereotypes are generally negative, understanding the root of this particular one is something we should take pride in. Jewish people have always taken care of one another. This important Jewish value—sharing what we have with others, taking care of our fellow brothers and sisters, and ensuring no Jew (or any human being) ever goes hungry has always been central to Jewish identity and community life.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/70263261Wed, 25 Feb 2026 12:00:14 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a persistent stereotype: Where did the idea come from that all Jews are rich? I can assure you it's not true in my case, and we all know Jews...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a persistent stereotype: Where did the idea come from that all Jews are rich? I can assure you it's not true in my case, and we all know Jews who are wealthy and Jews who are struggling, just like all of society. But the origin of this stereotype reveals something profound about Jewish values. I share a fascinating insight from Mark Twain, who once wrote an article addressing the root causes of antisemitism.

While many people are familiar with the end of that article, where he talks about how Jews seem to be immortal, surviving despite everything the world has thrown at them, he makes a remarkable observation in the middle of the article. Mark Twain noted that because Jews take care of each other, you never find a Jewish beggar. Perhaps that's where the stereotype originated. Non-Jewish neighbors assumed Jews were all rich because they never saw Jewish people begging or asking for money on the streets.

The reason, of course, wasn't because poor Jews didn't exist; rather, the Jewish community took care of them quietly and effectively. While stereotypes are generally negative, understanding the root of this particular one is something we should take pride in. Jewish people have always taken care of one another. This important Jewish value—sharing what we have with others, taking care of our fellow brothers and sisters, and ensuring no Jew (or any human being) ever goes hungry has always been central to Jewish identity and community life.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>152antisemitic,community,jewishcharity,jewishcommunity,jewishcommunitycharity,jewishculture,jewishlearning,jewishpodcast,jewishtraditions,jewishvalues,jewishwealth,jewishwisdom,jewsarerich,judaism,stereotype,tzedakah,whyjewsrichfalse422fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/can-you-buy-a-mezuzah-online-what-you-need-to-know-before--70139032www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a crucial question: Is there anything wrong with buying a mezuzah online or at a gift shop? The answer might surprise you and could save you from making an expensive mistake. 

First, let me clarify we're talking about the mezuzah scroll itself (the parchment inside), not the decorative case. A mezuzah case doesn't have any inherent holiness and can be purchased anywhere you'd like. But the scroll inside is a completely different matter. 

It's extremely important that mezuzah scrolls are purchased from reputable sources, either directly from a sofer (scribe) or from someone trustworthy who deals in mezuzahs. Here's why: Unlike a Torah scroll, a mezuzah must be written in specific order from beginning to end without corrections. If a scribe makes a mistake two lines from the end, an unscrupulous person might just scratch it out and correct it, but that makes the mezuzah non-kosher because it wasn't written in proper order. In a Torah scroll, mistakes can be fixed anywhere, but with a mezuzah, you cannot. There's no way to know by looking at it whether it was written properly; you must trust the source. 

I can tell you from personal experience: every time I go to someone's home to put up mezuzahs, 98% of the time they have at least one mezuzah that is not even remotely kosher, meaning it was never kosher to begin with. I've seen mezuzahs written on paper and photocopies, and people who bought mezuzahs at their synagogue gift shop where the scroll was made of paper, yet the staff told them it was kosher. If you're purchasing mezuzahs, buy them from a reputable person who knows the scribe and can verify they're written properly according to Jewish law. I also share information about My Mezuzah (mymezuzah.org), an organization that provides free mezuzahs for anyone who needs them.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/70139032Wed, 18 Feb 2026 23:03:21 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a crucial question: Is there anything wrong with buying a mezuzah online or at a gift shop? The answer might surprise you and could save you...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a crucial question: Is there anything wrong with buying a mezuzah online or at a gift shop? The answer might surprise you and could save you from making an expensive mistake. 

First, let me clarify we're talking about the mezuzah scroll itself (the parchment inside), not the decorative case. A mezuzah case doesn't have any inherent holiness and can be purchased anywhere you'd like. But the scroll inside is a completely different matter. 

It's extremely important that mezuzah scrolls are purchased from reputable sources, either directly from a sofer (scribe) or from someone trustworthy who deals in mezuzahs. Here's why: Unlike a Torah scroll, a mezuzah must be written in specific order from beginning to end without corrections. If a scribe makes a mistake two lines from the end, an unscrupulous person might just scratch it out and correct it, but that makes the mezuzah non-kosher because it wasn't written in proper order. In a Torah scroll, mistakes can be fixed anywhere, but with a mezuzah, you cannot. There's no way to know by looking at it whether it was written properly; you must trust the source. 

I can tell you from personal experience: every time I go to someone's home to put up mezuzahs, 98% of the time they have at least one mezuzah that is not even remotely kosher, meaning it was never kosher to begin with. I've seen mezuzahs written on paper and photocopies, and people who bought mezuzahs at their synagogue gift shop where the scroll was made of paper, yet the staff told them it was kosher. If you're purchasing mezuzahs, buy them from a reputable person who knows the scribe and can verify they're written properly according to Jewish law. I also share information about My Mezuzah (mymezuzah.org), an organization that provides free mezuzahs for anyone who needs them.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>186authenticity,buying,case,doorpost,jewish,kosher,laws,mezuzah,online,paper,scribe,scroll,shop,soferfalse421fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/where-did-the-all-jews-are-rich-stereotype-come-from-the-surprising-truth--69970206www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a persistent stereotype: Where did the idea come from that all Jews are rich? I can assure you it's not true in my case, and we all know Jews who are wealthy and Jews who are struggling, just like all of society. But the origin of this stereotype reveals something profound about Jewish values. I share a fascinating insight from Mark Twain, who once wrote an article addressing the root causes of antisemitism.

While many people are familiar with the end of that article—where he talks about how Jews seem to be immortal, surviving despite everything the world has thrown at them—he makes a remarkable observation in the middle of the article. Mark Twain noted that because Jews take care of each other, you never find a Jewish beggar. Perhaps that's where the stereotype originated. Non-Jewish neighbors assumed Jews were all rich because they never saw Jewish people begging or asking for money on the streets.

The reason, of course, wasn't because poor Jews didn't exist—rather, the Jewish community took care of them quietly and effectively. While stereotypes are generally negative, understanding the root of this particular one is something we should take pride in. Jewish people have always taken care of one another. This important Jewish value—sharing what we have with others, taking care of our fellow brothers and sisters, and ensuring no Jew (or any human being) ever goes hungry - has always been central to Jewish identity and community life.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69970206Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:00:05 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a persistent stereotype: Where did the idea come from that all Jews are rich? I can assure you it's not true in my case, and we all know Jews...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a persistent stereotype: Where did the idea come from that all Jews are rich? I can assure you it's not true in my case, and we all know Jews who are wealthy and Jews who are struggling, just like all of society. But the origin of this stereotype reveals something profound about Jewish values. I share a fascinating insight from Mark Twain, who once wrote an article addressing the root causes of antisemitism.

While many people are familiar with the end of that article—where he talks about how Jews seem to be immortal, surviving despite everything the world has thrown at them—he makes a remarkable observation in the middle of the article. Mark Twain noted that because Jews take care of each other, you never find a Jewish beggar. Perhaps that's where the stereotype originated. Non-Jewish neighbors assumed Jews were all rich because they never saw Jewish people begging or asking for money on the streets.

The reason, of course, wasn't because poor Jews didn't exist—rather, the Jewish community took care of them quietly and effectively. While stereotypes are generally negative, understanding the root of this particular one is something we should take pride in. Jewish people have always taken care of one another. This important Jewish value—sharing what we have with others, taking care of our fellow brothers and sisters, and ensuring no Jew (or any human being) ever goes hungry - has always been central to Jewish identity and community life.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>152antisemitic,askarabbi,charity,community,dearrabbi,jewishcharity,jewishcommunity,jewishlearning,jewishpodcast,jewishstereotypes,jewishvalues,jewishwealth,jewsarerich,judaism,judaismexplained,stereotype,stereotypes,takingcare,tzedakah,whyjewsrichfalse420fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-does-hanukkah-change-dates-every-year-jewish-calendar-explained--69530690www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people wonder about: What's up with the Jewish calendar? Why was Hanukkah on December 2nd one year, late December another year, and even overlapped with Thanksgiving a few years ago? Why does this calendar seem so different from the regular calendar we use?

I explain that here in America and most of the Western world, we use the Gregorian calendar, which is purely solar at 365.2524 days. Other cultures use lunar calendars, like Islam, which track cycles of the moon. In lunar calendars, years are arbitrary, which is why Muslim holidays like Ramadan can fall in winter one year and summer another - the season doesn't matter. The Jewish calendar is unique because it's neither purely solar nor purely lunar - it's a luni-solar calendar. Unlike lunar calendars, our holidays must fall in specific seasons because they're intimately connected to the time of year.

The Torah explicitly commands that Passover take place in springtime - a season of rejuvenation where everything comes to life and is reborn, mirroring how the Jewish people left Egypt and became a nation during the Exodus. To accomplish this seasonal alignment while following lunar months, we add an extra month of Adar seven times in every 19-year cycle. This means seven times every 19 years, we have 13 months instead of 12. If you're born in the month of Adar, you get to celebrate two birthdays during those leap years!

This is why the Jewish calendar doesn't align with the English calendar exactly - it only does so every 19 years. Every 19 years, your English birthday and Hebrew birthday will fall on the same day.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69530690Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:00:08 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people wonder about: What's up with the Jewish calendar? Why was Hanukkah on December 2nd one year, late December another year,...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a question many people wonder about: What's up with the Jewish calendar? Why was Hanukkah on December 2nd one year, late December another year, and even overlapped with Thanksgiving a few years ago? Why does this calendar seem so different from the regular calendar we use?

I explain that here in America and most of the Western world, we use the Gregorian calendar, which is purely solar at 365.2524 days. Other cultures use lunar calendars, like Islam, which track cycles of the moon. In lunar calendars, years are arbitrary, which is why Muslim holidays like Ramadan can fall in winter one year and summer another - the season doesn't matter. The Jewish calendar is unique because it's neither purely solar nor purely lunar - it's a luni-solar calendar. Unlike lunar calendars, our holidays must fall in specific seasons because they're intimately connected to the time of year.

The Torah explicitly commands that Passover take place in springtime - a season of rejuvenation where everything comes to life and is reborn, mirroring how the Jewish people left Egypt and became a nation during the Exodus. To accomplish this seasonal alignment while following lunar months, we add an extra month of Adar seven times in every 19-year cycle. This means seven times every 19 years, we have 13 months instead of 12. If you're born in the month of Adar, you get to celebrate two birthdays during those leap years!

This is why the Jewish calendar doesn't align with the English calendar exactly - it only does so every 19 years. Every 19 years, your English birthday and Hebrew birthday will fall on the same day.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>193calendarjudaism,dearrabbi,hanukkahdateschange,hebrewbirthday,hebrewcalendar,jewishcalendar,jewishcalendarexplained,jewishholidaysdates,jewishlearning,jewishpodcast,jewishtime,jewishwisdom,judaismexplained,leapmonthadar,lunarcalendar,lunisolarcalendar,menachemlehrfield,passoverinspring,whyhanukkahchangesdates,whyjewishholidaysmovefalse419fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-does-the-jewish-day-start-at-sundown-biblical-wisdom-explained--69530903www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fascinating question: Why does the Jewish concept of a day start at sundown instead of midnight or sunrise like most modern calendars? As Jews, we do tend to do things differently, and this includes how we mark time - but there's profound wisdom behind it.

