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Concise weekly answers to your questions about Judaism. If you are a wondering Jew, visit www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi to submit your own questions.
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24 DIC 2025 · 🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fundamental question about prayer: What's the point if God already knows what I need? Are we trying to change God's mind? The answer reveals that worship is far more sophisticated than simply presenting God with an Amazon wish list.
I explain that God already knows what we need, and if He's determined something isn't good for us, no amount of asking will change that - just like a parent won't give a three-year-old a knife no matter how much they beg, because it's dangerous. However, with a ten-year-old asking for a knife, the answer becomes "it depends" based on their intention and maturity.
Through a humorous example about asking for a Lamborghini "to help old ladies," I demonstrate how prayer forces us to clarify what we truly want and why we want it. When we justify our requests, we often realize our real motivations - ego, status, selfish desires - versus genuine needs. This self-examination is one of prayer's primary purposes.
Additionally, prayer reminds us that God is the only one who can truly provide what we need. Using a rabbi joke about asking for a burger at a library, I illustrate that asking someone for something implies believing they can give it to you. Prayer accomplishes two crucial things: clarifying what we want and why, and reminding ourselves that God is the ultimate source of everything we need.
Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at https://Joidenver.com📧
Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
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17 DIC 2025 · 🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I answer a fascinating question about Jewish pronunciation: Why do some people say "Shabbos" while others say "Shabbat"? Is Shabbos actually Yiddish? The answer reveals a deeper story about Jewish history, migration, and the diversity within the Jewish people.
I explain that both "Shabbos" and "Shabbat" are equally Hebrew - the difference comes from where Jews historically lived. Ashkenazi Jews (from Eastern European descent - the word literally means Germany) tend to say "Shabbos," while Sephardi Jews (from Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Europe) say "Shabbat." The Sephardi story includes the famous 1492 expulsion from Spain - the same year Columbus sailed - when Jews were kicked out and spread to North Africa and the Ottoman Empire.
The pronunciation difference stems from how each community treats the Hebrew letter "tav." Ashkenazim differentiate between tav with a dot (pronounced like "T") and without a dot (pronounced like "S"), which is why they say "Shabbos." Sephardim pronounce tav as "T" regardless of the dot, resulting in "Shabbat." I explain why many Jews today use Sephardi pronunciation even if they're Ashkenazi: When Israel was established, and Hebrew became a spoken language again, most founders were Sephardi, so modern Hebrew adopted their pronunciation. It's also simpler with fewer rules to remember.
Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at https://Joidenver.com📧
Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website -https://www.joidenver.com
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Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest -http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.
Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
10 DIC 2025 · 🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle a fundamental question about prayer: What's the point if God already knows what I need? Are we trying to change God's mind? The answer reveals that prayer is far more sophisticated than simply presenting God with an Amazon wish list.
I explain that God already knows what we need, and if He's determined something isn't good for us, no amount of asking will change that - just like a parent won't give a three-year-old a knife no matter how much they beg, because it's dangerous. However, prayer works differently with a ten-year-old asking for a knife - the answer becomes "it depends" based on their intention and maturity.
Through a humorous example about asking for a Lamborghini "to help old ladies," I demonstrate how prayer forces us to clarify what we truly want and why we want it. When we have to justify our requests, we often realize our real motivations - ego, status, or selfish desires - versus genuine needs. This self-examination is one of prayer's primary purposes.
Additionally, prayer reminds us that God is the only one who can truly provide what we need. Using a rabbi joke about asking for a burger at a library, I illustrate that asking someone for something implies believing they can give it to you. Prayer accomplishes two crucial things: clarifying what we want and why, and reminding ourselves that God is the ultimate source of everything we need.
Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at https://Joidenver.com📧
Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website -https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest -http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.
Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
26 NOV 2025 · 🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore whether Judaism believes in the concept of soulmates and explain the fascinating Jewish teaching of "bashert", the idea of a predestined partner. If you've ever wondered whether there's one perfect person out there for you, or how Jewish tradition views romantic destiny, this episode will provide profound insights that challenge modern assumptions about finding "the one."
I explain that in Judaism, there is indeed a concept known as bashert, which means "predestined" or "meant to be." According to Jewish tradition, we're taught that before a child is even born - right after conception - a heavenly voice announces that this person is meant to be with that person. This suggests a divine plan for partnership that exists from the very beginning of our existence.
But here's where Jewish wisdom adds a crucial twist to the popular soulmate narrative: Does the existence of a bashert mean you'll automatically find that soulmate? Not necessarily. And more importantly, Judaism places far more emphasis not on finding the soulmate, but on being the soulmate. This is a profound shift in perspective that transforms the entire approach to relationships and marriage.
