Truths - Jewish Wisdom for Today

In this solo episode, Levi revisits his conversation with Rabbi Manis Friedman and argues that some of the deepest Hasidic ideas can become distorted when presented as shortcuts. Through a formative story from his teens—culminating in an extended personal conversation with Rabbi Yoel Kahn—Levi explores the full “ladder” of Hasidic consciousness: Daas Tachton (the world’s dependence on God) and Daa...

Does God need us? Does God need mitzvot? In this episode of Truth: Jewish Wisdom for Today, Levi Brackman sits down with Rabbi Manis Friedman for a direct, unfiltered conversation about one of the most emotionally-charged theological debates online — and what people are often actually arguing about underneath the headlines. We explore whether “need” implies lack, or whether it’s a sharper way of s...

What happens when a leading Orthodox theologian says that parts of the Haredi world exclude dissenting voices — and that doing so can actually undermine the Torah’s deepest call to choose life ? In this episode of The Truth Podcast , host Levi Brackman sits down with Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg to talk about Haredim, dissent, ecstasy, and his new book The Triumph of Life: A Narrative Theology of...

In this episode of Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today , Levi Brackman sits down with his longtime friend Adam Haston, real estate investor and author of The Wonder Effect: An Adventurous Guide for Igniting Your Passions and Pursuing Your Calling . Drawing on nearly 30 years of shared history from yeshiva and Chabad outreach, Levi and Adam explore how to move from “just sitting” through life to actual...

Rabbi Yitzchok Lowy grew up in Lakewood in a Hasidic–yeshivish home, learned in top Lithuanian yeshivot, and later immersed himself in the world of contemporary Hasidic and Kabbalistic teachers.  In this conversation, we sit together in his beit midrash in New York and trace the “origin story” of his Beit Midrash Iyun LaMachshava —a study space built for people who can’t turn their minds off, but...

Rabbi Avram Wilner has reissued, footnoted, and clarified key works of Rabbi Aharon of Staroshelye, a towering but under-learned student of the Alter Rebbe. We explore the fault line between learning Chabad as a path of inner avodah and affiliating with the modern Lubavitch movement; the two tiers of Kabbalah (universal vs. elite); the role of hispa’alus and bittul; and why emotion can’t be skippe...

Is Orthodox Judaism still Talmudic — or has it slipped into safe, post-Talmudic conformity? Professor Menachem Fisch — Joseph & Ceil Mazer Professor Emeritus at Tel Aviv University, Director of its Center for Religious and Inter-religious Studies, and Humboldt Research Prize laureate — joins Levi Brackman to reveal the Talmud as a radical engine of creative dissent and critical self-examinatio...

Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman sits down with Prof. Moshe Koppel—mathematician, long-time Israeli resident, and author of Judaism Straight Up —to explore what it means to “speak” Judaism naturally instead of consulting a rule book at every turn. Highlights include: Shimen vs. Heidi: two real people who illustrate organic tribal Judaism and cosmopolitan universalism Why thick social norms help communities...

Welcome to Truths—"Seeking Ecstasy" season, Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman’s first solo deep dive in the new series. After opening with a heartfelt prayer for Israel amid the current Iran conflict, Rabbi Levi tackles the heated debate sparked by Rabbi Manis Friedman’s bold claim that “God needs our mitzvot.” ► What do classic sources—Maimonides, Nachmanides, Ramak, the Arizal, and Chassidic mas...

“In His Image: Why Maimonides Alone Isn’t Enough & Psychedelics Have Their Place — A Conversation with Rabbi Yuval Cherlow” In this episode of Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today, Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman sits down with the esteemed Rabbi Yuval Cherlow to ask: Can a purely intellectual theology—à la Maimonides—ever deliver the full depth of Jewish transcendence? And might there be a role, however c...

In this episode of Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today—part of the Seeking Ecstasy season—Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman visits Jerusalem to sit down with Yehuda Ber Zirkind for their second full-length conversation. After their first discussion in New Haven sparked passionate debate, they explored: What “Jewish theology” really is: A living dialogue about God, tradition, and community rather than a fixed cr...

