Best Megillat Podcasts (2024)

1
Did a Biblical Outlaw Understand the Arab-Israel Conflict Better than Today's Students? 11:57

2h ago11:57

11:57

It is commonplace to hear today's Israel-Arab Conflict portrayed as an example of Settler-Colonial European Jews settling in the nation-state of indigenous-dwelling Palestinians. This is a modern invention and is not how the conflict was understood by local Arabs a hundred years ago, who did so in rational terms that match the Biblical arguments be…

1
The Biblical Battle of the AI Priesthood Lineage 6:33

2M ago6:33

6:33

By Rabbi Nadav Caine

1
Amalekites, Gaza and the End of Megillat Esther on Purim 14:54

4M ago14:54

14:54

As Purim became a holiday of tremendous festivities and lightheartedness, the Rabbis knew that the end of the Megillah in Chapter 9 has a dubious quality, that of a massacre on Haman's people. Is this a happy ending, a desirable ending, that of massacre, that of Jews finally (and really for its time, only possible in the Jewish imagination but not …

1
Megillat Esther In Depth #3 39:43

4M ago39:43

39:43

Megillat Esther In Depth #3 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Megillat Esther In Depth #2 1:04:22

4M ago1:04:22

1:04:22

Megillat Esther In Depth #2 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Megillat Esther In Depth #1 57:20

4M ago57:20

57:20

Megillat Esther In Depth #1 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
The 19th Century Reform Rabbi Who Changed Physics 9:11

5M ago9:11

9:11

The most influential rabbi you've never heard of? Based on an episode of the RadioLab podcast ("Relative Genius") and a biography in the Jewish Encyclopedia -- https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12611-rebenstein-aaron -- I tell you about the extraordinary Rabbi Aaron David Bernstein who likely accomplished more in his lifetime by himself t…

1
The Israelites Left Egypt Armed: Gender & Chauvinism Preceding October 7 16:10

6M ago16:10

16:10

In the second verse of Parashat Beshalach (the flight from Egypt and the crossing of the Sea of Reeds), the Torah states that the Israelites fled fully armed. I explore the traditional commentaries on why, and connect this to the haftarah (story of Deborah and Yael) and to the intelligence failures in Israel caused by male chauvinism.…

1
Who Gets to Be a Spokesperson for Israel? The Soft of Heart and Slow of Speech 13:46

6M ago13:46

13:46

The focus of the American and international conversation about the Hamas attack and its aftermath has been "Ceasefire or No Ceasefire" by which people mean (since there was a ceasefire prior to Hamas's breaking it) whether Israel should cease its counter offensive due to civilian casualties. Who gets to be a spokesperson for Israel at this time in …

1
Tefillah #4 - Final Request, The "Thanking" Section, and Conclusion 51:56

7M ago51:56

51:56

Tefillah #4 - Final Request, The "Thanking" Section, and Conclusion by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Discussion of Divine Providence 30:32

7M ago30:32

30:32

Discussion of Divine Providence by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Yona Perek 3 + 4 1:51:04

7M ago1:51:04

1:51:04

Yona Perek 3 + 4 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Yona Perek 1 + 2 2:54:22

7M ago2:54:22

2:54:22

Yona Perek 1 + 2 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Tefillah #3 - Explanation of Requests 8-12 in the Amida 1:26:46

7M ago1:26:46

1:26:46

Tefillah #3 - Explanation of Requests 8-12 in the Amida by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Tefillah #2 - Explanation of the First Eight Requests in the Amida 2:37:30

7M ago2:37:30

2:37:30

Tefillah #2 - Explanation of the First Eight Requests in the Amida by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Tefillah #1 - Intro to Tefilla and Explanation of Beginnning of the Amida 1:26:04

7M ago1:26:04

1:26:04

Tefillah #1 - Intro to Tefilla and Explanation of Beginnning of the Amida by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Rambam's Letter to the Jews of Yemen 1:12:31

7M ago1:12:31

1:12:31

Rambam's Letter to the Jews of Yemen by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Question and Answer Session #2 1:38:13

7M ago1:38:13

1:38:13

Question and Answer Session #2 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Question and Answer Session #1 23:05

7M ago23:05

23:05

Question and Answer Session #1 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Avoda Zara 1 3:00:11

7M ago3:00:11

3:00:11

Avoda Zara 1 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Avoda Zara 3 2:34:17

7M ago2:34:17

2:34:17

Avoda Zara 3 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
The Nature of Prophecy and Role of the Prophet 42:59

7M ago42:59

42:59

The Nature of Prophecy and Role of the Prophet by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Megillat Rut Chapter 2 1:12:52

7M ago1:12:52

1:12:52

Megillat Rut Chapter 2 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Love of Family and Love of Hashem 1:33:25

7M ago1:33:25

1:33:25

Love of Family and Love of Hashem by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Megillat Rut Chapter 3 1:11:56