What does it mean to "be the soulmate" rather than just "find the soulmate"? It means we spend more effort on becoming the right partner and becoming the right person, instead of passively searching for the right person. This isn't a passive act of waiting for destiny to deliver your perfect match. It requires active self-improvement, character development, and preparation for partnership.
Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at https://Joidenver.com📧
Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website -https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest -http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.
Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
19 NOV 2025 · 🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts.
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I continue from last week's discussion about free will and divine knowledge. Last week, I explained that just because God knows what you're going to choose doesn't stop you from making that choice - similar to how knowing someone's past actions doesn't negate that they made those choices freely. But this week, I tackle the Rambam's (Maimonides') question, which sounds identical but is actually profoundly different and much deeper.
The Rambam's answer is both humble and profound: "Know that the answer to this question is longer than the earth and broader than the sea." In other words, we cannot fully comprehend the answer to this question. But to understand why this question is so much deeper than last week's, I explain a critical point the Rambam makes elsewhere in the same chapter.
This episode covers the Rambam's formulation of the free will paradox, the fundamental difference between divine and human knowledge, why God's knowledge becoming part of His essence creates a deeper problem, the concept of divine unity and simplicity, why this question is "longer than the earth and broader than the sea," and what it means to hold seemingly contradictory truths in Judaism.
Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at https://Joidenver.com📧
Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website -https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest -http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.
Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
12 NOV 2025 · 🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts.
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle one of the most profound philosophical questions in Judaism and theology: If God knows everything, including what choices I'm going to make, do I really have free will? After all, if God already knows what I'm going to choose, isn't my choice predetermined? This question has puzzled philosophers and theologians for centuries, but the answer may be simpler than you think.
I start by explaining that just because God knows what you're going to choose doesn't stop you from making a free will choice. The key to understanding this lies in how God relates to time. From God's perspective, there is no time - God exists above time and beyond space. What was, what is, and what will be are all essentially the same to God, with no distinction between past, present, and future.
To make this even clearer, I propose a thought experiment involving a time machine. Imagine you eat breakfast, and then I get into a time machine and go back ten minutes to watch you make your breakfast choices. I observe everything but don't interfere - I just watch. The fact that I know you chose Wheaties with a banana and orange juice doesn't mean you didn't have free will to make that decision. I just happen to know what you chose because in my timeline, it already happened. You're still making those choices yourself; I'm just observing from a different temporal perspective.
Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at https://Joidenver.com📧
Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website -https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest -http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.
Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
29 OTT 2025 · 🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts.
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I tackle one of the most frequently asked questions about Jewish identity: Is Judaism a religion, an ethnicity, or a race? This question became particularly relevant during the Whoopi Goldberg controversy and continues to confuse many people trying to understand what Judaism actually is. The answer is more complex and fascinating than you might think. I explain that Judaism predates all of these modern conceptions and categories. When we think about religion today, we're thinking about modern religious systems. But Judaism has been around for over a thousand years before the most recent of those religions emerged.
The entire concept of categorizing something as purely a "religion," "ethnicity," or "race" is a relatively modern framework that we use to put things into neat boxes and make them fit our contemporary understanding - especially as Americans who like everything to make logical sense based on our own cultural conceptions. But here's the key insight: Judaism is older than all of those classification systems, and therefore it doesn't really fit neatly into any single one of those boxes. Judaism is actually all of the above and more. It's not just a religion, because even if a person doesn't believe in God, they're still considered Jewish. It's not just an ethnicity, because a person can be born into a completely different religion or no religion at all and choose to convert to Judaism, becoming fully Jewish. I explain that Judaism is more accurately described as a family, a tribe, or a covenant community - a group of people bound together by both genetics and sometimes by conscious choice.
We have an entire podcast called "Zero Percent" where we spent a whole year exploring stories of Jews by choice - people who chose a Jewish way of life despite having no genetic Jewish ancestry. This is a completely valid Jewish experience, and some of the greatest Jews who ever lived were Jews by choice, including Ruth (King David's ancestor) and many prominent rabbis throughout history. This episode covers why modern categories don't fit Judaism, the difference between religion, ethnicity, and race, how someone can be Jewish without believing in God, the process and validity of conversion to Judaism, Jews by choice and their place in Jewish history, the concept of Judaism as a covenant community, and why Judaism defies simple categorization.
Whether you're curious about Jewish identity, confused about how Judaism works as both a religion and ethnicity, interested in conversion to Judaism, exploring your own Jewish identity, seeking to understand the Whoopi Goldberg controversy about Jews and race, or simply wondering what makes someone Jewish, this episode offers clarity on one of the most misunderstood aspects of Jewish life and identity.
Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at https://Joidenver.com📧
Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website -https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest -http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.
Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
8 OTT 2025 · In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore one of the most recognizable aspects of Jewish culture: our love of humor and our tendency to tell jokes about being Jewish. If you've ever wondered why Jewish comedians dominate the comedy world or why Jews seem to have a joke for every situation, this episode reveals the profound survival mechanism behind Jewish humor.
I explain that throughout millennia of persecution, Jews have experienced horrific acts of violence and oppression - literally anything you can imagine has been perpetrated against the Jewish people at some point in history. From ancient expulsions to medieval pogroms, from the Spanish Inquisition to the Holocaust, Jewish history is marked by tragedy and suffering. Yet the Jewish people have not only survived but thrived, and one of our strongest coping mechanisms has been humor.
Jews have learned to laugh at ourselves, at our surroundings, and at our circumstances. This isn't just about being funny - it's a profound survival strategy that has kept us alive and united as a people for thousands of years. As Rabbi Layfer's grandfather would say, "We learned not to take ourselves too seriously." This ability to find humor even in dark times has been one of the most important tools for Jewish resilience and continuity. When Jews joke and kibbutz (Yiddish for playful teasing and banter), we're doing more than entertaining ourselves.
We're reminding ourselves that ultimately everything is going to work out. Even when we're going through difficult situations, there's a bright light around the corner. This optimism, combined with self-awareness, creates a unique brand of humor that has influenced comedy worldwide. This episode covers the historical context of Jewish suffering and persecution, how humor became a survival mechanism for Jews, the concept of kibitzing in Jewish culture, why Jews don't take themselves too seriously, Jewish contributions to comedy and entertainment, the psychological benefits of humor in difficult times, and how Jewish humor reflects resilience and hope.
Whether you're curious about Jewish culture, interested in the psychology of humor as a coping mechanism, wondering why so many famous comedians are Jewish, exploring Jewish history and resilience, or simply love Jewish humor and want to understand its deeper meaning, this episode offers insights into one of the most distinctive and powerful aspects of Jewish identity.
Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at https://Joidenver.com📧
Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website -https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest -http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.
Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
24 SET 2025 · ✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explore why food plays such a central role in Jewish life and religious experience. While many people notice that Jews have a strong affinity for food, there's actually a profound spiritual significance behind this focus. Judaism is unique among religions in that we don't view the physical world as something to overcome or avoid, but rather as something to elevate and make spiritual. Food represents one of the most basic, animalistic human activities - something we do multiple times every day. This makes it the perfect vehicle for spiritual elevation through blessings, mindful eating, and using the nourishment we receive to better ourselves and the world. I share a story about two people approaching the same apple tree with completely different intentions: one person sees the apple and makes a blessing to eat it, while a rabbi sees the apple and wants to make a blessing, so he eats it. Though they perform identical actions, their spiritual focus creates worlds of difference. When we make blessings before and after eating, and use the energy food provides to do good in the world, we transform the physical act of eating into something holy and spiritual. This approach reflects Judaism's core philosophy that we're here not to avoid the physical world, but to elevate it and make it divine.
Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at https://Joidenver.com📧
Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website -https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest -http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.
Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
17 SET 2025 · ✨🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts ✨
In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I explain why Jewish coworkers wish each other "Happy New Year" in September rather than January. The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, falls at the beginning of the Jewish calendar year, which differs from the secular calendar we use in America. I clarify a common misconception: while many people think Rosh Hashanah celebrates the creation of the world, we're actually celebrating the creation of the first human being, Adam - the first person imbued with a divine soul. This marks the beginning of human history and our relationship with the divine. I explore how this timing connects to our spiritual renewal, as our souls return to our bodies for another year of godly work in this world. The celebration occurs on the first of Tishrei, exactly when tradition teaches Adam was created. I also note how Jewish schools get to use the same corny jokes about "seeing you next year" - just in September instead of December. For those interested in learning more about how the Jewish calendar works compared to the secular calendar, I reference our earlier episode that provides a deep dive into this fascinating topic.
Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
Please email us at https://Joidenver.com📧
Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
Follow us for more:
Website -https://www.joidenver.com
Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
Facebook -http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
Pinterest -http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy
Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.
Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
Concise weekly answers to your questions about Judaism. If you are a wondering Jew, visit www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi to submit your own questions.
Informazioni
| Autore | Menachem Lehrfield |
| Organizzazione | Menachem Lehrfield |
| Categorie | Giudaismo , Spiritualità , Istruzione |
| Sito | joidenver.com |
| mlehrfield@joidenver.com |
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