I explain that in the biblical narrative of creation, throughout every day of creation, the Torah states: "And it was evening, and it was morning - day one..,. and it was evening, and it was morning - a second day, a third day," etc. By consistently placing evening before morning, the Torah teaches us that the Jewish concept of time begins with night. This is why all Jewish holidays begin the evening before, and every Jewish day actually begins at sundown.

But there's a deeper meaning here. Perhaps Jewish wisdom is teaching us that "all is good in the end, and if it's not good, it's not the end." Night symbolizes difficulty, darkness, and challenge - things we all face in life. Daytime represents clarity, when things are going well and proceeding the way we want them to. We praise God openly in the day when His presence is clear, while at night we trust and have faith even when we don't see His presence.

By beginning our day at night, before the morning comes, Judaism teaches us that there is always light ahead, always a positive following the darkness. The day always comes after the night, reminding us that challenges are temporary and goodness prevails in the end.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69530903Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:35:08 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fascinating question: Why does the Jewish concept of a day start at sundown instead of midnight or sunrise like most modern calendars? As...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fascinating question: Why does the Jewish concept of a day start at sundown instead of midnight or sunrise like most modern calendars? As Jews, we do tend to do things differently, and this includes how we mark time - but there's profound wisdom behind it.

I explain that in the biblical narrative of creation, throughout every day of creation, the Torah states: "And it was evening, and it was morning - day one..,. and it was evening, and it was morning - a second day, a third day," etc. By consistently placing evening before morning, the Torah teaches us that the Jewish concept of time begins with night. This is why all Jewish holidays begin the evening before, and every Jewish day actually begins at sundown.

But there's a deeper meaning here. Perhaps Jewish wisdom is teaching us that "all is good in the end, and if it's not good, it's not the end." Night symbolizes difficulty, darkness, and challenge - things we all face in life. Daytime represents clarity, when things are going well and proceeding the way we want them to. We praise God openly in the day when His presence is clear, while at night we trust and have faith even when we don't see His presence.

By beginning our day at night, before the morning comes, Judaism teaches us that there is always light ahead, always a positive following the darkness. The day always comes after the night, reminding us that challenges are temporary and goodness prevails in the end.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>139biblicalcreation,biblicalnarrative,creationstory,eveningandmorning,jewishcalendar,jewisheducation,jewishholidays,jewishlearning,jewishphilosophy,jewishpodcast,jewishteachings,jewishtimeconcept,jewishwisdom,judaism,judaismexplained,torahteachingsfalse418fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-s-the-point-of-prayer-if-god-already-knows-what-i-need--69193921www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fundamental question about prayer: What's the point if God already knows what I need? Are we trying to change God's mind? The answer reveals that worship is far more sophisticated than simply presenting God with an Amazon wish list.

I explain that God already knows what we need, and if He's determined something isn't good for us, no amount of asking will change that - just like a parent won't give a three-year-old a knife no matter how much they beg, because it's dangerous. However, with a ten-year-old asking for a knife, the answer becomes "it depends" based on their intention and maturity.

Through a humorous example about asking for a Lamborghini "to help old ladies," I demonstrate how prayer forces us to clarify what we truly want and why we want it. When we justify our requests, we often realize our real motivations - ego, status, selfish desires - versus genuine needs. This self-examination is one of prayer's primary purposes.

Additionally, prayer reminds us that God is the only one who can truly provide what we need. Using a rabbi joke about asking for a burger at a library, I illustrate that asking someone for something implies believing they can give it to you. Prayer accomplishes two crucial things: clarifying what we want and why, and reminding ourselves that God is the ultimate source of everything we need.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69193921Wed, 24 Dec 2025 12:00:09 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fundamental question about prayer: What's the point if God already knows what I need? Are we trying to change God's mind? The answer reveals...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fundamental question about prayer: What's the point if God already knows what I need? Are we trying to change God's mind? The answer reveals that worship is far more sophisticated than simply presenting God with an Amazon wish list.

I explain that God already knows what we need, and if He's determined something isn't good for us, no amount of asking will change that - just like a parent won't give a three-year-old a knife no matter how much they beg, because it's dangerous. However, with a ten-year-old asking for a knife, the answer becomes "it depends" based on their intention and maturity.

Through a humorous example about asking for a Lamborghini "to help old ladies," I demonstrate how prayer forces us to clarify what we truly want and why we want it. When we justify our requests, we often realize our real motivations - ego, status, selfish desires - versus genuine needs. This self-examination is one of prayer's primary purposes.

Additionally, prayer reminds us that God is the only one who can truly provide what we need. Using a rabbi joke about asking for a burger at a library, I illustrate that asking someone for something implies believing they can give it to you. Prayer accomplishes two crucial things: clarifying what we want and why, and reminding ourselves that God is the ultimate source of everything we need.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>234jewishlearning,jewishpodcast,jewishprayer,jewishspirituality,jewishteachings,jewishtheology,jewishwisdom,jewishworship,judaism,judaismexplained,prayerexplained,prayerjudaism,prayermeaningjudaism,prayerphilosophy,prayerpurpose,purposeofprayer,spiritualgrowth,tefillah,whyjewsprayfalse417fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/shabbos-vs-shabbat-why-jews-pronounce-hebrew-differently--69096255www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fascinating question about Jewish pronunciation: Why do some people say "Shabbos" while others say "Shabbat"? Is Shabbos actually Yiddish? The answer reveals a deeper story about Jewish history, migration, and the diversity within the Jewish people.

I explain that both "Shabbos" and "Shabbat" are equally Hebrew - the difference comes from where Jews historically lived. Ashkenazi Jews (from Eastern European descent - the word literally means Germany) tend to say "Shabbos," while Sephardi Jews (from Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Europe) say "Shabbat." The Sephardi story includes the famous 1492 expulsion from Spain - the same year Columbus sailed - when Jews were kicked out and spread to North Africa and the Ottoman Empire.

The pronunciation difference stems from how each community treats the Hebrew letter "tav." Ashkenazim differentiate between tav with a dot (pronounced like "T") and without a dot (pronounced like "S"), which is why they say "Shabbos." Sephardim pronounce tav as "T" regardless of the dot, resulting in "Shabbat." I explain why many Jews today use Sephardi pronunciation even if they're Ashkenazi: When Israel was established, and Hebrew became a spoken language again, most founders were Sephardi, so modern Hebrew adopted their pronunciation. It's also simpler with fewer rules to remember. 

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69096255Wed, 17 Dec 2025 13:05:07 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fascinating question about Jewish pronunciation: Why do some people say "Shabbos" while others say "Shabbat"? Is Shabbos actually Yiddish? The...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fascinating question about Jewish pronunciation: Why do some people say "Shabbos" while others say "Shabbat"? Is Shabbos actually Yiddish? The answer reveals a deeper story about Jewish history, migration, and the diversity within the Jewish people.

I explain that both "Shabbos" and "Shabbat" are equally Hebrew - the difference comes from where Jews historically lived. Ashkenazi Jews (from Eastern European descent - the word literally means Germany) tend to say "Shabbos," while Sephardi Jews (from Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Europe) say "Shabbat." The Sephardi story includes the famous 1492 expulsion from Spain - the same year Columbus sailed - when Jews were kicked out and spread to North Africa and the Ottoman Empire.

The pronunciation difference stems from how each community treats the Hebrew letter "tav." Ashkenazim differentiate between tav with a dot (pronounced like "T") and without a dot (pronounced like "S"), which is why they say "Shabbos." Sephardim pronounce tav as "T" regardless of the dot, resulting in "Shabbat." I explain why many Jews today use Sephardi pronunciation even if they're Ashkenazi: When Israel was established, and Hebrew became a spoken language again, most founders were Sephardi, so modern Hebrew adopted their pronunciation. It's also simpler with fewer rules to remember. 

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>288ashkenazijews,askarabbi,dearrabbi,easterneuropeanjews,hebrewdialect,hebrewpronunciation,israelihebrew,jewishcustoms,jewishdiversity,jewishhistory,jewishlearning,jewishpronunciation,jewishtraditions,judaismexplained,modernhebrew,sephardijews,shabbatorshabbos,shabbosvsshabbat,spanishjews,whyjewspronouncedifferentlyfalse416fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-s-the-point-of-prayer-if-god-already-knows-what-i-need--68974085www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fundamental question about prayer: What's the point if God already knows what I need? Are we trying to change God's mind? The answer reveals that prayer is far more sophisticated than simply presenting God with an Amazon wish list.

I explain that God already knows what we need, and if He's determined something isn't good for us, no amount of asking will change that - just like a parent won't give a three-year-old a knife no matter how much they beg, because it's dangerous. However, prayer works differently with a ten-year-old asking for a knife - the answer becomes "it depends" based on their intention and maturity.

Through a humorous example about asking for a Lamborghini "to help old ladies," I demonstrate how prayer forces us to clarify what we truly want and why we want it. When we have to justify our requests, we often realize our real motivations - ego, status, or selfish desires - versus genuine needs. This self-examination is one of prayer's primary purposes.

Additionally, prayer reminds us that God is the only one who can truly provide what we need. Using a rabbi joke about asking for a burger at a library, I illustrate that asking someone for something implies believing they can give it to you. Prayer accomplishes two crucial things: clarifying what we want and why, and reminding ourselves that God is the ultimate source of everything we need.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68974085Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:00:08 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fundamental question about prayer: What's the point if God already knows what I need? Are we trying to change God's mind? The answer reveals...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fundamental question about prayer: What's the point if God already knows what I need? Are we trying to change God's mind? The answer reveals that prayer is far more sophisticated than simply presenting God with an Amazon wish list.

I explain that God already knows what we need, and if He's determined something isn't good for us, no amount of asking will change that - just like a parent won't give a three-year-old a knife no matter how much they beg, because it's dangerous. However, prayer works differently with a ten-year-old asking for a knife - the answer becomes "it depends" based on their intention and maturity.

Through a humorous example about asking for a Lamborghini "to help old ladies," I demonstrate how prayer forces us to clarify what we truly want and why we want it. When we have to justify our requests, we often realize our real motivations - ego, status, or selfish desires - versus genuine needs. This self-examination is one of prayer's primary purposes.

Additionally, prayer reminds us that God is the only one who can truly provide what we need. Using a rabbi joke about asking for a burger at a library, I illustrate that asking someone for something implies believing they can give it to you. Prayer accomplishes two crucial things: clarifying what we want and why, and reminding ourselves that God is the ultimate source of everything we need.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>234doesprayerwork,jewishlearning,jewishpodcast,jewishprayer,jewishspirituality,jewishteachings,jewishtheology,jewishwisdom,jewishworship,judaism,judaismexplained,prayer,prayerexplained,prayermeanin,prayerphilosophy,prayerpurpose,purposeofprayer,spiritualgrowth,tefillah,whyjewsprayfalse415fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/do-jews-believe-in-soulmates--68753838www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore whether Judaism believes in the concept of soulmates and explain the fascinating Jewish teaching of "bashert", the idea of a predestined partner. If you've ever wondered whether there's one perfect person out there for you, or how Jewish tradition views romantic destiny, this episode will provide profound insights that challenge modern assumptions about finding "the one."

I explain that in Judaism, there is indeed a concept known as bashert, which means "predestined" or "meant to be." According to Jewish tradition, we're taught that before a child is even born - right after conception - a heavenly voice announces that this person is meant to be with that person. This suggests a divine plan for partnership that exists from the very beginning of our existence.

But here's where Jewish wisdom adds a crucial twist to the popular soulmate narrative: Does the existence of a bashert mean you'll automatically find that soulmate? Not necessarily. And more importantly, Judaism places far more emphasis not on finding the soulmate, but on being the soulmate. This is a profound shift in perspective that transforms the entire approach to relationships and marriage.

