Episode 118: Jessie Fischbein "Infertility in the Bible"

Episode 118: Jessie Fischbein "Infertility in the Bible"

Author: Ben Koren and Benzi Siouni | A Geonic-Maimonidean Approach to Torah Through the Ages and Today March 20, 2025 Duration: 58:58

In this episode, we sit down with Jessie Fischbein, author of 'Infertility in the Bible: How the Matriarchs Changed Their Fate; How You Can Too.' Jessie’s book stands out for its informal, accessible style and its ability to resonate with readers beyond just Jewish or theistic audiences. We discuss what inspired her to write it and how readers struggling with infertility have responded. We also dive into her rational approach to prayer, addressing a common struggle—why pray if God is unchanging? Jessie clarifies what prayer truly is and how it differs from common misconceptions. Exploring biblical narratives, we examine how emotions played a critical role in fertility, from Leah and Rachel’s sibling rivalry to Hannah’s prayers. Jessie shares insights on the connection between emotions, prayer, and transformation, offering lessons that couples facing infertility can apply in their own lives. Finally, we discuss divine intervention and personal agency. Jessie unpacks the Torah’s view on providence and how individuals can actively work on themselves to reshape their path. Don’t miss this thought-provoking conversation!

---

• Bio: Whenever Jessie Fischbein visits a new community, she hopes she will get the privilege to learn Torah with them. Jessie taught high school for over twenty years in yeshiva day schools, and she homeschools her children, giving her a unique perspective on Jewish education and learning disabilities. She is the author of the book Infertility in the Bible, about how our Matriarchs handled their challenges and what that means for us, and the book Scandals in the Bible, about some of the most challenging and difficult to understand stories in Tanach. Jessie believes that the Torah's wisdom is eternally relevant and fun to learn and strives to share that wherever she goes.

---• Welcome to JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED: A PODCAST FOR THE PERPLEXED | Co-hosted by Benjy & Benzi | Thank you to...Super Patron: Jordan Karmily, Platinum Patron: Craig Gordon, Rod Ilian, Gold Patrons: Dovidchai Abramchayev, Lazer Cohen, Travis Krueger, Vasili Volkoff, Vasya, Silver Patrons: Ellen Fleischer, Daniel M., Rabbi Pinny Rosenthal, Fred & Antonio, Jeffrey Wasserman, and Jacob Winston! Please SUBSCRIBE to this YouTube Channel and hit the BELL so you can get alerted whenever new clips get posted, thank you for your support!


In a world of soundbites, JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED | A Guide for Today's Perplexed: Torah Foundations, Reason, and Tradition offers a different space: long, thoughtful conversations that delve into the questions and concepts often passed over. Lifelong friends Ben Koren and Benzi Siouni host this series, bringing together voices from across disciplines-religious thinkers, scientists, historians-to examine Jewish wisdom through a specific lens. Their approach is rooted in the Geonic-Maimonidean tradition, a classical stream of Jewish thought that champions reason alongside deep faith, and they thoughtfully engage with the modern intellectual legacy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. This isn't about simple answers, but about rediscovering the robust, foundational frameworks of Torah that can speak to contemporary complexity. Each episode aims to build a bridge between ancient text and modern perplexity, reigniting a genuine passion for tradition by taking it seriously as a living, intellectual pursuit. The resulting discussions in this podcast are nuanced, patient, and designed for anyone who feels that standard explanations have left gaps in their understanding. You'll hear explorations where tradition meets rigorous inquiry, where historical context illuminates enduring principles, and where the goal is a more coherent, personally owned Jewish life. It’s a guide for the curious, the skeptical, and the devoted, all seeking a deeper anchor in timeless wisdom.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 139

JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED | A Guide for Today's Perplexed: Torah Foundations, Reason, and Tradition
Podcast Episodes
Episode 46: Yirmiyahu Danzig "The Battle Over Jewish Identity" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:21
Yirmiyahu "That Semite" Danzig joins the podcast to discuss his journey into social media activism and clarify the different aspects of Jewish identity. He explains the difference between being Jewish, Judean, Israelite,…
Episode 45: Rabbi Yoni Sacks "Simplifying Torah Study" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:07
Rabbi Yoni Sacks presents us with an approach to Torah study that is a lost art: mastering the basics first. Rabbi Sacks shares his personal journey to Rambam, exploring the ways in which today's approach to Talmud Torah…
Episode 44: Dr. Jacob Howland "Plato and the Talmud" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:39
In a fascinating discussion with Dr. Jacob Howland about his book, Plato and the Talmud, we delve into his groundbreaking study. In it, he examines the relationship between Athens and Jerusalem through the lens of the Pl…
Episode 43: Imam Abdullah Antepli "May the Sons of Abraham Unite" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:00
In a thought-provoking discussion with Imam Abdullah Antepli, he talks about growing up in a secular family in Turkey and overcoming the Antisemitic indoctrination in his youth. He responds to the notion that Jew hatred…
Episode 42: Rabbi Mark Wildes "Kiruv for the Next Generation" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:45
Rabbi Mark Wildes shares his journey in Kiruv and delves into the reasons behind the lack of engagement of many Jews with Judaism. He argues that a lack of proper Jewish education is a major contributor to this and that…
Episode 41: Dr. Brian Keating "God and the Astrophysicists" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:27
Dr. Brian Keating's book 'Losing the Nobel Prize' is a memoir about his scientific and personal journey. In one of his talks, he said, "searching for God was in a way searching for my father." He explains how being estra…
Episode 38: Rich Cohen "The Tough Jews of the Mafia" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:52
Rich Cohen is an American non-fiction writer. He is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone. He is co-creator, with Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger and Terence Winter, of the HBO series Vinyl. His works have…
Episode 37: Rabbi Reuven Mann "The Humanity of the Torah" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:43
In his book 'Eternally Yours', Rabbi Reuven Mann makes an important observation: that most religions and political, intellectual, and social movements trace themselves back to a single founder. Yet as great as our Patria…