The Curious Jew

What makes human beings unique? Does Judaism think that an AI machine can acquire a soul?  In this episode, Rav David Silverstein is joined by Dr. Aaron Segal of Hebrew University to discuss Judaism, consciousnesses, and the future of AI. Dr. Aaron Segal is the Michael and Bella Guggenheim Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His primary areas of research are metaph...

Why do Jews pray? Is the prayer experience valuable only to those who have devout faith? In this episode, Rav David Silverstein is joined by Rav Dovid'l Weinberg for a discussion about the underlying philosophy of traditional Jewish prayer. Rabbi Dovid’l Weinberg is an educator, musician, and author. A rebbe at Yeshivat Orayta in the Old City of Yerushalayim, Rav Dovid'l is the author of Birth of...

Rabbi Shimon Gershon Rosenberg (Rav Shagar) was one of the most influential Religious Zionist thinkers. In this episode, Rav David Silverstein is joined by Yeshivat Orayta alum Rav Levi Morrow to discuss Rav Shagar's unique attempt to harmonize postmodernism and traditional Judaism. Born and raised in Southern California, Rav Levi Morrow moved to Israel when he was eighteen. After studying at Yesh...

How are the details of halakhic life related to the Torah's larger vision for society? In this podcast, Rav David Silverstein and Rav Yitzchak Blau address this question while providing a framework for thinking about the purpose of Jewish law. Rabbi Yitzchak Blau is Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Orayta, the author of Fresh Fruit and Vintage Wine: The Ethics and Wisdom of the Aggada , and Tradition's as...

In a provocative essay, Ben Shapiro claims that "the Torah’s worldview is most valuable precisely where there is controversy." He then accuses Orthodox leaders of an unwillingness to articulate the religious values that underlie some of Torah's most seemingly controversial laws. In this episode, Rav David Silverstein and Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Sinensky analyze Shapiro's claim and discuss some of the large...

Every other month, Rav David Silverstein will host a guest in conversation about a text of their choosing. We're calling it: Talking in Learning . We hope you enjoy the second installment of this series. Rav Yitzchak Blau and Rav David Silverstein reflect on how their upbringings ground their respective worldviews, chart how their beliefs about belief have shifted over time, and discuss doubt in m...

Israel's Declaration of Independence describes a nation founded on values "as envisaged by the prophets of Israel" while stopping short of any mention of democracy. What does this mean for issues of religion and state in 2022 and beyond? Rav Noam Himelstein and Rav Adi Krohn consider the history, politics, and modern day realities and discuss their visions for the future of halakha in the public s...

This month, we're excited to introduce an alternative format our podcast will take — another kind of 'Tzarich Iyun' discussion. We're calling it: Talking in Learning . Every other month, Rav David Silverstein will host a guest in conversation about a text of their choosing. We hope you enjoy the first installment of this series. Rav Dovid'l Weinberg and Rav David Silverstein consider the idiosyncr...

Rav David Silverstein and Rav Gavriel Singer discuss their personal preparations for the Yamim Noraim, selichot nusach preferences, teshuva reading lists, innovative simanim minhagim, and more. Questions? Feedback? Have a topic you'd like to hear discussed? Email us at oraytapodcast@gmail.com and we look forward to "continuing the conversation." Background music from "Ashreinu" by Omek HaDavar. Re...