What does it mean to "be the soulmate" rather than just "find the soulmate"? It means we spend more effort on becoming the right partner and becoming the right person, instead of passively searching for the right person. This isn't a passive act of waiting for destiny to deliver your perfect match. It requires active self-improvement, character development, and preparation for partnership.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68753838Wed, 26 Nov 2025 12:00:08 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore whether Judaism believes in the concept of soulmates and explain the fascinating Jewish teaching of "bashert", the idea of a predestined...www.joidenver.com/podcasts

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore whether Judaism believes in the concept of soulmates and explain the fascinating Jewish teaching of "bashert", the idea of a predestined partner. If you've ever wondered whether there's one perfect person out there for you, or how Jewish tradition views romantic destiny, this episode will provide profound insights that challenge modern assumptions about finding "the one."

I explain that in Judaism, there is indeed a concept known as bashert, which means "predestined" or "meant to be." According to Jewish tradition, we're taught that before a child is even born - right after conception - a heavenly voice announces that this person is meant to be with that person. This suggests a divine plan for partnership that exists from the very beginning of our existence.

But here's where Jewish wisdom adds a crucial twist to the popular soulmate narrative: Does the existence of a bashert mean you'll automatically find that soulmate? Not necessarily. And more importantly, Judaism places far more emphasis not on finding the soulmate, but on being the soulmate. This is a profound shift in perspective that transforms the entire approach to relationships and marriage.

What does it mean to "be the soulmate" rather than just "find the soulmate"? It means we spend more effort on becoming the right partner and becoming the right person, instead of passively searching for the right person. This isn't a passive act of waiting for destiny to deliver your perfect match. It requires active self-improvement, character development, and preparation for partnership.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>116jewishdating,jewishfamily,jewishlove,jewishmarriage,jewishmarriageadvice,jewishmatchmaking,jewishpartnership,jewishrelationships,jewishromance,jewishsoulmate,jewishspouse,jewishwedding,judaism,marriageinjudaism,partner,relationshipjudaism,soulconnection,soulmates,spiritualpartnership,torahonmarriagefalse414fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/if-god-knows-everything-do-i-really-have-free-will-the-rambam-s-question-part-2--68639080www.joidenver.com/podcasts.

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue from last week's discussion about free will and divine knowledge. Last week, I explained that just because God knows what you're going to choose doesn't stop you from making that choice - similar to how knowing someone's past actions doesn't negate that they made those choices freely. But this week, I tackle the Rambam's (Maimonides') question, which sounds identical but is actually profoundly different and much deeper.

The Rambam's answer is both humble and profound: "Know that the answer to this question is longer than the earth and broader than the sea." In other words, we cannot fully comprehend the answer to this question. But to understand why this question is so much deeper than last week's, I explain a critical point the Rambam makes elsewhere in the same chapter.

This episode covers the Rambam's formulation of the free will paradox, the fundamental difference between divine and human knowledge, why God's knowledge becoming part of His essence creates a deeper problem, the concept of divine unity and simplicity, why this question is "longer than the earth and broader than the sea," and what it means to hold seemingly contradictory truths in Judaism.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68639080Wed, 19 Nov 2025 13:10:07 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts. In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue from last week's discussion about free will and divine knowledge. Last week, I explained that just because God knows what you're going to...www.joidenver.com/podcasts.

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue from last week's discussion about free will and divine knowledge. Last week, I explained that just because God knows what you're going to choose doesn't stop you from making that choice - similar to how knowing someone's past actions doesn't negate that they made those choices freely. But this week, I tackle the Rambam's (Maimonides') question, which sounds identical but is actually profoundly different and much deeper.

The Rambam's answer is both humble and profound: "Know that the answer to this question is longer than the earth and broader than the sea." In other words, we cannot fully comprehend the answer to this question. But to understand why this question is so much deeper than last week's, I explain a critical point the Rambam makes elsewhere in the same chapter.

This episode covers the Rambam's formulation of the free will paradox, the fundamental difference between divine and human knowledge, why God's knowledge becoming part of His essence creates a deeper problem, the concept of divine unity and simplicity, why this question is "longer than the earth and broader than the sea," and what it means to hold seemingly contradictory truths in Judaism.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>199askarabbi,dearrabbi,divineknowledge,humanunderstanding,jewishlearning,jewishphilosophy,jewishpodcast,jewishquestions,jewishteachings,jewishtheology,jewishthought,jewishwisdom,judaism,judaismexplained,maimonides,orthodoxjudaism,rabbianswers,rambam,rambammaimonides,rambamphilosophyfalse413fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/if-god-knows-everything-do-i-really-have-free-will-jewish-philosophy-explained-part-1--68536891www.joidenver.com/podcasts.

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle one of the most profound philosophical questions in Judaism and theology: If God knows everything, including what choices I'm going to make, do I really have free will? After all, if God already knows what I'm going to choose, isn't my choice predetermined? This question has puzzled philosophers and theologians for centuries, but the answer may be simpler than you think.

I start by explaining that just because God knows what you're going to choose doesn't stop you from making a free will choice. The key to understanding this lies in how God relates to time. From God's perspective, there is no time - God exists above time and beyond space. What was, what is, and what will be are all essentially the same to God, with no distinction between past, present, and future.

To make this even clearer, I propose a thought experiment involving a time machine. Imagine you eat breakfast, and then I get into a time machine and go back ten minutes to watch you make your breakfast choices. I observe everything but don't interfere - I just watch. The fact that I know you chose Wheaties with a banana and orange juice doesn't mean you didn't have free will to make that decision. I just happen to know what you chose because in my timeline, it already happened. You're still making those choices yourself; I'm just observing from a different temporal perspective.


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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68536891Wed, 12 Nov 2025 14:15:08 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts. In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle one of the most profound philosophical questions in Judaism and theology: If God knows everything, including what choices I'm going to make, do...www.joidenver.com/podcasts.

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle one of the most profound philosophical questions in Judaism and theology: If God knows everything, including what choices I'm going to make, do I really have free will? After all, if God already knows what I'm going to choose, isn't my choice predetermined? This question has puzzled philosophers and theologians for centuries, but the answer may be simpler than you think.

I start by explaining that just because God knows what you're going to choose doesn't stop you from making a free will choice. The key to understanding this lies in how God relates to time. From God's perspective, there is no time - God exists above time and beyond space. What was, what is, and what will be are all essentially the same to God, with no distinction between past, present, and future.

To make this even clearer, I propose a thought experiment involving a time machine. Imagine you eat breakfast, and then I get into a time machine and go back ten minutes to watch you make your breakfast choices. I observe everything but don't interfere - I just watch. The fact that I know you chose Wheaties with a banana and orange juice doesn't mean you didn't have free will to make that decision. I just happen to know what you chose because in my timeline, it already happened. You're still making those choices yourself; I'm just observing from a different temporal perspective.


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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>206dearrabbi,determinismvsfreewill,divineknowledge,divineomniscience,doesgodknoweverything,freewill,freewilljudaism,humanchoice,jewishbeliefs,jewishlearning,jewishphilosophy,jewishtheology,jewishthought,judaismexplained,omniscience,predestinationvsfreewill,rambam,religiousphilosophy,religiousquestions,theologicalparadoxfalse412fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/is-judaism-a-religion-ethnicity-or-race-the-answer-may-surprise-you--68331033www.joidenver.com/podcasts.

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle one of the most frequently asked questions about Jewish identity: Is Judaism a religion, an ethnicity, or a race? This question became particularly relevant during the Whoopi Goldberg controversy and continues to confuse many people trying to understand what Judaism actually is. The answer is more complex and fascinating than you might think. I explain that Judaism predates all of these modern conceptions and categories. When we think about religion today, we're thinking about modern religious systems. But Judaism has been around for over a thousand years before the most recent of those religions emerged. 

The entire concept of categorizing something as purely a "religion," "ethnicity," or "race" is a relatively modern framework that we use to put things into neat boxes and make them fit our contemporary understanding - especially as Americans who like everything to make logical sense based on our own cultural conceptions. But here's the key insight: Judaism is older than all of those classification systems, and therefore it doesn't really fit neatly into any single one of those boxes. Judaism is actually all of the above and more. It's not just a religion, because even if a person doesn't believe in God, they're still considered Jewish. It's not just an ethnicity, because a person can be born into a completely different religion or no religion at all and choose to convert to Judaism, becoming fully Jewish. I explain that Judaism is more accurately described as a family, a tribe, or a covenant community - a group of people bound together by both genetics and sometimes by conscious choice.

We have an entire podcast called "Zero Percent" where we spent a whole year exploring stories of Jews by choice - people who chose a Jewish way of life despite having no genetic Jewish ancestry. This is a completely valid Jewish experience, and some of the greatest Jews who ever lived were Jews by choice, including Ruth (King David's ancestor) and many prominent rabbis throughout history. This episode covers why modern categories don't fit Judaism, the difference between religion, ethnicity, and race, how someone can be Jewish without believing in God, the process and validity of conversion to Judaism, Jews by choice and their place in Jewish history, the concept of Judaism as a covenant community, and why Judaism defies simple categorization.


Whether you're curious about Jewish identity, confused about how Judaism works as both a religion and ethnicity, interested in conversion to Judaism, exploring your own Jewish identity, seeking to understand the Whoopi Goldberg controversy about Jews and race, or simply wondering what makes someone Jewish, this episode offers clarity on one of the most misunderstood aspects of Jewish life and identity.


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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68331033Wed, 29 Oct 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem Lehrfield🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts. In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle one of the most frequently asked questions about Jewish identity: Is Judaism a religion, an ethnicity, or a race? This question became...www.joidenver.com/podcasts.

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle one of the most frequently asked questions about Jewish identity: Is Judaism a religion, an ethnicity, or a race? This question became particularly relevant during the Whoopi Goldberg controversy and continues to confuse many people trying to understand what Judaism actually is. The answer is more complex and fascinating than you might think. I explain that Judaism predates all of these modern conceptions and categories. When we think about religion today, we're thinking about modern religious systems. But Judaism has been around for over a thousand years before the most recent of those religions emerged. 

The entire concept of categorizing something as purely a "religion," "ethnicity," or "race" is a relatively modern framework that we use to put things into neat boxes and make them fit our contemporary understanding - especially as Americans who like everything to make logical sense based on our own cultural conceptions. But here's the key insight: Judaism is older than all of those classification systems, and therefore it doesn't really fit neatly into any single one of those boxes. Judaism is actually all of the above and more. It's not just a religion, because even if a person doesn't believe in God, they're still considered Jewish. It's not just an ethnicity, because a person can be born into a completely different religion or no religion at all and choose to convert to Judaism, becoming fully Jewish. I explain that Judaism is more accurately described as a family, a tribe, or a covenant community - a group of people bound together by both genetics and sometimes by conscious choice.

We have an entire podcast called "Zero Percent" where we spent a whole year exploring stories of Jews by choice - people who chose a Jewish way of life despite having no genetic Jewish ancestry. This is a completely valid Jewish experience, and some of the greatest Jews who ever lived were Jews by choice, including Ruth (King David's ancestor) and many prominent rabbis throughout history. This episode covers why modern categories don't fit Judaism, the difference between religion, ethnicity, and race, how someone can be Jewish without believing in God, the process and validity of conversion to Judaism, Jews by choice and their place in Jewish history, the concept of Judaism as a covenant community, and why Judaism defies simple categorization.


Whether you're curious about Jewish identity, confused about how Judaism works as both a religion and ethnicity, interested in conversion to Judaism, exploring your own Jewish identity, seeking to understand the Whoopi Goldberg controversy about Jews and race, or simply wondering what makes someone Jewish, this episode offers clarity on one of the most misunderstood aspects of Jewish life and identity.


