Can't Stop Scrolling

We wrap up the season with a conversation between Avigayil and Avidan about chavruta learning! We cover our chavruta origin story, what makes a chavruta work or flop, the Chavruta Triangle, gender and aggression, metaphors for Torah learning, and more.Primary Source: Taanit 7aOther sources: Pedagogy of Partnership, powered by the Hadar Institute

As is befitting for the time between Purim and Passover, this episode features a deep dive into the verses of the story of Esther through the lens of Leah's own "4 Questions" pedagogy. We talk through a cross-country move to Chicago, the choreographies of modern dance and modern Torah learning, and analyze Leah's pedagogical style in real time! Primary Source: Esther 5:2-5Other sources mentioned: Moshe in Rabbi Akiva’s classroom: Bavli Menachot 29bRav's wife who prepares peas and lentils: Bavli Yevamot 63a

In this episode, we talk about the multi-layered interpretive work of making theater about modern midrash, the potential of empty space, and if solo travel is liberating, terrifying, or both.Primary Source: Rabbi Jill Hammer's Sisters at Sinai, "Miriam under the Mountain"Other source: the commandment to send away a mother bird if you are to take the eggs from her nest: Deuteronomy 22:6–7.

dr. rafa kern joins the pod to offer his critique of Martin Buber's skills as a playwright, but more importantly to share poignant insights on making meaning of text study and of the multiple elements that make up the phenomenon of chevruta learning. We do bibliomancy in this ep - spontaneously opening up a rabbinic text and seeing what meaning we can make of it! Primary source: Mishnah Shevuot 4:6, 4:3:Other sources mentioned:Martin Buber's play Elijah, staged at Yale University in 2011The ritual of the "decapitated calf / Egla Arufa," Deuteronomy 21:1-9To donate to the Yesod Fund, a mutual aid fund coordinated by Shir Tikvah Synagogue in Minneapolis: https://www.yesodfund.org/

Dogs in a perpetual state of wonder? Being an independent rabbi? A sense of newness every day? We wander towards the Burning Bush with Rabbi CB Souther, spiritual director and passionate Jewish educator, and discuss the overlap between life coaching and chavruta learning, and God as a process for good. Primary source: Exodus 3:11-14Other sources mentioned: The "still, small voice" of 1 Kings 19:12.

Rabbi Matthew Ponak teaches us about the Torah that is infused through everything, a return to the concept of “rav-chaver” (“friend-rabbi”) and juggling pumpkins. Primary Source: Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl, Me'or Einayim, Shemot 3:2: Other sources: R. Matthew's books Embodied Kabbalah.Follow R. Matthew on Facebook (RabbiMatthewPonak) and Instagram @rabbimatthewponakhttps://matthewponak.com/

In this episode, Rabbi Joel Goldstein joins us to discuss if it is harder to work on a submarine or in a Jewish high school, parallels between baseball and Judaism, and hierarchies in the Beit Midrash. Plus, do Jewish educators overdo chavruta learning?Primary Source: Vayikra Rabbah 2:1 -- Is the study of Talmud an elitist project?Other sources mentioned: Ramban on Exodus 12:2., on Marheshvan: "Our Rabbis have already mentioned this matter when saying, “The names of the months came up with us from Babylon,” (Yerushalmi RH 1:2), since at first we had no names for the months. The reason for this [adoption of the names of the months when our ancestors returned from Babylon to build the Second Temple], was that at first their reckoning was a memorial to the exodus from Egypt, but when we came up from Babylon, and the words of Scripture were fulfilled (Jeremiah 16:14-15) from then on we began to call the months by the names they were called in the land of Babylon."Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 10:7 on Jonah's midrashic tour of the sea.

