Episode 13: Mentalist Mark Edward "Exposing the Charlatans"

Episode 13: Mentalist Mark Edward "Exposing the Charlatans"

Author: Ben Koren and Benzi Siouni | A Geonic-Maimonidean Approach to Torah Through the Ages and Today March 25, 2022 Duration: 1:30:45
Mr. Edward reveals secrets of the trade and takes us on a journey through the world of illusion. Although he is agnostic, he is doing God's work. We share our different views on faith but there is quite a lot of common ground. In this episode, the Mentalist reveals what differentiates mentalists, magicians, and clairvoyants. He tells stories of his friend, the late great skeptic and magician James Randi (The Amazing Randi), who dedicated his life to exposing fraudsters, whether it be Faith Healers, Mediums, or Psychics. Two famous examples that come to mind are Peter Popoff and Uri Geller. Also, Necromancy is an evil, phony practice that dates back to early civilization, and is explicitly forbidden in the bible. When people are most vulnerable, in pain and desperate they often try anything to get answers. Sadly, there are still those who pose as Mediums today, pretending to have the ability to communicate with the dead. Over the last few years, TV personalities such as the Hollywood Medium, Sylvia Brown, and Theresa Caputo have gained popularity by utilizing Cold, Warm, and Hot Readings on their unsuspecting audiences. In this episode, the Mentalist reveals some of their techniques and even does a reading on us. Are these tactics the same ones used by the FBI or CIA when they interrogate suspects? This episode was not only eye-opening, but it was a lot of fun too. (Warning: Adult Language)

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 27: Professor Matt Goldish "The Sabbatean Prophets" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:11:35
Dr. Goldish provides a detailed analysis on the history of messianic movements, with a specific focus on a relatively recent false messiah, Shabbetai Ẓevi. We discuss the influence on Zoharic and Lurianic Kabbalah on Ẓev…
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Duration: 1:03:06
Rabbi Angel carefully presents the traditional Sepharadi approach to law and life. Do we take a more stringent or lenient approach than Ashkenazim? We live in an age where Judaism is highly fractured with sectarianism, i…
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Duration: 1:29:13
Rabbi Schneeweiss discusses his conversion to Judaism in 11th grade, identifying as Shomer Torah U'Mitzvot (and not a "rationalist"), using Bruce Lee's philosophy for teaching, what it means to be a Stoic Jew, the method…
Episode 24: Rabbi Jeremy Wieder "The Nuances Within the Sources" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:32
Rabbi Wieder explains the concept of Q're (what is read) and Ketib (what is written) and how our Sages approached textual variants in all ancient Torah scrolls (Masoretic, Dead Sea, etc.). In doing so, he clarifies and c…
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Duration: 1:33:35
Dr. England shares origin story, how he connected to his Jewish roots, his famous moniker as "the next Darwin", and what it's like to have a character in Dan Brown's book based off of him. He addressed the following topi…
Episode 22: Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz "Torah in a Modern Age" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:43
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Episode 21: Rabbi David Bashevkin "For the Sake of Heaven" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:05
Rabbi Bashevkin explains why stories of tzaddikim are inspiring and beneficial, especially for children. But is this ideal considering that the Torah seems to not hide or sugarcoat the mistakes of our ancestors, while ac…
Episode 19: Shannon Nuszen "Striving for Truth" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:38
Shannon tells the story of her life growing up as the daughter of a pastor (now a Noahide). She was raised as a missionary, part of a community that mimicked Jewish traditions and symbols in order to blur the lines in or…
Episode 18: Rabbi Alex Israel "Kings & Prophets" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:40
Rabbi Israel discusses the distinctions between the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, and what our approach should be towards understanding these seemingly contradictory accounts. Find out how these factors into…