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...]]>148converttojudaism,culturaljew,ethnicjew,jewishconversion,jewishethnicity,jewishfamily,jewishidentity,jewishidentityexplained,jewishrace,jewishtribe,jewsandrace,jewsbychoice,judaismdefinition,judaismexplained,religionorethnicity,religiousjew,secularjew,whatisjudaism,whatmakessomeonejewish,whoisajewfalse411fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-do-jews-tell-so-many-jokes-about-being-jewish-jewish-humor-explained--68052412
I explain that throughout millennia of persecution, Jews have experienced horrific acts of violence and oppression - literally anything you can imagine has been perpetrated against the Jewish people at some point in history. From ancient expulsions to medieval pogroms, from the Spanish Inquisition to the Holocaust, Jewish history is marked by tragedy and suffering. Yet the Jewish people have not only survived but thrived, and one of our strongest coping mechanisms has been humor.

Jews have learned to laugh at ourselves, at our surroundings, and at our circumstances. This isn't just about being funny - it's a profound survival strategy that has kept us alive and united as a people for thousands of years. As Rabbi Layfer's grandfather would say, "We learned not to take ourselves too seriously." This ability to find humor even in dark times has been one of the most important tools for Jewish resilience and continuity. When Jews joke and kibbutz (Yiddish for playful teasing and banter), we're doing more than entertaining ourselves.

We're reminding ourselves that ultimately everything is going to work out. Even when we're going through difficult situations, there's a bright light around the corner. This optimism, combined with self-awareness, creates a unique brand of humor that has influenced comedy worldwide. This episode covers the historical context of Jewish suffering and persecution, how humor became a survival mechanism for Jews, the concept of kibitzing in Jewish culture, why Jews don't take themselves too seriously, Jewish contributions to comedy and entertainment, the psychological benefits of humor in difficult times, and how Jewish humor reflects resilience and hope.

Whether you're curious about Jewish culture, interested in the psychology of humor as a coping mechanism, wondering why so many famous comedians are Jewish, exploring Jewish history and resilience, or simply love Jewish humor and want to understand its deeper meaning, this episode offers insights into one of the most distinctive and powerful aspects of Jewish identity.


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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68052412Wed, 08 Oct 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore one of the most recognizable aspects of Jewish culture: our love of humor and our tendency to tell jokes about being Jewish. If you've ever wondered why Jewish comedians dominate the comedy world or why Jews...
I explain that throughout millennia of persecution, Jews have experienced horrific acts of violence and oppression - literally anything you can imagine has been perpetrated against the Jewish people at some point in history. From ancient expulsions to medieval pogroms, from the Spanish Inquisition to the Holocaust, Jewish history is marked by tragedy and suffering. Yet the Jewish people have not only survived but thrived, and one of our strongest coping mechanisms has been humor.

Jews have learned to laugh at ourselves, at our surroundings, and at our circumstances. This isn't just about being funny - it's a profound survival strategy that has kept us alive and united as a people for thousands of years. As Rabbi Layfer's grandfather would say, "We learned not to take ourselves too seriously." This ability to find humor even in dark times has been one of the most important tools for Jewish resilience and continuity. When Jews joke and kibbutz (Yiddish for playful teasing and banter), we're doing more than entertaining ourselves.

We're reminding ourselves that ultimately everything is going to work out. Even when we're going through difficult situations, there's a bright light around the corner. This optimism, combined with self-awareness, creates a unique brand of humor that has influenced comedy worldwide. This episode covers the historical context of Jewish suffering and persecution, how humor became a survival mechanism for Jews, the concept of kibitzing in Jewish culture, why Jews don't take themselves too seriously, Jewish contributions to comedy and entertainment, the psychological benefits of humor in difficult times, and how Jewish humor reflects resilience and hope.

Whether you're curious about Jewish culture, interested in the psychology of humor as a coping mechanism, wondering why so many famous comedians are Jewish, exploring Jewish history and resilience, or simply love Jewish humor and want to understand its deeper meaning, this episode offers insights into one of the most distinctive and powerful aspects of Jewish identity.


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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>78askarabbi,jewishanswers,jewishcomedians,jewishcomedy,jewishculture,jewisheducation,jewishhistory,jewishhumor,jewishidentity,jewishjokes,jewishlearning,jewishpeople,jewishpersecution,jewishresilience,jewishstrength,jewishsurvival,jewishunity,judaismexplained,rabbianswers,whyjewsarefunnyfalse410fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-is-food-the-centerpiece-of-every-jewish-experience--67875738
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67875738Wed, 24 Sep 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem Lehrfield✨🎧 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...
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>148blessingsoverfood,elevatingphysical,foodandspirituality,foodinjudaism,foodtraditions,holyeating,jewishblessings,jewishculture,jewishfood,jewishlifestyle,jewishmeals,jewishphilosophy,jewishtradition,jewishvalues,jewishwisdom,mindfuleating,physicalvsspiritual,religiousfood,sacredeating,spiritualeatingfalse49fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-do-jews-celebrate-new-year-in-september-understanding-rosh-hashanah--67796379
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 - 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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67796379Wed, 17 Sep 2025 16:40:07 +0000Menachem Lehrfield✨🎧 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...
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 - 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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>118adamcreation,beginningofhistory,creationofadam,divinerenewal,hebrewcalendar,highholidays,holydays,jewishcalendar,jewishcelebration,jewishculture,jewishholidays,jewishnewyear,jewishpractice,jewishtime,jewishtradition,religiouscalendar,roshhashanah,septembernewyear,spiritualrenewal,tishreifirstfalse48fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/do-jews-believe-in-the-devil-understanding-satan-vs-the-devil--67673374
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address whether Jews believe in the devil, and the short answer is no. The Christian concept of the devil is antithetical to Jewish thought. While Judaism does believe in Satan (which is where the English word "Satan" comes from), this is fundamentally different from the Christian devil. Satan is not a counter-force to God or a force of evil, but rather an angel - a messenger and spiritual celestial being that fulfills God's will. I explain how Satan functions like a sparring partner, working alongside our yetzer hara (evil inclination) to create the conditions necessary for free will. Just as we need challenges to grow stronger physically through exercise or sparring partners, we need spiritual challenges to become better, stronger people. Satan provides us with obstacles and temptations that, when overcome, help us develop our character and spiritual strength. This concept is fundamentally different from the devil as an independent evil force opposing God, instead viewing spiritual challenges as part of God's design for human growth and development.


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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67673374Wed, 10 Sep 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem Lehrfield✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨ In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address whether Jews believe in the devil, and the short answer is no. The Christian concept of the devil is antithetical to Jewish thought. While...
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address whether Jews believe in the devil, and the short answer is no. The Christian concept of the devil is antithetical to Jewish thought. While Judaism does believe in Satan (which is where the English word "Satan" comes from), this is fundamentally different from the Christian devil. Satan is not a counter-force to God or a force of evil, but rather an angel - a messenger and spiritual celestial being that fulfills God's will. I explain how Satan functions like a sparring partner, working alongside our yetzer hara (evil inclination) to create the conditions necessary for free will. Just as we need challenges to grow stronger physically through exercise or sparring partners, we need spiritual challenges to become better, stronger people. Satan provides us with obstacles and temptations that, when overcome, help us develop our character and spiritual strength. This concept is fundamentally different from the devil as an independent evil force opposing God, instead viewing spiritual challenges as part of God's design for human growth and development.


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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>109angelofdeath,characterbuilding,evilinclination,freewill,godswill,jewishangels,jewishbeliefs,jewishdevil,jewishphilosophy,jewishtheology,jewishvschristian,messengerofgod,religiouscomparison,satanasangel,satanvsdevil,sparringpartner,spiritualchallenges,spiritualdevelopment,spiritualgrowth,yetzerharafalse47fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-do-jews-only-marry-other-jews-understanding-intermarriage-and-jewish-continuity--67613816
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address why Judaism traditionally encourages Jews to marry within the faith when choosing a life partner. I explain that when selecting someone to spend your entire life with, it's crucial to find someone who shares your fundamental values and worldview. Even if religion isn't important to someone today, it may become significant later in life, making shared religious identity important for long-term compatibility. I discuss how the Jewish people, despite being a small population, have maintained remarkable continuity throughout history, and marrying within the community helps preserve this continuity. I reference the Torah's warning against intermarriage, noting that one reason given is the concern that it may lead children away from Judaism. Given the tremendous losses the Jewish people have suffered through persecution and antisemitism throughout history, it's tough to see Jews lost to assimilation as well. Encouraging Jews to marry other Jews is one way to help prevent the loss of Jewish identity and ensure the continuation of Jewish traditions, values, and community for future generations.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67613816Wed, 03 Sep 2025 11:15:53 +0000Menachem Lehrfield✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨ In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address why Judaism traditionally encourages Jews to marry within the faith when choosing a life partner. I explain that when selecting someone to...
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address why Judaism traditionally encourages Jews to marry within the faith when choosing a life partner. I explain that when selecting someone to spend your entire life with, it's crucial to find someone who shares your fundamental values and worldview. Even if religion isn't important to someone today, it may become significant later in life, making shared religious identity important for long-term compatibility. I discuss how the Jewish people, despite being a small population, have maintained remarkable continuity throughout history, and marrying within the community helps preserve this continuity. I reference the Torah's warning against intermarriage, noting that one reason given is the concern that it may lead children away from Judaism. Given the tremendous losses the Jewish people have suffered through persecution and antisemitism throughout history, it's tough to see Jews lost to assimilation as well. Encouraging Jews to marry other Jews is one way to help prevent the loss of Jewish identity and ensure the continuation of Jewish traditions, values, and community for future generations.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>80communitypreservation,culturalpreservation,faithbasedmarriage,jewishassimilation,jewishcommunity,jewishcontinuity,jewishfuture,jewishheritage,jewishidentity,jewishintermarriage,jewishsurvival,jewishtradition,jewishvalues,lifepartnership,marryingwithinfaith,religiouscompatibility,religiousidentity,religiousmarriage,sharedvalues,torahonintermarriagefalse46fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/if-judaism-values-peace-why-are-our-texts-so-argumentative--67449630

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67449630Wed, 20 Aug 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore the apparent contradiction between Judaism's emphasis on peace and the argumentative nature of Jewish texts and culture. I explain that it's not just our texts that are argumentative, our people are too, as...

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>139argumentativetexts,constructivedisagreement,culturalvalues,harmonyofdifference,identityvsopinions,intellectualhonesty,intellectualpursuit,jewishargument,jewishattorneys,jewishculture,jewishdebate,jewishdialogue,jewishtexts,mutualunderstanding,peacevspassivity,perspectivetaking,respectfulargument,searchfortruth,truthseeking,twojewsthreeopinionsfalse45fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-do-jews-need-atonement-without-original-sin-understanding-teshuvah--67353673

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67353673Wed, 13 Aug 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a question that highlights the difference between Jewish and Christian concepts of human nature and forgiveness. I explain that while Christianity teaches original sin - the idea that humanity is inherently...

