Episode 32: Hakham Mordehai Ish Yemini "Why Even Be Maimonidean?"

Episode 32: Hakham Mordehai Ish Yemini "Why Even Be Maimonidean?"

Author: Ben Koren and Benzi Siouni | A Geonic-Maimonidean Approach to Torah Through the Ages and Today November 24, 2022 Duration: 1:14:12
The Hakham returns and delivers yet another explosive interview. This time he makes a strong case for the practical reasons Jews should return to the classical Sepharadi tradition and explains why the alternative path has led many well-meaning people astray. The popularization of segulot, charlatanism, and the occult over the last few hundred years has left a deep impression on Jewish culture. Although many great rabbis and scholars are keenly aware of the dubious origins of all Kabbalistic literature, over the course of history it has become widely accepted as authoritative (but usually not in the realm of halakha). Hakham Mordehai pushes back against the argument from authority and establishes a clear path towards a society of critical thinkers over magical thinkers.     

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 26: Rabbi Marc D. Angel "The Judaism of Tomorrow" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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…
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Duration: 1:13:32
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Episode 23: Dr. Jeremy England "Torah & Quantum Mechanics" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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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
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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…
Episode 17: Dr. Jonathan Sarna "The American Jewish Experience" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:44
Dr. Sarna discusses the American Jewish Experience, the impact the Torah had on the Founding Fathers of America, the sanitization of slavery, Ulysses S. Grant's complicated relationship with the Jews, the remarkable conn…