Beyond Faith: The Unexpected Joy of Torah Study
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
Release Date: 08/07/2025
Trickery or Evolution? Rethinking Jacob’s Stolen Blessing
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
What if one of the Torah’s greatest heroes was actually its most scandalous trickster? In this episode of Madlik Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Adam Mintz dive into one of the most provocative moments in the Torah: Jacob’s audacious act of deception to secure his father Isaac’s blessing in Parashat Toldot. Rather than smoothing over the ethical wrinkles, we sit with the discomfort, exploring why the Torah insists on portraying our third patriarch as a trickster—and what we’re meant to learn from a hero whose virtues are tangled with flaws. Key Takeaways The Torah Embraces...
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Sarah's Separation from Abraham | With Prof. Rabbi Wendy Zierler
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
What happens when women finally enter the conversation that’s been about them all along? In this episode of Madlik: Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz are joined by Prof. Rabbi Wendy Zierler — Sigmund Falk Professor of Modern Jewish Literature and Feminist Studies at HUC-JIR, ordained by Yeshivat Maharat, and author of Going Out with Knots: My Two Kaddish Years with Hebrew Poetry. Key Takeaways Expect to rethink assumptions about primary biblical characters—especially the matriarchs—and appreciate the living tradition of midrash as a vehicle for creativity and...
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Nobody Wants This - Argument With God
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
A Netflix rom-com jokes that Judaism “encourages me to argue.” Turns out, that’s not a joke—it’s what set Abraham apart. A Netflix rom-com gives us a throwaway line that might be the most Jewish thing ever said on screen. When a young rabbi admits that Judaism loves two opposing opinions, his girlfriend lights up: “A religion that encourages me to argue? Love that.” It’s meant as a joke, but this week’s Torah portion proves her right. Sarah laughs at divine promises, Abraham bargains with God over justice, and on Mount Moriah, even silence feels like protest. Judaism...
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Israel More Inclusive? An Immigrant's Perspective
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
3,000 years after Abraham heard the call to go forth, a group of 20 somethings booked a one-way ticket to Ben-Gurion. What if the journey of Abraham in the Torah mirrors the modern-day aliyah experience? In this episode we dive into the modern-day "Lech Lecha" story with Noah Efron from The Promised Podcast. From his Young Judea roots to teaching at Bar Ilan University, Noah shares his journey of making aliyah (immigration to Israel) from America in the early 80s, offering a fascinating perspective on what it means to "go forth" in our generation. Key Takeaways The power of community in the...
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The Role of Language in Preventing Global Conflicts
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
Do They Really Speak with One Voice?” Yigal Carmon on the Arab Street In a world where words can both unite and divide, understanding the true meaning behind them is more crucial than ever. This week's Madlik episode delves deep into the power of language, translation, and cultural understanding with special guest Yigal Carmon, founder of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). Key Takeaways The Deception of Unity: The illusion of a single voice in the Arab world often masks complex realities and diverse opinions. Translation is Not Enough: Simply bridging the language gap doesn't...
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The 3000-Year-Old Idea That Shaped Modernity
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
The Bible's most revolutionary concept wasn't monotheism - it was something far more profound. What if the most revolutionary idea in human history wasn’t freedom, democracy, or even monotheism — but a single verse from Genesis? This week on Madlik Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz are joined by Dr. Tomer Persico, author of In God’s Image: How Western Civilization Was Shaped by a Revolutionary Idea. Together, they explore how the Torah’s concept of tzelem Elohim — the image of God — was originally understood not as a metaphor, but as something startlingly...
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What if the Passover Seder was held in our Sukkah?
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
The Exodus isn't just a story—it's the operating system of Jewish practice. Most of us were taught that the reason we sit in a sukkah for a full week is to commemorate the booths that the Children of Israel lived in during their forty years in the desert. We might even quote the verse in Leviticus that makes this claim — the only agricultural holiday that the Torah itself re-purposes. The problem is… not only modern scholars, but all the classical rabbinic commentators either don’t take that explanation literally or find it riddled with problems. Over and over again, the Torah...