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>166chetvssin,essentialgoodness,forgiveness,humannature,jewishbeliefs,jewishphilosophy,jewishrepentance,jewishtheology,jewishvschristian,missingthemark,moralrepair,originalsin,religiouscomparison,religiousdifferences,returntogood,sparkofdivine,spiritualdecay,spiritualhealing,spiritualrepair,teshuvahfalse44fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-is-there-no-blessing-before-giving-charity-protecting-human-dignity-in-mitzvot--67268130
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67268130Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address why Judaism doesn't require a blessing before giving charity, despite the general rule that we make blessings before performing mitzvot to thank God for the opportunity to partner with Him in making the world a...
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>89blessingexceptions,charityblessing,charityetiquette,givingcharity,humandignity,humilityingiving,interpersonalmitzvot,jewishcompassion,jewishethics,jewishlaw,jewishsensitivity,jewishvalues,mitzvahblessings,mitzvotwithpeople,recipientdignity,religiouscompassion,spiritualsensitivity,tzedakah,tzedakahblessing,visitingthesickfalse43fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-does-someone-become-gadol-hador-greatest-of-the-generation-jewish-leadership--67180594
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67180594Wed, 30 Jul 2025 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore how Jewish religious leaders achieve the prestigious title of "Gadol Hador" (greatest of the generation) and explain why this process is fundamentally different from American political campaigns. I discuss how...
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>113authenticleadership,communityleadership,gadolhador,halachicauthority,jewishcommunity,jewishgovernance,jewishhierarchy,jewishleadership,jewishsages,jewishtradition,jewishvalues,leadershipprinciples,rabbinicauthority,religiousauthority,religiousguidance,religiouswisdom,reluctantleadership,spiritualleadership,torahleadership,torahscholarshipfalse42fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-could-humble-moses-write-that-he-was-the-most-humble-understanding-true-humility--67085453
The key is understanding that having specific talents doesn't make anyone a better person than others - what matters is how we use our gifts to serve a higher purpose and contribute positively to the world.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67085453Wed, 23 Jul 2025 11:56:09 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a fascinating question about Moses and humility: if Moses was truly humble, how could he write about himself that he was the most humble person who ever lived? I explain that this question is based on a common...
The key is understanding that having specific talents doesn't make anyone a better person than others - what matters is how we use our gifts to serve a higher purpose and contribute positively to the world.

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>92biblicalcharacter,biblicalwisdom,divinegifts,godgiventalents,jewishhumility,jewishphilosophy,jewishteaching,jewishvalues,mosescharacter,moseshumility,personaldevelopment,personalmission,purposeinlife,religiousguidance,religiouswisdom,selfawareness,selflessness,spiritualgrowth,spiritualhumility,truehumilityfalse41fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-jews-don-t-eat-cheeseburger-part-7--66835991

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66835991Wed, 09 Jul 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I conclude the analysis of Ellen Gilad's interpretation of the meat and milk prohibition by demonstrating how clear biblical verses help us understand ambiguous ones. While acknowledging that the verses in Exodus might...

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>341bettersafethansorry,biblicalauthority,biblicalexegesis,biblicalinterpretation,biblicallaw,clearvsambiguousverses,deuteronomyversus,divineinstruction,halakhicprinciples,jewishlaw,jewishtradition,kashrutlaws,meatandmilkprohibition,oraltradition,religiousdoubt,religiousobservance,torahanalysis,torahcommentary,torahhermeneutics,torahtransmissionfalse336fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-jews-don-t-eat-cheeseburger-part-6--66835542

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66835542Wed, 02 Jul 2025 15:09:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn 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...

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>268basheltranslation,bechorshor,biblicalhebrew,biblicaltranslation,classicalcommentators,halakhah,hebrewwordmeaning,jewishlawinterpretation,jewishscripturalanalysis,jewishtradition,kashrutlaws,meatandmilklaws,oraltorah,religiouslaw,sinairevelation,threeprohibitions,torahcommentary,torahrepetition,torahtransmission,writtentorahfalse335fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-jews-don-t-eat-cheeseburger-part-5--66576134

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66576134Wed, 18 Jun 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn 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...

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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>504authenticjudaism,biblicallaw,biblicaltransmission,cholent,jewishcommunity,jewishlaw,jewishpractices,jewishwisdom,karaites,mountsinai,orallaw,oraltorah,religioustradition,sadducees,shabbatobservance,teacherstudent,torahinterpretation,torahstudy,torahtransmission,writtentorahfalse334fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-jews-don-t-eat-cheeseburger-part-4--66505708
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66505708Wed, 11 Jun 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn 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...
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>394biblicallaw,biblicaltransmission,hebrewvowels,jewishcommunity,jewishlaw,jewishpractices,mezuzah,milkandmeat,mountsinai,orallaw,oraltorah,religiouscontinuity,ritualslaughter,tefillin,torahconsistency,torahinterpretation,torahreading,tzitzit,writtentorahfalse333fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-don-t-jews-mix-meat-and-milk-part-3--66311055
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66311055Wed, 28 May 2025 11:20:54 +0000Menachem Lehrfield 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"...
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>529biblicaldietarylaws,biblicalinterpretation,bikurim,classicalcommentators,halakhah,jewishfoodlaws,jewishholidays,jewishlaw,jewishscripturalanalysis,jewishtextualstudy,kashrutlaws,meatandmilkprohibition,rashicommentary,religiousobservance,samsonraphaelhirsch,spiritualvsphysical,talmudstudy,templeofferings,torahcommentary,torahplacementfalse332fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-jews-don-t-eat-cheeseburgers-2--66087980
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66087980Wed, 21 May 2025 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn 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...
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>334biblicalhebrew,biblicalsources,deuteronomyexodus,dontcookakidinitsmothersmilk,halacha,jewishcommentators,jewishdietarylaws,jewishdietaryrestrictions,jewishkashrut,jewishtradition,kashrutprinciples,kosherlaws,meatandmilk,oraltorah,rabbihirsch,talmudteachings,torahinterpretation,torahreading,traditionaljudaism,writtentorahfalse331fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-jews-don-t-eat-cheeseburgers-1--66083253
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66083253Wed, 14 May 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn 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...
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! 🕎📚🎙️]]>733biblicalanalysis,biblicalmisunderstandings,cheeseburgers,deuteronomy,exodusverses,jewishdietarylaws,jewishlaw,jewishscholarship,kosherlaws,kosherprohibition,milkandmeat,rabbinictradition,rashicommentary,religiouscontext,torahinterpretation,torahknowledge,viralmisinformationfalse330fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-are-kosher-restaurants-so-expensive--65968047
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/65968047Wed, 07 May 2025 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn 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...
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]]>90halakhicfoodrequirements,jewishdietarylaws,jewishdietaryobservance,jewisheatingout,jewishfoodcosts,jewishrestauranteconomics,kashrutstandards,koshercertificationexpenses,koshercertificationprocess,koshercompliance,kosherconsumercosts,kosherdiningcosts,kosherfoodpricing,koshermeatpreparation,kosheroodproduction,kosherproduceinspection,kosherrestaurants,koshersupervision,mashgiachrole,whyiskosherfoodexpensivefalse329fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-jews-have-wires-across-streets-the-mystery-of-the-eruv-explained--65805085

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/65805085Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn 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...

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]]>358carryingonshabbat,communitybuilding,halachicdoorways,jewishboundary,jewishcommunity,jewishcustoms,jewishlaw,jewishneighborhoods,jewishtraditions,privatedomain,publicdomain,religiousboundaries,religiouspractices,ritualenclosure,sabbathlaws,shabbatobservancefalse328fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-jews-don-t-count-people-biblical-origins-and-human-dignity--65591986

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/65591986Wed, 16 Apr 2025 11:19:39 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue our exploration of why Jewish tradition avoids directly counting people. Tracing this practice back to biblical times, I explain how even during desert censuses, Jews were counted indirectly through coin...

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]]>149biblicalcensus,countingprohibition,evileye,holocaustconnection,humandignity,humanvalue,jewishcensus,jewishcounting,jewishtradition,jewishvalues,jewishwisdom,kingdavid,minyancounting,nazinumbers,rambam,rashicommentary,samuelfalse327fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-jews-don-t-count-people--65455726
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/65455726Wed, 09 Apr 2025 11:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore the curious ritual a viewer observed when their rabbi was pointing at congregants while saying seemingly random Hebrew words before a Kaddish service. I explain that this was likely the rabbi counting to ensure...
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]]>105biblicalcounting,countingpeople,hebrewverses,jewishcustoms,jewishlaw,jewishminyan,jewishprayer,jewishrituals,jewishtradition,kaddishservice,prayerrequirements,rabbipractices,religiouscounting,religiouspractices,synagoguecustoms,synagoguetraditions,tenpersonquorumfalse326fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-do-jews-break-a-glass-at-weddings-the-profound-meaning-behind-the-tradition--65104699
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/65104699Wed, 26 Mar 2025 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explain the deep significance behind breaking a glass at the end of a Jewish wedding ceremony. While many might think it's just a festive moment signaling the end of the wedding, the tradition carries a profound...
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]]>97breakingglass,jewishceremony,jewishculture,jewishempathy,jewishheritage,jewishhistory,jewishtradition,jewishvalues,jewishwedding,mazeltov,religiouspractice,religioussymbolism,spiritualmeaning,templedestruction,weddingcustoms,weddingrituals,weddingtraditionsfalse325fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/can-you-be-buried-in-a-jewish-cemetery-with-tattoos--64970492
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64970492Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address the frequently asked question about tattoos and Jewish burial. While Leviticus 19:28 clearly prohibits Jews from getting tattoos, I explain that there is no halachic (Jewish law) basis preventing someone with...
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]]>91bodymodification,burialcustoms,halacha,jewishburial,jewishcemetery,jewishcommunity,jewishgrandmother,jewishlaw,jewishmyths,jewishprohibition,jewishquestions,jewishtraditions,leviticus,religiousinterpretation,religiousmisconceptions,religiouspractices,tattoosfalse324fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/do-all-jews-speak-hebrew--64834947
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64834947Wed, 12 Mar 2025 11:07:42 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address the common question about whether all Jews speak Hebrew. While Hebrew has experienced a remarkable renaissance as Israel's national language, and most Jews today do live in Israel, not all Jews are Hebrew...
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]]>144culturalidentity,hebrewlanguage,israel,jewishcommunities,jewishculture,jewishdialects,jewisheducation,jewishhistory,jewishlanguages,jewishprayer,ladino,languagerevival,linguistictraditions,modernhebrew,religiouslanguage,yeshivish,yiddishfalse323fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/halal-vs-kosher-are-they-the-same--64708380
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64708380Wed, 05 Mar 2025 12:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I break down the similarities and differences between halal and kosher dietary laws. While both are religious food guidelines for Muslims and Jews, respectively, they are not identical. I explain that Kosher foods are...
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]]>91comparativereligion,culinarypractices,culturalpractices,dietarylaws,dietaryrestrictions,foodguidelines,foodregulations,halal,islam,jewishdiet,judaism,kosher,muslimdiet,religiouscustoms,religiouseating,religiousfood,religioustraditionsfalse322fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/when-to-observe-yahrzeits-in-a-leap-year-adar-i-or-adar-ii--64583532
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
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64583532Wed, 26 Feb 2025 13:14:27 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this informative episode of Dear Rabbi, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield answers a practical question about Jewish observance: when should one observe a yahrzeit (death anniversary) during a Jewish leap year with two months of Adar? After providing a...
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
]]>158adar,ashkenazicustoms,dearrabbi,hebrewcalendar,jewishcalendar,jewishleapyear,jewishlearning,jewishmourning,jewishobservance,jewishquestion,jewishtradition,judaism,lunisolarcalendar,religiouspractice,sephardiccustoms,yahrzeitfalse321fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/understanding-divine-judgment-during-the-days-of-awe--64447052
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64447052Wed, 19 Feb 2025 12:00:09 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this thought-provoking episode of Dear Rabbi, we address a fascinating question about mortality during the Days of Awe - the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rabbi Arkham explores how Judaism reconciles deaths that occur before the...
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]]>143bookoflife,daysofawe,dearrabbi,jewishlearning,jewishpodcast,jewishspirtuality,jewishteachings,jewishthought,jewishwisdom,judaism,religiousstudies,roshhashanah,teshuvah,torah,yomkippurfalse320fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-do-jewish-days-begin-at-sundown-the-hidden-wisdom-of-nightfall--64336546
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64336546Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explain the unique Jewish concept of the day beginning at sundown. Tracing this tradition back to the biblical account of creation, I explore how the Torah's pattern of "evening and morning" established our distinctive...
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]]>139biblicalcreation,eveningandmorning,faithindarkness,jewishcalendar,jewishcustoms,jewishdaycycle,jewishholidays,jewishpractices,jewishtime,jewishwisdom,nightanddaysymbolism,religioustraditions,spiritualinsights,spiritualmeaning,sundowntradition,torahteachings,torahtimefalse319fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-does-god-hide-when-we-need-him-most-understanding-divine-distance--64202094
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64202094Wed, 05 Feb 2025 12:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore the profound question of why God sometimes seems distant, even in our moments of deepest prayer. Through the lens of the Purim story and the Book of Esther, I explain how God's apparent absence is actually a...
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]]>201bookofesther,divinedistance,divinepurpose,god'spresence,hiddenpresence,jewishphilosophy,jewishprayer,jewishteachings,jewishwisdom,parentingwisdom,personalgrowth,purimlessons,religiousfaith,religiousguidance,spiritualchallenges,spiritualgrowth,spiritualjourneyfalse318fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-to-solve-the-trolley-problem-a-jewish-ethical-perspective--63990142
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/63990142Wed, 29 Jan 2025 12:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle the famous philosophical trolley dilemma from a Jewish perspective. I analyze Jewish law and the Talmud and explain why Judaism's approach might surprise those who take a utilitarian view. I explore why...
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]]>264ethicaldecisionmaking,ethicaldilemmas,jewishethics,jewishlaw,jewishteachings,jewishthought,judaismperspective,lifevalue,mishnateachings,moralchoices,moralphilosophy,philosophicalquestions,religiousethics,religiousphilosophy,talmudicwisdom,torahwisdom,trolleyproblemfalse317fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-to-understand-god-s-plan-in-times-of-suffering--63801094
As Jews, we believe in reincarnation and that our souls return to fix things unknown to us. While we may not understand everything now, I emphasize that if something doesn't seem good, it's simply because we haven't reached the end of the story yet. 