7M ago1:11:56

1:11:56

Megillat Rut Chapter 3 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Megillat Rut Chapter 1 1:41:08

7M ago1:41:08

1:41:08

Megillat Rut Chapter 1 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Megillat Rut Chapter 4 34:25

7M ago34:25

34:25

Megillat Rut Chapter 4 by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Shofetim Intro 7:00

7M ago7:00

7:00

Shofetim Intro by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Tikkun Olam and Redeeming the Hostages 16:56

7M ago16:56

16:56

As a Dvar Torah for Vayigash (Joseph's revealing himself to his brothers following Judah's speech), I explore the mitzvah of redeeming our captives and the limitations on the law "for the sake of Tikkun Olam." The conversation among American Jews about Gaza centers around "Ceasefire or No Ceasefire? What kind of Jew am I if I don't support stopping…

1
Halakhah and Aggadah: The Ten Stories We Tell PART TWO 9:23

8M ago9:23

9:23

PART TWO of this Yom Kippur 2023 sermon, in which I share the result of my personal and rabbi experiences of the last 15 years: that the longer we live, the shorter our eulogy becomes; that life (like scripture) is a combination of halakhah (direct description of human behavior) and aggadah (our stories in which God is an invisible character); that…

1
Halakhah and Aggadah: The Ten Stories We Tell PART ONE 16:34

8M ago16:34

16:34

In this Yom Kippur 2023 sermon, I share the result of my personal and rabbi experiences of the last 15 years: that the longer we live, the shorter our eulogy becomes; that life (like scripture) is a combination of halakhah (direct description of action) and aggadah (our stories in which God is an invisible character); that the main point of Yom Kip…

1
The Forgotten Meaning Of Rosh Hodesh 38:09

8M ago38:09

38:09

The Forgotten Meaning Of Rosh Hodesh by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Is There a Fear of God In This Place? Our Different Experiences of the Israel Gaza Conflict 14:16

8M ago14:16

14:16

Using the stories of Avraham, Sarah, and Hagar in Vayera, I voice what it's like to have utterly different experiences of the Gaza conflict with our coworkers, friends, and family members, some of whom seem to embody Dara Horn's prophecy that the world loves to pity the dead Jews of the past while finding the living Jews of today an inconvenience, …

1
The Commandment of Shevut: How Do We Handle its Inherent Subjectivity? 18:02

9M ago18:02

18:02

In Deuteronomy, we are commanded to keep Shabbat as restfulness. Many are unaware that this does not just involve practicing the Shabbat observances and restrictions --Biblical and Rabbinic-- but the highly unusual special-to-itself halakhic category of "Shevut," usually translated as proactively keeping "the spirit of Shabbat." The category of obs…

1
The Kol Nidrei Ritual: Stepping into Your Future Self 24:59

10M ago24:59

24:59

Drawing on the traditional meaning of the Kol Nidrei --"All Vows"-- prayer, plus the Mishnah and Talmudic tractates on the Nidrei (Nedarim: Vows), plus the philosophy of Ritual Drama and the recent psychological studies about Future Selves, Rabbi Caine constructs a vision of what the Yom Kippur experience is supposed to be, a drama of our envisioni…

1
Hineni Resolutions: I’m Ready but Are They? 19:52

10M ago19:52

19:52

My Second Day 5784/2023 Rosh Hashanah Sermon explores the New Year's resolution ("neder" as in "Kol Nidrei") in Biblical, Talmudic, and Contemporary Jewish spirituality. What is the one resolution in your life that is "If not now, when?" and what can the Talmud tell us about how to be successful at it?…

1
“You Shall Make An Offering” and The Uniqueness Of Tefillat Mussaf 15:55

10M ago15:55

15:55

“You Shall Make An Offering” and The Uniqueness Of Tefillat Mussaf by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Method Of Midrash 5783 #4 - Sending A Bribe To Satan? 42:02

10M ago42:02

42:02

Method Of Midrash 5783 #4 - Sending A Bribe To Satan? by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Prayers Of The High Holidays #4 - Yom Kippur 1:02:30

10M ago1:02:30

1:02:30

Prayers Of The High Holidays #4 - Yom Kippur by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
Understanding Seder HaAvodah By Ishay Ribo 1:10:41

10M ago1:10:41

1:10:41

Understanding Seder HaAvodah By Ishay Ribo by Rabbi Joshua MaroofBy Rabbi Joshua Maroof

1
The Genders Within God, and Within Ourselves! 23:26

10M ago23:26

23:26

My Rosh Hashanah 5784/2023 (first day) sermon examines the understanding of God's image as multiple genders in Jewish theology, mysticism, and Rabbinic midrash. What are the implications for transgender, nonbinary, and queer identifications? And equally, what are the implications for the self-understandings of everyday cisgender folk? Using the wor…