Episodes

  • Parshat Shmini: The Power of Silence

    Parshat Shmini: The Power of Silence
    Apr 25 2025
    📖 Parshat Shmini This Week: After the unimaginable loss of his sons, the Torah simply states 'vayidom Aharon' (וַיִּדֹּם אַהֲרֹן)—'and Aaron was silent.' Sometimes in our deepest pain, words cannot express what we feel. As we support loved ones through difficult times, remember that just being present—sitting beside someone in their silence—can be the most profound expression of love. Not every hurt needs immediate words; sometimes what's needed most is simply our quiet presence. Shabbat Shalom. 🤍

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    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! 🕎📚🎙️
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    1 min
  • Shabbos Kestenbaum: Fighting Antisemitism

    Shabbos Kestenbaum: Fighting Antisemitism
    Apr 23 2025
    🗳️ IMPORTANT: VOTE NOW for student representation at the World Zionist Congress: http://aish.com/vote/RabbiMenachemLehrfield

    Welcome to our channel, where we spotlight voices making a difference in the Jewish community. In this powerful talk, Harvard Divinity School graduate Shabbos Kestenbaum shares his journey as the sole remaining plaintiff in a landmark civil rights lawsuit against Harvard University over antisemitism on campus.

    Shabbos discusses:
    • Why he refused to settle when other plaintiffs did
    • The troubling rise of antisemitism on elite campuses
    • His advice for Jewish high school students considering college
    • The importance of Jewish education and youth empowerment🗳️
    • Support Jewish student leaders by voting in the World Zionist Congress elections (only happens once every 5 years!): http://aish.com/vote/RabbiMenachemLehrfield

    • Select Slate #10 (AISH)


    Shabbos challenges us to reconsider what institutions truly deserve our support and argues that the Jewish community should focus on building stronger Jewish identities rather than fighting for acceptance at universities that have demonstrated hostility toward Jewish students.
    This talk was recorded live at AISH CENTER in Boulder, Colorado, on April 23, 2025.

    Keep the conversation going! If you have questions or ideas about Jewish success and impact

    Please email us at Zeropercent@joidenver.com.🌟

    Help others discover Zero Percent! Please leave us a five-star review and share it with friends who might find this podcast enlightening.

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    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! 🕎📚🎙️
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    42 mins
  • Parshat Shvi'i shel Pesach: Taking the First Step

    Parshat Shvi'i shel Pesach: Taking the First Step
    Apr 18 2025
    📖 Shvi'i shel Pesach This Week: When trapped between the Egyptian army and the sea, God told the Israelites something unexpected: 'Don't pray, move forward!' The Midrash teaches us that the sea finally split only when Nachshon ben Aminadav waded into the water up to his nostrils. Faith isn't just about prayer; it's about taking that first brave step, even when the way forward seems impossible. God promises to be with us, but we must initiate the journey. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach! 🌊

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    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! 🕎📚🎙️
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    1 min
  • Why Jews Don't Count People: Biblical Origins and Human Dignity

    Why Jews Don't Count People: Biblical Origins and Human Dignity
    Apr 16 2025
    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 Rashi about the "evil eye." More profoundly, I suggest that assigning numbers to people diminishes their infinite value and human dignity a principle tragically illustrated by the Nazi practice of tattooing numbers on Holocaust victims. Unlike modern censuses that reduce people to statistics, Jewish tradition recognizes that each person counts without being reduced to a mere number. Through creative counting methods like using verses or counting shoes, Judaism upholds human dignity while still gathering necessary information.


    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. 🎙️🌟
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    2 mins
  • Parshat Tzav: The Fresh Start Effect

    Parshat Tzav: The Fresh Start Effect
    Apr 11 2025
    📖 Parshat Tzav This Week: Before beginning each day's service, the Kohanim had first to remove yesterday's ashes from the altar. What a powerful metaphor! Like Professor Milkman's 'fresh start effect,' we don't need to wait for special occasions to begin anew. Every morning allows us to clear away yesterday's residue and approach life with renewed purpose. The key to transformation isn't finding the perfect moment, but recognizing that each day brings its sacred opportunity. Shabbat Shalom. 🔥

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    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! 🕎📚🎙️
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    1 min
  • Why Jews Don't Count People

    Why Jews Don't Count People
    Apr 9 2025
    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 often use verses with exactly ten words, assigning one word per person rather than numbers. I share that some rabbis use specific Hebrew verses, while I prefer using "to be or not to be, that is the question," which conveniently has ten words. I hint at the deeper reason behind this counting prohibition, teasing that we might explore this fascinating topic in a future episode.

    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. 🎙️🌟
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    2 mins
  • Seinfeld’s "The Strike" – The Power of Gratitude

    Seinfeld’s "The Strike" – The Power of Gratitude
    Apr 9 2025
    Ready to transform your mindset with the power of gratitude? Watch now to see how starting your day with thankfulness instead of phone scrolling can make you 25% happier, according to scientific studies!

    Welcome to Yada Yada Yiddish, where Seinfeld unexpectedly meets Jewish wisdom. In this episode, we explore "The Strike" (aka the Festivus episode) and contrast Frank Costanza's "airing of grievances" with Judaism's profound emphasis on gratitude. Just as Moses wouldn't strike the water that once saved him, we'll unpack how expressing specific gratitude transforms our relationships, reduces stress hormones by 23%, and makes us more generous. You'll discover the powerful Alpha State morning technique and why ancient Jewish wisdom places gratitude at the center of morning practice. We find deep spiritual lessons hiding in plain sight, from bagels to Festivus poles.

    Do you have ideas or want to be featured in a future episode?
    Contact me at Yada@lehrfield.com.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts!

    Tune in, laugh, and learn how to balance humor with deep spiritual growth.

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    30 mins
  • Parshat Vayikra: Answering Life's Daily Call

    Parshat Vayikra: Answering Life's Daily Call
    Apr 4 2025
    📖 Parshat Vayikra This Week: In the Torah scroll, the first word of Vayikra contains a small aleph (וַיִּקְרָא). Without it, the word becomes 'vayikar'—meaning God merely 'happened upon' Moses instead of purposefully 'calling' him. Our daily challenges aren't random occurrences; they're invitations to greatness. Will we see life's moments as mere happenstance, or recognize them as sacred callings that can transform us? The choice is ours. Shabbat Shalom. 📜

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    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! 🕎📚🎙️
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    1 min
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