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/63801094Wed, 22 Jan 2025 12:00:08 +0000Menachem LehrfieldIn today's episode of Dear Rabbi, I'm answering a profound question about God's role in our suffering, especially during these challenging post-COVID times. I explain why we can't fully grasp God's ways by sharing two powerful stories – one about a...
As Jews, we believe in reincarnation and that our souls return to fix things unknown to us. While we may not understand everything now, I emphasize that if something doesn't seem good, it's simply because we haven't reached the end of the story yet. 

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]]>308divinepurpose,faithinhardship,faithspirituality,godsplan,humanunderstanding,jewishteachings,jewishwisdom,judaismgodsrole,lifelessons,lifeperspective,meaningoflife,overcomingadversity,parentingstruggles,personalgrowth,postcovidworld,rabbiinsights,sufferinginlife,torahteachingsfalse316fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-hostage-dilemma-navigating-unity-amidst-tough-choices--63718350
This week, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield reflects on the current hostage deal in Israel and its complexities. 🤔

Explore the debate over prioritizing safety versus making concessions, and discover why unity among the Jewish people is more critical now than ever. 🌍 Let’s stand together, even when faced with difficult choices, and hope for the safe return of all hostages.

We Have A Common Enemy, and It's Not Each Other:
https://aish.com/we-have-a-common-enemy-and-its-not-each-other/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYUsuUvHokh83Pi8ViGRTKHrbzEjucR-NqWakPl93Jepk8EwdT4zRpG07Q_aem_alrVPkdAcHXEikGmOjkn-A

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/63718350Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:10:54 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we tackle the pressing questions of our time! 🕍 This week, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield reflects on the current hostage deal in Israel and its complexities. 🤔 Explore the debate over prioritizing safety versus making...
This week, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield reflects on the current hostage deal in Israel and its complexities. 🤔

Explore the debate over prioritizing safety versus making concessions, and discover why unity among the Jewish people is more critical now than ever. 🌍 Let’s stand together, even when faced with difficult choices, and hope for the safe return of all hostages.

We Have A Common Enemy, and It's Not Each Other:
https://aish.com/we-have-a-common-enemy-and-its-not-each-other/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYUsuUvHokh83Pi8ViGRTKHrbzEjucR-NqWakPl93Jepk8EwdT4zRpG07Q_aem_alrVPkdAcHXEikGmOjkn-A

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]]>132complexdecisions,currentevents,dearrabbi,hostagecrisis,israelhostages,israelnews,jewishcommunity,jewishidentity,jewishperspective,jewishpodcast,jewishunity,jewishwisdom,judaismexplained,learnwithrabbi,middleeastcrisis,rabbimenachemlehrfield,staycurious,thoughtfuldiscussions,tzedakahandjustice,unityindiversityfalse315fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/rediscovering-my-jewish-heritage-a-journey-from-atheism-to-christianity-and-back-to-judaism--62607730
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield addresses the question of Jewish lineage and conversion. 👪 Discover the traditional Jewish view on matrilineal descent and why it's so important.

Learn about the complexities of Jewish identity in the modern world and how one's upbringing or current practices relate to their Jewish status. 

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62607730Wed, 25 Dec 2024 11:00:06 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we explore the nuances of Jewish identity! 🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield addresses the question of Jewish lineage and conversion. 👪 Discover the traditional Jewish view on matrilineal descent and why it's so...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield addresses the question of Jewish lineage and conversion. 👪 Discover the traditional Jewish view on matrilineal descent and why it's so important.

Learn about the complexities of Jewish identity in the modern world and how one's upbringing or current practices relate to their Jewish status. 

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]]>123exploringjudaism,interfaithjourney,jewishbackground,jewishcommunity,jewishheritage,jewishidentity,jewishidentitytoday,jewishroots,jewishtraditions,judaismandchristianity,learninghebrew,practicingmitzvot,returningtojudaism,spiritualjourneyfalse314fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-is-zionism-understanding-the-jewish-national-movement--62604587
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield breaks down the concept of Zionism and its significance to the Jewish people. 🌟 Learn about the movement for Jewish self-determination and statehood.
Explore the biblical connections to the land of Israel and the contemporary debates surrounding Zionism. 

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62604587Wed, 18 Dec 2024 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we tackle complex topics in Jewish history and politics! 🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield breaks down the concept of Zionism and its significance to the Jewish people. 🌟 Learn about the movement for Jewish...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield breaks down the concept of Zionism and its significance to the Jewish people. 🌟 Learn about the movement for Jewish self-determination and statehood.
Explore the biblical connections to the land of Israel and the contemporary debates surrounding Zionism. 

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]]>165historyofzionism,israelandzionism,israelhistory,jewishheritage,jewishhomeland,jewishidentity,jewishnationalism,jewishnationhood,jewishselfdetermination,jewishstate,modernzionism,understandingzionism,whatiszionism,zionismexplained,zionistmovementfalse313fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-is-tzedakah-the-jewish-concept-of-charity-and-justice--62604591
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield unpacks the true meaning of tzedakah and how it differs from conventional charity.

🤲 Discover the root of this Hebrew word and why it's connected to justice rather than benevolence. Learn about the Jewish perspective on giving and how it could change the world if universally practiced. 

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62604591Wed, 11 Dec 2024 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we explore the depth of Jewish concepts! 🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield unpacks the true meaning of tzedakah and how it differs from conventional charity. 🤲 Discover the root of this Hebrew word and why it's...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield unpacks the true meaning of tzedakah and how it differs from conventional charity.

🤲 Discover the root of this Hebrew word and why it's connected to justice rather than benevolence. Learn about the Jewish perspective on giving and how it could change the world if universally practiced. 

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]]>127givinginjudaism,helpingtheneedy,jewishcharitablegiving,jewishcharity,jewishcompassion,jewishethics,jewishobligations,jewishteachings,jewishtraditions,jewishvalues,mitzvahofcharity,tzedakahandjustice,tzedakahinjudaism,tzedakahmeaning,whatistzedakahfalse312fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-is-the-significance-of-little-box-on-jewish-door-mezuzah--62604588
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield reveals the significance of the mezuzah, that little box on Jewish doorposts.

🚪 Learn about the biblical commandment behind this practice and discover what's really inside that case. Explore the deeper meanings of the mezuzah and how it serves as a reminder of Jewish values and divine protection.

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62604588Wed, 04 Dec 2024 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we unlock the secrets of Jewish home life! 🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield reveals the significance of the mezuzah, that little box on Jewish doorposts. 🚪 Learn about the biblical commandment behind this...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield reveals the significance of the mezuzah, that little box on Jewish doorposts.

🚪 Learn about the biblical commandment behind this practice and discover what's really inside that case. Explore the deeper meanings of the mezuzah and how it serves as a reminder of Jewish values and divine protection.

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]]>162doorpostprayer,faithandprotection,jewishdoorbox,jewishfaith,jewishhomes,jewishsymbols,jewishtradition,judaism,mezuzah,mezuzahimportance,mezuzahmeaning,mezuzahscroll,mitzvah,shemaprayer,whatismezuzahfalse311fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-is-the-significance-of-the-sidelock-you-see-hasidic-men-wearing--62604586
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield decodes the significance of the distinctive sidelocks worn by Hasidic men. 🧔 

Explore the biblical origins of this practice and learn about the variations in how it's observed. Discover how these curls serve as a visible symbol of Jewish identity and pride.

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62604586Wed, 27 Nov 2024 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we untangle the mysteries of Jewish appearances! 🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield decodes the significance of the distinctive sidelocks worn by Hasidic men. 🧔  Explore the biblical origins of this practice and...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield decodes the significance of the distinctive sidelocks worn by Hasidic men. 🧔 

Explore the biblical origins of this practice and learn about the variations in how it's observed. Discover how these curls serve as a visible symbol of Jewish identity and pride.

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]]>98hasidicculture,hasidicmen,hasidicpayot,hasidictradition,jewishcustoms,jewishfaith,jewishhairlaws,jewishidentity,jewishsidelocks,jewishtraditions,orthodoxjudaism,payotmeaning,payotsignificance,religioussymbols,sidelocksinjudaismfalse310fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-do-jews-place-rocks-on-graves-instead-of-flowers--62604590
In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield explains why Jews place rocks on graves instead of flowers. 🌹 

Discover the symbolism behind this enduring tradition and how it honors the memory of loved ones. Learn about the Jewish perspective on remembrance and the value of lasting tributes.

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62604590Wed, 20 Nov 2024 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we unearth the significance behind Jewish practices! 🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield explains why Jews place rocks on graves instead of flowers. 🌹  Discover the symbolism behind this enduring tradition and...
In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield explains why Jews place rocks on graves instead of flowers. 🌹 

Discover the symbolism behind this enduring tradition and how it honors the memory of loved ones. Learn about the Jewish perspective on remembrance and the value of lasting tributes.

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]]>80graverocks,honoringthedeceased,jewishburialcustoms,jewishburialrituals,jewishcemetery,jewishcustoms,jewishfaith,jewishgraves,jewishgravesidetraditions,jewishgravesymbols,jewishhomes,jewishmemorials,jewishsymbol,jewishtradition,jewishtraditions,mitzvah,sacredspaces,stonesongrave,whyrocksnotflowersfalse39fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/are-orthodox-marriages-arranged--62604592
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield debunks the myth of arranged marriages in Orthodox Judaism. 

Discover the unique approach of "shidduch dating" and how it differs from modern dating apps. Learn about the emphasis on compatibility, shared values, and meaningful conversations in Jewish courtship. Find out why Orthodox Jews might be talking about the big stuff on their first date!

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62604592Wed, 13 Nov 2024 11:00:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we explore the intricacies of Jewish life! 🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield debunks the myth of arranged marriages in Orthodox Judaism.  Discover the unique approach of "shidduch dating" and how it differs...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield debunks the myth of arranged marriages in Orthodox Judaism. 