Welcome to the intro episode of the new season of Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today —“Seeking Ecstasy.” In this kickoff, Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman explains why the podcast paused, why he’s launching from the holy city of Safed, and what this season is all about : exploring personal Jewish theology and the paths each of us can take to encounter the Divine in ecstatic communion. 🔍 In this episode you’l...

In this episode, Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman discusses the Torah portion "Lech Lecha" from Genesis 12, which introduces Abraham. Unlike Noah, Abraham's background and reasons for God's favor are minimally detailed in the text, though expanded upon in the Midrash. Rabbi Brackman highlights the theme of journeying in Abraham's life, noting that he embarks on seven distinct journ...

In this episode of "Truth Jewish Wisdom for Today," Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman explores the Torah portion of Noah, focusing on scholarly interpretations and anomalies within the biblical narrative of the Flood. He begins by acknowledging that while traditional commentaries often address specific questions, they may not consider the broader inconsistencies that academic biblical scholars hig...

In his podcast on the Torah portion of Bereshit (Genesis), Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman explores a lesser-known aspect of the creation narratives. He examines Genesis 1:26-27, where God says, "Let us make human in our image, according to our likeness," and notes that God created humans "male and female." This suggests both genders were created simultaneously in God's image, rai...

In this episode of "Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today," Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman delves into the Torah portions of Vayelech and Ha'azinu from the Book of Deuteronomy. He explores the contrasting depictions of God's reaction when the Israelites abandon Him to follow other gods. In Vayelech (Deuteronomy 31:16-18), God informs Moses that after his death, the Israelites will stray by...

In this episode of "Truths Jewish Wisdom for Today," host Rabbi D Levi Brackman delves into the Torah portion of Nitzavim, found in Deuteronomy chapters 29 and 30. He explores the profound themes of covenant, blessings, and curses that define the relationship between God and the Israelites. Brackman begins by discussing the covenant as a double-edged sword: adherence brings blessings and...

In this episode of "Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today," Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman delves into the Torah portion of Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26) to explore the mitzvah of Bikkurim —the offering of the first fruits—and its profound implications for our understanding of gratitude, responsibility, and continuous renewal. Discover how the ancient practice of Bikkurim embodies a "Day One" mi...

In this episode of "Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today," Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman explores the Torah portion of Ki Teitzei, focusing on its complex laws regarding marriage and divorce. He examines how these ancient texts can be interpreted to align with modern ethical standards. Brackman discusses a case where a man falsely accuses his wife of not being a virgin, leading to intricate legal a...

In this episode of Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today, Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman reflects on a recent debate between Candace Owens, a right-wing political commentator, and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. The core focus of Brackman's discussion is Candace Owens' opening remarks during the debate, particularly her references to Judaism, Jewish teachings, and the nature of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerso...

In this episode of Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today, Levi Brackman delves into the topic of false prophets as presented in two Torah portions, Re'eh and Shoftim, from Deuteronomy. He begins by exploring why the Torah addresses false prophets in two separate sections (Chapters 13 and 18) rather than consolidating them into one. Through his analysis, Levi concludes that these two sections repres...

In this episode of "Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today," Rabb Dr. Levi Brackman discusses the Torah portion of Re'eh from Deuteronomy, focusing on the concept of prophets and how to distinguish between true and false prophets. He addresses the challenge of discerning genuine divine communication in a religious context, where false prophets can easily deceive people by claiming to have...

In this episode of "Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today", Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman dedicates the discussion to the Jewish holiday of Tu B'Av, the 15th of Av, and its connection to romantic relationships and engagements, in honor of his son Dovi's engagement. He explains that Tu B'Av is considered a joyous holiday, akin to Yom Kippur, as young women would traditionally meet thei...

In this episode of "Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today," Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman explores the first Torah portion in the book of Deuteronomy, known as "Devarim" or "Mishneh Torah." He begins by discussing the nature of Deuteronomy, which largely consists of Moses' speeches to the Israelites before they enter the land of Israel. The focus of this episode is on the st...

In this episode of "Truths: Jewish Wisdom for Today," Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman delves into the Torah portion of Matot, focusing on chapter 32 of the Book of Numbers. The story centers around the tribes of Reuben and Gad, who request to stay on the east side of the Jordan River due to the land's suitability for their cattle, rather than crossing into Canaan with the rest of the Israel...