Nobody Wants This - Argument With God
Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism
Release Date: 11/05/2025
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_outlineA 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 doesn’t shy from disagreement—it builds holiness out of it. In Nobody Wants This Argument With God, we explore how faith, laughter, and dissent became inseparable in the Jewish imagination.
Key Takeaways
- From Sarah’s laughter to Abraham’s debate, the Torah’s heroes don’t obey blindly — they question boldly.
- In Judaism, arguing with God isn’t heresy — it’s how prayer begins.
- Laughter is not only a survival mechanism its an act of defiance.
Timestamps
- [00:00:00] Opening story – bingeing “Nobody Wants That” and connecting its theme of argument to the Abraham story.
- [00:01:22] Framing the Torah portions – arguing as Judaism’s “love language.”
- [00:02:19] Introduction to the podcast and this week’s Parsha topic.
- [00:05:34] Beginning analysis of Genesis 18 – Sarah’s laughter and disbelief.
- [00:08:09] Discussion of women’s Torah commentary and reinterpretation of Sarah’s fear.
- [00:12:30] Transition to the Sodom narrative – Abraham arguing with God.
- [00:17:41] Exploration of rabbinic interpretations that amplify Abraham’s argument.
- [00:20:07] “Prayer as battle” – how the rabbis turned debate with God into daily practice.
- [00:26:13] Transition to the Binding of Isaac – silent inner arguments and faith.
- [00:30:44] Closing reflections – dialogue with God as Judaism’s defining feature and farewell.
Links & Learnings
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Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/