Heart

what is the “service of the heart” that the Torah speaks of? Here we talk about the language of the heart, stretching the heart, working the heart, the group heart, the space inside the heart, and more.

Episode 1: Many houses, many voices

The tradition is definitely NOT in favor of abandoning and mind and the intellect in favor of "the heart". And it is also definitely NOT in favor of abandoning the sensitive, impetuous heart in favor of the cold mind.

Episode 2: Stay with the heart

In a way that is parallel to that of Pharaoh and Haman, King David also misunderstands his power. But unlike Pharaoh and Haman, King David knows not to close his heart.

Episode 3: The heart must sometimes be broken

Often we can adjust softly to the shifting moment, to new people and concerns that enter the space we call "heart". But there is also a need to do deeper, longer-lasting work on the heart that will allow us to stay more open without that moment to moment work.

Episode 4: The heart of community

Individuals have hearts, and so does a family, a community, a neighborhood, and a nation. How do we keep the heart of community open to voice beyond all of us?

Episode 5: Being whole-hearted

To bring all of one's heart to a situation - to acknowledge all of what one is feeling and thinking and needing, to acknowledge all the people and voices in the room - this requires time and wisdom, creativity and humility.

Episode 6: Can I trust my own heart?

You hear people saying "well, my heart tells me to trust her" or "my heart says that he's the one" and "listen to your heart" - why? Who says the heart is so trustworthy that we can actually block out all that other information and simply tune in to what the heart says? And who says tuning into what the heart says is simply, anyway?

Episode 7: Bringing it all together

The heart is associated with "mother" and also with "binah" - the capacity to understand the nature of specific people and things and moments in real time and put them together with other people and things and moments and build a space that can hold all of them together.

Kamtza & Bar Kamtza

the party that ended Jerusalem - a deep dive into the mysterious story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, which provides an outline for the problems that caused Jerusalem to fall, and what it takes to rebuild it

Episode 1: The party that ended Jerusalem

There is an incredible story in the Talmud about a party that leads to the destruction of the Temple. It offers ample food for thought about over-responding and under-responding, about response-ability and courage, about money and food, honor and shame. It's got a bit of everything.

Episode 2: The Rabbis lack the courage to lead

Having been kicked out of the party while the rabbis did nothing, Bar Kamtza goes to the emperor and tells him the Jews are rebelling. He suggests a test - send an offering to the Temple, they won't bring it! - to show that what I am saying is true. He blemishes the animal, rendering it unfit for offering, and presenting the rabbis with an enormous challenge.

Episode 3: Who am I to make such a choice?

What should Rabbi Zecharia and his friends have done? Well, we see places in our tradition in which leaders figured out when and how to step out of the black and white text. But are they good precedents? Do they, in fact, have something that these rabbis don't have?

Episode 4: The writing on the wall

The emperor sends a general to destroy Jerusalem, but this general - Nero - has a sudden realization, and turns his life around. Shouldn't we follow suit?

Episode 5: White bread & fig juice

There are 3 wealthy men who will provide enough food to feed the people of Jerusalem for 21 years. But the local thugs have other ideas. And even the rabbis have something to say!

Episode 6: Faking your own death

RYBZ escapes Jerusalem by faking his own death. Faking your own death is an important thing to do from time to time.

Episode 7: The right leader for the right time

RYBZ proves himself wise and understanding. The perfect Jew to lead the people into the future.

Episode 8: Three wishes

Vespasian invites Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai to ask for what he needs in order to ensure the well-being of the Jewish people. RYBZ procures the tools that will keep us going for millennia.

Money

this is a series looking at Jewish approaches to money through several amazing stories from our amazing wisdom-tradition.

Episode 1: First Thoughts

According to an intriguing midrash, four people became famous and minted coins in order to convey their message specifically through monetary transactions - Avraham, Yehoshua, David and Mordecai. Each of them engraved specific images onto their currency, in hopes that people who used this currency would take these images - and the story they told - to heart as they transacted. This is a powerful metaphor for how we do or don't remember our stories of purpose and value as we transact.

Episode 2: Spend generously on things that matter

The Talmud suggests that we spend money generously on things that matter. It even suggests that we can use the Almighty's credit card in order to do so!

Episode 3: Concretization of holy potential

Money, at its root, is very holy. As it comes down into concrete form, though, it is susceptible to distortion and manipulation until it can become something quite dangerous. Therefore, our tradition offers guidance at many stages of the process in order to help us maintain integrity and clarity.

Episode 4: The hidden giver

​​Rabbi Levi Yitzhak gives honor to a wealthy miser who passed away, and no one knows why. It turns out he was quite generous - and in very interesting ways - but kept it hidden from sight. This is a fabulous story.

Episode 5: Envy

The 10th commandment is quite difficult because it seems to be beyond our control - when I see my neighbor's donkey I either covet or I don't! But there are perspectives that can be cultivated upstream of that fateful encounter that can help us avoid the feeling of envy.

Episode 6 - Maintaining spiritual intensity while comfortable

it is spiritually easier to lack and to struggle. We see what we need and we know what we need to do. But when the coffers are full and we do not feel that lack, it can be harder to generate the same spiritual intensity.

Episode 7 - Bribes

The warning against accepting bribes applies not only to judges but to anyone who spends and earns money.