What Hebrew letter are you feeling most like today? We talk Tu B'Shvat, seasons, sleep, and yoga with Rabbi Bluth.Primary source: the letters Aleph א and Bet בBluth's Tu B'Shvat guide 5786Genesis 2:10: "A river issues from Eden to water the garden,..."For more from R. Bluth, check out www.rbluth.com

In this episode, we learn about Yiddish poetry and the parallels between art school critique and Torah learning with rabbi, visual artist, and Instagram star Rabbi Arielle Stein. Primary text: “Lot’s Wife” by Rokhl Korn, translated by Sheva Zucker.Rabbinic Fitcheck with Rabbi Rafi Ellenson: @rabbinicfitcheckGRWM for Yom KippurVogue: "Meet the Rabbi With a Freaky Shoe for Every Occasion"More Yiddish materials from Sheva Zucker, including a Yiddish poem for every parsha: https://shevazucker.com/For more, follow Arielle at @rabbiariellestein

In the first episode of Season Two, we learn from and with Rabbi Lauren Tuchman about finding ourselves in the text, the perils and possibilities of religious authority, and donkeys.Primary text: Babylonian Talmud Taanit 20a & b.Other sources mentioned in the episode:R. Lauren's ELI Talk: "We Were All At Sinai: The Transformative Power of Inclusive Torah"References to the blind Talmudic sages Rav Yosef (Kiddushin 31a) and Rav Sheshet (Berakhot 58a).Dr. Orit Kent and Allison Cook., The Partnership Learning Triangle,For more from R. Lauren, see https://rabbituchman.com/

A Chasid and a Litvak sit down to talk about why Purim might be a holier day than Yom Kippur. Plus some reflections on ten episodes of Can't Stop Scrolling! What - or who - do you want to learn from next??Primary Source: Rav Shagar, "The Secret of the Mask" (from Pur Hu HaGoral)

If there’s no seat at Kiddush for you, bring a folding chair. Rabbi Miriam Lorie teaches us about the Talmudic rabbis’ radical revision of the character of Hannah, the importance of listening to the stories of the people in front of you, and treating God with sacred impertinence. Primary Source: Berakhot 31a

Have you ever thought that maybe the reason Creation took so long is that the universe was too hot and that God had to blow on the primordial soup of the universe to cool it down?? Have you ever been invited into the palace of Torah? After this episode, you will have.Primary Source: Genesis 1:1-2

Rabbi Rachael Pass's house may be haunted, but that won't stop her from teaching the Torah of Wicked (where do you think wickedness come from??) or helping adults reengage with Judaism on their own terms. What does it look like when our metaphors for God reflect the plurality of our human and cosmic community? None of us alone know more than all of us combined.Primary Source: Dr. Judith Plaskow, Standing Again at Sinai and The Right Question is Theological

We have all lived in Berlin because we are super cool on this podcast. Hanna Sedletsky, a post-Soviet queer Jewish educator, talks with us about teaching Torah to people new to Torah, using different languages, and balancing academic and religious approaches to Talmud. Primary Source: Shemot Rabbah 5:9 (excerpt)

Where in your body does your anxiety live? If you have no anxiety at all, will you teach us how? We talk with Rabbi Lara Haft Yom-Tov about balancing between different values like critique and generosity or confidence and stretching ourselves, and teaching liberatory Torah to Jews of all ages.Primary Source: Mishnah Berurah 242:1

In this episode, we encounter the Torah of autocorrect and of chronic pain, and when Torah can and can’t speak to our deepest questions - especially in the moments when it seems like it's too late. Plus, should Avigayil start giving sermons about women’s basketball?Primary Source: Chayei Moharan 1:1

Laynie Soloman chats with us about the Torah of Magneto, falling in love with Talmud, and ideal cupcake-eating strategies.Primary Source: Bamidbar Rabbah 19:7

If a rabbi tells a joke, is it a rabbi joke? Rabbi Sivan Rotholz chats with Avidan and Avigayil about how anger relates to Torah, the importance of poetry, and informed choice.Primary Source: Numbers 12

Who are we?? Why are we doing this? Why do we love the Torah? Is gossip okay??Primary Source: Pachad Yitzchak Shavuot 13