Discover the unique approach of "shidduch dating" and how it differs from modern dating apps. Learn about the emphasis on compatibility, shared values, and meaningful conversations in Jewish courtship. Find out why Orthodox Jews might be talking about the big stuff on their first date!

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]]>211arrangedmarriage,familyandfaith,jewishcustoms,jewishtraditions,jewishvalues,marriageinjudaism,orthodoxcommunity,orthodoxmarriage,religiousmatchmaking,shidduchprocessfalse38fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-s-really-behind-the-foil--62604589
In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield reveals the secret behind the foil-covered kitchens during Passover. �matsah Discover why some Jewish families go to great lengths to prepare their homes for this important holiday. Learn about the concept of "chametz" and the various methods of making kitchens kosher for Passover. 

Whether you choose to cover, kosher, or both - we've got you covered!
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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62604589Wed, 06 Nov 2024 11:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we unwrap the mysteries of Jewish traditions! 🕍  In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield reveals the secret behind the foil-covered kitchens during Passover. �matsah Discover why some Jewish families go to great lengths...
In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield reveals the secret behind the foil-covered kitchens during Passover. �matsah Discover why some Jewish families go to great lengths to prepare their homes for this important holiday. Learn about the concept of "chametz" and the various methods of making kitchens kosher for Passover. 

Whether you choose to cover, kosher, or both - we've got you covered!
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]]>137dearrabbi,foil,jewish,jewishhistory,jewishpodcasts,jewishtradition,kosher,matzah,passover.,wisdomfalse37fullhttps://youtu.be/aLtskI5HBQE
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield breaks down the main branches of Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform.

🌿Discover the core beliefs and practices that distinguish these movements. Learn about their historical origins, approaches to Jewish law (Halacha), and interpretations of divine revelation. Gain insights into how each branch views the evolution of Jewish tradition in the modern world. Whether you're Jewish or just interested in religious studies, this episode offers a concise overview of Judaism's main denominations and their unique perspectives.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,

Watch this Episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/aLtskI5HBQE

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/61260920Wed, 30 Oct 2024 11:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we explore the diverse landscape of Judaism!  🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield breaks down the main branches of Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform. 🌿Discover the core beliefs and practices that...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield breaks down the main branches of Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform.

🌿Discover the core beliefs and practices that distinguish these movements. Learn about their historical origins, approaches to Jewish law (Halacha), and interpretations of divine revelation. Gain insights into how each branch views the evolution of Jewish tradition in the modern world. Whether you're Jewish or just interested in religious studies, this episode offers a concise overview of Judaism's main denominations and their unique perspectives.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,

Watch this Episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/aLtskI5HBQE

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]]>264conservativejudaism,jewishdenominations,jewishdiversity,jewishhistory,jewishlaw,jewishmovements,modernjudaism,orthodoxjudaism,reformjudaism,religiousevolutionfalse21fullhttps://youtu.be/OhCoepCQj5I
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield explains the curious "boxes" worn by Orthodox Jewish men during prayer.

📦🙏Learn about tefillin, often mistaken for "GoPros" by the uninitiated. Discover the spiritual significance of these prayer accessories, how they're worn, and what they contain. Uncover the symbolism behind binding these boxes to the arm and head during prayer.Whether you're Jewish or simply curious about religious customs, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse into a daily ritual that connects thoughts, actions, and hearts to God.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,

Watch Full video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/OhCoepCQj5I

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/61260922Wed, 23 Oct 2024 11:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we unravel the mysteries of Jewish practices!  🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield explains the curious "boxes" worn by Orthodox Jewish men during prayer. 📦🙏Learn about tefillin, often mistaken for "GoPros" by...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield explains the curious "boxes" worn by Orthodox Jewish men during prayer.

📦🙏Learn about tefillin, often mistaken for "GoPros" by the uninitiated. Discover the spiritual significance of these prayer accessories, how they're worn, and what they contain. Uncover the symbolism behind binding these boxes to the arm and head during prayer.Whether you're Jewish or simply curious about religious customs, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse into a daily ritual that connects thoughts, actions, and hearts to God.

Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,

Watch Full video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/OhCoepCQj5I

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]]>166jewishcustoms,jewishprayer,jewishrituals,jewishsymbols,jewishtraditions,orthodoxjudaism,prayerpractices,religiousobjects,spiritualconnections,tefillinfalse25fullhttps://youtu.be/WynNeyb3Tf4
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield addresses the complex question: Can one be Jewish without believing in God?

🤔Explore the multifaceted nature of Jewish identity beyond religious belief. Learn why Judaism is more than just a religion - it's a family, a people, an ethnicity, and a nation. Discover why Jewish identity persists regardless of personal beliefs or practices. Whether you're questioning your faith or curious about the inclusive nature of Jewish identity, this episode offers valuable insights into what it means to be Jewish in the modern world.


Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WynNeyb3Tf4

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
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/61260921Wed, 16 Oct 2024 12:15:50 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we tackle thought-provoking questions about Jewish identity!  🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield addresses the complex question: Can one be Jewish without believing in God? 🤔Explore the multifaceted nature of...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield addresses the complex question: Can one be Jewish without believing in God?

🤔Explore the multifaceted nature of Jewish identity beyond religious belief. Learn why Judaism is more than just a religion - it's a family, a people, an ethnicity, and a nation. Discover why Jewish identity persists regardless of personal beliefs or practices. Whether you're questioning your faith or curious about the inclusive nature of Jewish identity, this episode offers valuable insights into what it means to be Jewish in the modern world.


Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WynNeyb3Tf4

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
]]>96culturaljudaism,jewishatheism,jewishcommunity,jewishethnicity,jewishheritage,jewishidentity,jewishtraditions,modernjewishidentity,religiousidentity,secularjudaismfalse21fullhttps://youtu.be/t-QTawy1OCE
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield explains the curious practice of shaking or swaying during Jewish prayer, known as 'shuckling'.

🙏Discover the spiritual and practical reasons behind this distinctive prayer posture. Learn how this meditative movement enhances concentration and deepens the prayer experience. Explore the historical theories about the origin of this practice and understand its role in Jewish worship today. Whether you're Jewish or simply fascinated by diverse prayer customs, this episode offers insights into a unique aspect of Jewish spirituality and tradition.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/t-QTawy1OCE

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/61260918Wed, 02 Oct 2024 11:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we explore intriguing aspects of Jewish prayer!  🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield explains the curious practice of shaking or swaying during Jewish prayer, known as 'shuckling'. 🙏Discover the spiritual and...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield explains the curious practice of shaking or swaying during Jewish prayer, known as 'shuckling'.

🙏Discover the spiritual and practical reasons behind this distinctive prayer posture. Learn how this meditative movement enhances concentration and deepens the prayer experience. Explore the historical theories about the origin of this practice and understand its role in Jewish worship today. Whether you're Jewish or simply fascinated by diverse prayer customs, this episode offers insights into a unique aspect of Jewish spirituality and tradition.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/t-QTawy1OCE

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]]>136jewishcustoms,jewishprayer,jewishtraditions,jewishworship,prayerfocus,prayerpractices,religiousrituals,shuckling,spiritualmeditation,spiritualpracticesfalse21fullhttps://youtu.be/PoBTfwXv0Gs
 🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield addresses the intriguing topic of conversion in Judaism.

🌟Discover why Judaism doesn't actively pursue converts, unlike some other major religions. Learn about the Jewish perspective on being a good person, the responsibilities that come with joining the Jewish people, and the importance of authentic motivation in conversion. Whether you're considering conversion or simply curious about Jewish attitudes towards newcomers, this episode offers valuable insights into the Jewish approach to faith and community.

Watch Episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/PoBTfwXv0Gs

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/61260923Wed, 25 Sep 2024 11:00:01 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, where we tackle your pressing questions about Judaism!  🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield addresses the intriguing topic of conversion in Judaism. 🌟Discover why Judaism doesn't actively pursue converts, unlike some...
 🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield addresses the intriguing topic of conversion in Judaism.

🌟Discover why Judaism doesn't actively pursue converts, unlike some other major religions. Learn about the Jewish perspective on being a good person, the responsibilities that come with joining the Jewish people, and the importance of authentic motivation in conversion. Whether you're considering conversion or simply curious about Jewish attitudes towards newcomers, this episode offers valuable insights into the Jewish approach to faith and community.

Watch Episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/PoBTfwXv0Gs

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]]>170becomingjewish,choosingjudaism,conversionprocess,interfaithdialogue,jewishcommunity,jewishconversion,jewishidentity,jewishpractices,jewsbychoice,judaismbeliefsfalse21fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-truth-about-kosher-eggs-what-you-need-to-know--61260919
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield delves into the fascinating world of kosher eggs and commercial baking. 🥚🍰

Discover how modern technology meets ancient Jewish law in ensuring the kashrut of mass-produced baked goods. Learn about the process of candling, the concept of bitul (nullification), and why even the tiniest blood spot matters in Jewish dietary laws.
Whether you're a culinary enthusiast or simply curious about Jewish practices, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the intersection of tradition and modernity in food production.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8O2ScdmQnwM

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]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/61260919Tue, 17 Sep 2024 17:37:54 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWelcome to Dear Rabbi, the podcast where we explore Jewish traditions and practices!  🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield delves into the fascinating world of kosher eggs and commercial baking. 🥚🍰 Discover how modern technology meets ancient...
🕍 In this episode, Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield delves into the fascinating world of kosher eggs and commercial baking. 🥚🍰

Discover how modern technology meets ancient Jewish law in ensuring the kashrut of mass-produced baked goods. Learn about the process of candling, the concept of bitul (nullification), and why even the tiniest blood spot matters in Jewish dietary laws.
Whether you're a culinary enthusiast or simply curious about Jewish practices, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the intersection of tradition and modernity in food production.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8O2ScdmQnwM

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]]>200commercialbaking,eggcandling,jewishcooking,jewishdietarylaws,jewishfoodlaws,jewishtraditions,kashrut,kosherbaking,koshereggs,modernkosherfalse31fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/israel-and-gaza-light-in-dark-times--57313037
While the Nazis tried to conceal their crimes against humanity, Hamas is live-streaming them.

The world's silence is deafening, as some "enlightened" individuals from prestigious institutions are celebrating and supporting terrorism either openly or through their silence. The world appears to be growing darker. How can we bring light to this very dark world and help our brothers and sisters in Israel from so far away?
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/57313037Fri, 20 Oct 2023 02:16:30 +0000Menachem LehrfieldTerrorists murdered 1,400 Jews in cold blood while recording their massacre on their GoPros. Over 200 people were taken hostage, including women, children, babies, and the elderly, some of whom were Holocaust survivors. "Never again" is now. While...
While the Nazis tried to conceal their crimes against humanity, Hamas is live-streaming them.

