Dear Rabbi

🎧 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 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...

🎧 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 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 philosop...

🎧 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 particularly relevant during the Whoopi Goldberg controversy and continues to confuse many people trying to understand what Judaism actually is. The answer i...

In 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 seem to have a joke for every situation, this episode reveals the profound survival mechanism behind Jewish humor. I explain that throughout millennia...

✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨ In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore why food plays such a central role in Jewish life and religious experience. While many people notice that Jews have a strong affinity for food, there's actually a profound spiritual significance behind this focus. Judaism is unique among religions in that we don't view the physical worl...

✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨ In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explain why Jewish coworkers wish each other "Happy New Year" in September rather than January. The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, falls at the beginning of the Jewish calendar year, which differs from the secular calendar we use in America. I clarify a common misconception: while many people...

✨🎧 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 Judaism does believe in Satan (which is where the English word "Satan" comes from), this is fundamentally different from the Christian devil. Satan...

✨🎧 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 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 some...

In 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 reflected in the saying "two Jews, three opinions" and the fact that Jews make excellent attorneys. I clarify that peace is not passivity but rather har...

In 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 flawed due to Adam's sin and needs salvation - Judaism teaches the opposite: every human being is a spark of the divine and is essentially good. I clari...

In 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 more spiritual place. I explain that there's an important exception to this blessing rule: we don't make blessings before performing mitzvot that in...

In 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 authentic Jewish leadership operates on the principle that the best leaders are often those who don't seek leadership positions but have leadership t...

In 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 misconception about what humility means in Jewish thought. True humility doesn't mean thinking less of yourself or diminishing your abilities - it me...

In 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 be unclear about whether they refer to cooking or ripening, I explain how the crystal-clear verse in Deuteronomy, which appears among dietary laws, de...

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I examine Ellen Gilad's argument that the Hebrew word "bashel" (translated as "seethe") might mean "ripen" or "mature" rather than "cook," potentially changing our understanding of the biblical prohibition against mixing meat and milk. I acknowledge that this interpretation has precedent with fruits maturing and was even considered by the classical commentator Bechor...

In this episode of my ongoing response to Elon Gilad's viral video, I explain why Judaism requires both written and oral Torah components. I address the fundamental question of why the Torah wasn't simply written down completely, exploring how the Oral Torah serves as an essential living tradition that cannot be contained in text alone. Drawing on analogies from medical training and modern communi...

In this second episode of my series responding to Elan Gilad's viral video, I address his claim that Hebrew's lack of vowels creates uncertainty about the milk and meat prohibition. While acknowledging that Hebrew is indeed written without vowels, I explain how Judaism's Oral Torah tradition resolves this apparent ambiguity. I detail how the Oral Torah - distinct from rabbinic law - represents bib...

 In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue to examine the biblical prohibition against mixing meat and milk by analyzing the placement of this commandment in various biblical contexts. I address why the verse "do not seethe a kid in its mother's milk" appears alongside temple sacrifice laws in Exodus, rather than with other dietary laws as in Deuteronomy. Through the lens of classical Jewish comme...

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue our discussion about why Jews don't mix meat and milk, focusing specifically on the biblical sources behind this kosher practice. I respond to claims made by Elon Gilad, examining each argument in detail while explaining how the Torah works with both written and oral components. I clarify how the three repetitions of "do not cook a kid in its mother's milk...

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address a viral social media video by Elan Gilad claiming Jews can eat cheeseburgers due to a biblical "misunderstanding." I methodically debunk this claim, pointing out that Gilad incorrectly states the prohibition against cooking a kid in its mother's milk appears twice in Torah when it appears three times (Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, and Deuteronomy 14:21). I ex...

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I address the common question about why kosher restaurants typically have higher prices than non-kosher establishments. I explain that rather than simple price gouging, there are legitimate fixed costs that contribute to higher prices in kosher dining. These include specialized meat preparation requirements, meticulous inspection of fruits and vegetables for insects...

In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I unravel the mystery behind those fishing wire-like strings that hang across streets in Jewish neighborhoods. These strings, an eruv, serve as a ritual boundary that transforms public areas into a unified domain for Sabbath observance. I explain how Jewish law prohibits carrying objects between public and private domains on Shabbat, and how the eruv creates a symbol...

In 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 contributions. I share the cautionary tale from the Book of Samuel where King David's census led to calamity, and draw on commentaries from Rambam and Ras...

In 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 there was a minyan (ten adults) present for prayer, but doing so indirectly. Since Jewish tradition discourages counting people directly, rabbis oft...

In 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 spiritual meaning. I discuss how even in our most joyous moments, we remember the destruction of the Temple and the suffering of others. By breaking the gl...