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Asking Permission to Pray
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
From Moses to Leonard Cohen: The unexpected dilemma at the heart of Jewish prayer Leonard Cohen called If It Be Your Will “a sort of a prayer.” In this episode of Madlik Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz uncover just how deeply Jewish that prayer really is. Drawing on the words of Moses in Ha’azinu, the Psalms of David, the prayer of Hannah, and rabbinic debates in the Talmud and Maimonides’ Guide for the Perplexed, we explore how Cohen’s haunting lyrics echo one of the most radical ideas in Jewish liturgy: that prayer itself requires God’s permission. From...
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Yom Kippur: Reflecting on Age
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
What if our High Holiday rituals are secretly about confronting aging? Aging Gracefully: Rethinking Our Approach to the Elderly As we approach Yom Kippur, a time of reflection and renewal, it's fitting to explore a topic that touches us all: aging. In this episode of Madlik, we delve into the often-overlooked issue of how our society treats and cares for the elderly. With insights from our special guest, Yossi Heymann, director of JDC Eshel and the visionary behind Muni100, we uncover surprising perspectives on aging in Jewish tradition and modern Israel. Key Takeaways Ancient Assumptions:...
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The Original Sermon on the Mount — Jewish Edition
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
From Woodchoppers to Kings: How the Torah's Radical Covenant Redefined Ancient Politics In this episode we're diving into the radical inclusivity of the covenant in Parashat Nitzavim. From princes to woodchoppers, everyone is called to stand before God. But there's more to this than meets the eye. We explore how the rabbis upped the ante, suggesting these "woodchoppers and water carriers" might have been outsiders or even forbidden Canaanites. This covenant wasn't just inclusive - it was pushing boundaries. Key Takeaways Radical Inclusion: The covenant encompasses everyone, from leaders to...
info_outlineThe Torah's allure is so powerful, rabbis had to warn against misusing it.
Exploring the concept of "limud" (learning) unique to Deuteronomy, we uncover the rabbis' complex relationship with Torah study. From the joy of learning to the fear of misuse, the discussion spans intentionality, secular study, and the power of Torah to attract even non-believers. We delve into the debate between studying "lishma" (for its own sake) vs. applied learning, and examine how different Jewish movements approach Torah study.
The rabbis recognized the profound allure of Torah study, to the point where they had to warn against misusing it for personal gain or pride… or even to make a living. We explore the emergence of the academic and scientific study of our texts as well as contemporary women’s yeshivot and secular yeshivot and different rabbinic opinions on the matter, from those who believe any Torah study can lead to observance to those who fear misinterpretation. The segment provides insight into an ongoing debate within Judaism about the nature and purpose of sacred text study.
We conclude with the potential for new insights to arise from diverse groups studying Torah highlighted with the fascinating Talmudic story of Rabbi Meir learning from the heretic Elisha Ben Abuya, illustrating the idea that valuable wisdom can come from unexpected sources.
Key Takeaways
- The word "limud" (learning) appears only in Deuteronomy, signaling a shift in Torah transmission.
- Rabbis grappled with the allure of Torah study for non-religious purposes.
- The debate continues: should Torah study be restricted to believers or open to all?
Timestamps
- [00:00:00] – The episode opens with a provocative framing: Can the Torah survive being studied like secular literature?
- [00:02:00] – Discussion on Tisha B’Av and the idea that Torah learning brings too much joy to be permitted on a day of mourning.
- [00:03:00] – Story from Rabbi Riskin about the heretic who insists he’s not a goy, highlighting the irresistible pull of Torah study.
- [00:04:42] – Deep dive into Deuteronomy and the word “limud,” and how teaching and learning emerge in the text.
- [00:07:00] – Exploring Maimonides' take on the commandment to teach Torah not just to sons, but to students as children.
- [00:10:00] – Pirkei Avot is introduced, differentiating learning to teach vs. learning to practice.
- [00:13:00] – Cautionary wisdom from the sages: Don’t use Torah as a tool for ego or profit.
- [00:17:00] – Talmudic view that learning Torah for the wrong reasons may still lead to righteous practice.
- [00:23:00] – Norman Lamm and others weigh in on secular vs. sacred motivations for Torah study.
- [00:30:00] – The closing story of Rabbi Meir and Elisha ben Abuya explores the value of learning Torah even from a heretic.
Links & Learnings
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Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/