The world's silence is deafening, as some "enlightened" individuals from prestigious institutions are celebrating and supporting terrorism either openly or through their silence. The world appears to be growing darker. How can we bring light to this very dark world and help our brothers and sisters in Israel from so far away?
]]>1204gaza,israel,jew,jewish,judaism,light,noach,noah,parsha,peace,warfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/my-dog-ate-my-kippa--49317947https://api.spreaker.com/episode/49317947Tue, 12 Apr 2022 11:00:04 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, my kelev ate my kippa, does it need to go to Ganiza?161false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/god-hidden--49242667https://api.spreaker.com/episode/49242667Tue, 05 Apr 2022 11:00:03 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why does God want some distance, even when we draw close with broken hearts, in prayer?201false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/next-year-in-jerusalem--48808602
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48808602Tue, 29 Mar 2022 11:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, do Jews who live in Israel say "next year in Jerusalem"? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>112false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/milk-and-meat--48808601
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48808601Tue, 22 Mar 2022 11:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why don't Jews mix milk and meat? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>218false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/apartheid--48808600
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48808600Tue, 15 Mar 2022 11:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, is Israel an apartheid state? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>241false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/yerzheit--48808599
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48808599Tue, 08 Mar 2022 12:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, if a person dies in the Hebrew month of Adar, do we celebrate the yerzheit on the 1st Adar or the 2nd? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own...
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>158false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/anti-israel--48808598
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48808598Tue, 01 Mar 2022 12:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, is it anti-Semitic to be anti-Israel? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>142false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/mezuzah--48425717
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48425717Tue, 08 Feb 2022 12:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, is there anything wrong with buying a mezuzah online or in a giftshop? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at...
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>186false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/tubishvat--48425570
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48425570Tue, 01 Feb 2022 12:00:04 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, I saw an article this week in the USA Today and the article says TuBishvat is celebrated at this time of year because in Israel it is Spring even though in the United States it's the Winter. Since Israel and the United States are in the...
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>223false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/tattoos--48327238
https://www.aish.com/sp/ph/Three-Misconceptions-Jews-Have-About-Judaism.html

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48327238Tue, 25 Jan 2022 12:00:03 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, can a person with a tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? https://www.aish.com/sp/ph/Three-Misconceptions-Jews-Have-About-Judaism.html Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear...
https://www.aish.com/sp/ph/Three-Misconceptions-Jews-Have-About-Judaism.html

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>93false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/adding-mitzvot--48066307
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48066307Tue, 18 Jan 2022 12:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, in the Torah it states one is prohibited to add or subtract from a mitzvos. How then did the Rabbinic mitzvos come to be? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can...
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>183false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/wedding-rings--48066306
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48066306Tue, 11 Jan 2022 12:00:03 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why don't Orthodox Jewish men wear wedding rings? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>139false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/german-cars--48066305
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48066305Tue, 04 Jan 2022 12:00:03 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, can or should Jews drive Volks Wagon or other German made vehicles? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at...
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>325false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/interest--47315464
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47315464Tue, 21 Dec 2021 12:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why are Jews allowed to charge interest to non-Jews? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>94false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/reincarnation--47315467
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47315467Tue, 14 Dec 2021 12:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, do Jews believe in reincarnation? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>145false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/unvaccinated-orthodox-jews--47315469
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47315469Tue, 07 Dec 2021 12:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why are there so many Orthodox Jews that are unvaccinated? Is there a Jewish source that seems to prevent them from being vaccinated? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi!...
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>176false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chanukah-gifts--47315465
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47315465Tue, 30 Nov 2021 12:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, is the custom to give out presents on Chanukah really a Jewish idea, or is it just a way of competing with Christmas? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit...
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>212false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/trolly-problem--47315463
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47315463Tue, 23 Nov 2021 12:00:05 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, what does Judaism say about the Trolly Problem? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>264false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/religious-exemption--47315466
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47315466Tue, 16 Nov 2021 12:00:12 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, my company has a Covid Vaccination mandate, one of my coworkers has a religious exemption that she got from her Rabbi. I'm curious what aspect of the vaccine does Judaism find objectionable? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about...
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>220false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/halloween--47315468
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47315468Tue, 09 Nov 2021 12:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, do you give out Halloween candy? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>145false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/day-or-night--46853441
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/46853441Tue, 02 Nov 2021 11:00:17 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why does the Jewish concept of day start at sundown? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>139false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/dinosaurs-in-the-bible--46853440
To learn more, visit geraldschroeder.com

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/46853440Tue, 26 Oct 2021 11:00:02 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why don't we find any mention of dinosaurs in the creation dialogue in the bible? To learn more, visit geraldschroeder.com Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can...
To learn more, visit geraldschroeder.com

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>151false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/judgement-in-the-balance--46853784
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/46853784Tue, 19 Oct 2021 11:00:09 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, essentially, how can someone die in the days of awe, as you were written in the book of life in 5781 and the book for 5782 has not yet been sealed, what is the Jewish thought about death during this time? Take a few minutes a week to...
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>143false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-is-abraham-the-father-of-the-jewish-people-part-2--46462839
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/46462839Tue, 12 Oct 2021 11:00:17 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why is Abraham considered the Father of the Jewish people? Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi
Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>195false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-is-abraham-the-father-of-the-jewish-people-part-1--46462838https://api.spreaker.com/episode/46462838Tue, 05 Oct 2021 11:00:13 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, was Abraham the very first Jew? If so, what makes him the first Jew and not Adam or Noah?167false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/jews-and-jesus--46462153https://api.spreaker.com/episode/46462153Tue, 28 Sep 2021 11:00:01 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why don't Jews believe in Jesus as the Messiah?137false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/dejavu--46462216https://api.spreaker.com/episode/46462216Tue, 21 Sep 2021 11:00:14 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, if our job here in life is to do Mitzvot and we are re-incarnated again and again until all our mitzvot are fulfilled, why don't we leave some unfinished so we can stay in this world and serve Hashem?183false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/rosh-hashana-out-of-order--46462219https://api.spreaker.com/episode/46462219Tue, 14 Sep 2021 11:00:11 +0000Menachem LehrfieldShouldn't Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) come before Rosh Hashana (the Day of Judgment)?168false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/torah-reading--46454025
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/18a2ee52-4205-34ef-8e88-42dabea1bad4Tue, 07 Sep 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why do we read the Torah on certain days of the week but not others?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. ...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>126false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-chosen-people--46454033
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/d16d0402-a935-3410-a93c-5d4972ab00eeTue, 31 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, some Jews seem to have an issue with the concept of Jews being spoken of as "the Chosen people." They feel it confers some type of exalted privilege that we do not deserve; and that this is exclusionary, divisive, and fosters Antisemitism....
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>345false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/when-bad-things-happen--46454036
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/c67cc70e-2d92-382c-b6f4-2e7483f41da8Tue, 24 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, as we struggle with the new reality of a post Covid world how do we make sense of God’s role in all of this? Why would he want us to suffer like this?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>327false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/turkey--46454029
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/a0862596-d169-3cce-886b-72709dd0315bTue, 17 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, we keep kosher in our home and always have. We invited friends over for Thanksgiving and my friend’s husband explained that they dont eat turkey for kashrut reasons. I explained that I bought it at the kosher deli and even showed him the...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>244false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/kosher-bacon--46454027
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/bba19f70-f173-37f3-818f-0b37108421c9Tue, 10 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, I read somewhere that there is a belief that when Moshiach comes, it will be on Tish b'Av. Is this true? I also heard that the laws of kashrut may be suspended after Moshiach comes (bring on the bacon!). Is that true?   Are you a...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>172false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/hair-covering--46454034
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/16a4100c-a53c-3782-bad3-98b87c432d33Tue, 03 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why do some women cover their heads for the Shabbos candle blessings and others do not?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>172false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/double-portion--46454031
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/9e03b7a6-939c-3603-b0a0-99ddc28ceff3Tue, 27 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, we are supposed to have 2 challot on Shabbat Eve dinner to remind us of the double portion of manna that fell in the desert...but what about the Saturday Shabbat lunch.?..Are we expected to again have 2 loaves! Didn't we fulfill the ritual...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>220false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/to-120--46454026
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/726ce8cb-94dd-3fc1-990c-53af7c3a842fTue, 20 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why do Jews say to 120? Where did that come from?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask.    Take a few...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>122false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/covid--46454037
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/17f3c48b-6e82-3cba-91a9-24e95ba2d3d8Tue, 13 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDoes Judaism offer any guidance on dealing with COVID?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask.    Take a few minutes a...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>149false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/four-species--46454047
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/7163ae9d-a575-3757-9cb7-1229b6743e17Tue, 06 Jul 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldWhen I went online to order the 4 species for sukkot I was presented with all kinds of alternatives that I never heard of before…What do they mean and why so many choices?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>215false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-do-we-need-to-pray-together--46454041
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/07af8ac1-d70c-3d89-b162-ab1b442aacdaTue, 29 Jun 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, what's all the fuss about re-opening Synagogues? Why do we need to pray in Shul anyway?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>166false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/satan-friend-or-foe--46454046
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/6b6bea40-d6ed-39c7-895b-7cee6600f81aTue, 22 Jun 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, if God is all loving, why would God let Satan turn us astray and inflict pain on people?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>203false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/jewish-calendar--46454043
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/d7056a7f-ff87-3269-a006-540f57a9f28eTue, 15 Jun 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, what's up with the Jewish Calendar? I was born on Hanukah and my birthday is December 2. Last year Hanukah was at the end of December and a few years ago it was over Thanksgiving!   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>193false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/where-to-start--46454048
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/814b95da-9db5-3653-bfe3-b174318fe45cTue, 08 Jun 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, what is the best way to get started in wanting to be more involved Jewishly?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>164false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/are-all-jews-rich--46454038
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/334c0d26-6c4b-3685-94d5-a9934d769ef1Tue, 01 Jun 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, where did the stereotypes come from that all Jews are rich? While I'd love for it to be true in my case, I can assure you that it is not.   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't....
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>152false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/is-coke-kosher--46454039
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/ba052153-a80b-3e01-86cf-d6c7fa158d3dTue, 25 May 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, I was sitting on a plane a while ago and saw an Orthodox Jew sitting next to me drinking Coke. Is Coke Kosher? I didn't see a Kosher symbol on it.   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>365false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/kosher-salt--46454044
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/b61d4da6-2c98-3bca-82f0-7356a7afcc83Tue, 18 May 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, if all salt is kosher why is kosher salt called kosher salt? Is it more kosher?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>82false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/angels-and-snakes--46454049
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/bd6d491e-3377-3750-a3bb-25fc960fad67Tue, 11 May 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why does "seraphim" mean angels & snakes?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask.    Take a few minutes a...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>120false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/kosher-sex--46454045
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/489138cc-076f-39a4-b45e-7decf1a0f5f0Tue, 04 May 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, among the many disturbing scenes in Unorthodox, the scenes of intimacy were some of the most startling. Aside from the blatant abuse, do Orthodox couples really have sex with their clothes on? I thought they had a sheet with a hold in it...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>157false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/is-it-shabbat-or-shabbos--46454040
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/dad739e2-aa70-3502-b9f8-dbc016d9817bWed, 28 Apr 2021 09:24:07 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, how come some people say Shabbat and others say Shabbos? I heard that Shabbos is Yiddish. Is that correct?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>288false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-s-the-point-of-prayer--46454042
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/f30f5bd6-ade7-3bc1-915f-3b3ff52a1486Wed, 28 Apr 2021 09:23:37 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, what's the point of prayer? God already knows what I need, doesn't He? Are we trying to change God's mind?   Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>234false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-s-up-with-that-funny-hat--46454035
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>dearrabbi.podbean.com/f74be9c3-f7e6-3601-8e2a-400b5d39df5cTue, 27 Apr 2021 08:00:00 +0000Menachem LehrfieldDear Rabbi, why do Jewish men wear yarmulkes?    Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask.    Take a few minutes a week to...
 

Are you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask. 

 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>117false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/dear-rabbi-trailer--46454050
 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>infosw4.podbean.com/45ff3094-0546-35dc-a545-acef8918e32bThu, 22 Apr 2021 21:15:40 +0000Menachem LehrfieldAre you a wondering Jew? There are always things we want to ask but for whatever reason we don't. Whether we're embarrassed or simply don't know someone we can ask.    Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some...
 

Take a few minutes a week to learn more about Judaism and clear up some misconception with Dear (R)Abbi! You can submit your own questions at https://www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi]]>30false1full