Xai, how are you?

Queer Jews Michael Sokolovsky and Rabbi Xava De Cordova play with the multi-millennial dialectic that is the Talmud. Join them as they throw drash, seek prophetic insight and uncover the rabbinic smuttiness inherent in the system.

249. Bros Shaving Bros

What happens when two totally normal bros vow to shave each other? The Rabbis knew and had rules about it, which they put in this mishnah. Catch Shel Maala's East Coast Tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

11-12
18:59

248. Exceptional

Sometimes people make vows claiming or assuming they’ll be the exception to normal Nazirite stuff. The Rabbis say (mostly) no way! Check out Shel Maala’s East Coast Tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

11-05
23:25

247. Drinking Problems

Mishnah 3 of chapter 2 is here! What happens when you get a guy to leave you alone at the bar by saying you’re a Nazirite? Let’s find out. Check out Shel Maala’s East Coast Tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

10-27
20:03

246. Xai Judaism, How Unbound Are You? -- Mishnah Nazir

Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman of Judaism Unbound join us for a big crossover episode about Nazirite philosophy, Rabbinic agendas, Kol Nidre and the metaphysical importance of vows! The Judaism Unbound podcast is a show released every Friday, pushing the boundaries of how we might understand the Jewish past, present, and future. You can subscribe via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any of your other favorite podcast apps, so go give them a listen! Also, check out the Shel Maala East Coast tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

10-14
58:00

245. Holy Cow

If I was a Nazirite cow refusing to get up, would the Rabbi's still love me? This week, we find out! We also talk about Nazirite doors, the Shekhina as a bovine, and more. To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

10-04
22:08

244. Let Them Not Eat (Fig) Cake

Chapter two of mishnah Nazir begins! And it's about what if you make a completely nonsensical vow. And also, seemingly, how much credit do we give vow makers for their intentions, the interpretive power of the court, and all or nothing reasoning. To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

09-17
22:20

243. Nazirites All the Way Down

It's Mishnah 7, the conclusion of the first chapter! We talk about life expectancy, self-similarity, our thoughts on the chapter as a whole and speculation on the future of the masechet. Also, check out Aderaba, a dope new podcast right here: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ly49AOTSTpWyLmwr91jDQ To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

09-10
27:17

242. There and Back Again, A Nazir's Tale

Would you be a nazir in a box? Would be a nazir with a fox? Find out this week! And also, why the end of the world is different than the number of hairs on our head or the walking distance to the nearest city. To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

09-02
17:30

241. A Tisket, A Tasket, An Unspecified Basket

Mishnah five! Discussing becoming a Nazir equivalent to the capacity of a basket gets us a little more philosophical, and makes us wonder what the hell we or the Rabbis get out of any of this. Sign up for Deny, Defend, D'Rabbanan here: http://bit.ly/denydefend To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

08-19
25:01

240. Hair Today, Nazirite Tomorrow

Mishnah four is here! What if you vow to be a Nazirite like the hairs on your head? What if you're a Nazirite forever but not like, a Nazirite Forever? Sign up for Deny, Defend, D'Rabbanan here: http://bit.ly/denydefend To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

08-15
20:15

239. Nazir: From Here to Forever

Mishnah gimel is here! What is the default length of being a Nazirite and can it be eternal? Also, halakha created by magical math and is it possible the Rabbis are just silly goofs? To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

07-23
29:46

238. Samson, Sams-off

Time for mishnah bet of our Nazir journey and this time it's all about the archetypical Nazirites, Samson and Absalom. Also featured: misogyny, angels, tired wives, names of the unknowable and fatal haircuts. Catch Shel Maala in England here: http://bit.ly/sadehsleepless To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

07-15
31:04

237. If You're Reading This, You're a Nazirite

The beginning of a new dawn for the pod! We're starting our journey through Mishnah Nazir together with substitutions, nicknames, fabulous hair and revisiting our favorite vain youth of the Talmud. Catch Shel Maala in England here: http://bit.ly/sadehsleepless To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

07-07
24:32

236. Settling Down

It’s Xava’s first post wedding episode! Michael brings texts about how we absolutely really definitely should stay in one place…unless of course we should move. Should I pray or should I go now? Find out in this episode. Sign up for Sefaria Super Sleuths at http://bit.ly/sefariasleuths To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

06-30
24:30

235. Pleasure Reading

Xava's got a listener question about what we're allowed to read on Shabbat. Is it only fun stuff, only serious stuff? Or a secret third thing? Tell you this it is NOT menus. Check out Shel Maala at Sadeh at http://bit.ly/sadehsleepless To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

06-04
30:49

234. What's in a name?

Michael brings some wisdom from Aryeh Kaplan about the ineffable name, charity, the gift of existence and kabbalah! Check out Shel Maala's New York tour here: https://bit.ly/shelmaalanyc To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

05-04
33:24

233. To the Point of Distraction

Xava brings some sugyes about intention and prayer that connect back to episode 228, plus why you should never hold bread and pray! Check out Torah from the Inside Out Here: http://bit.ly/torahinsideout Check out Laasok here: http://bit.ly/laasok To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

04-08
27:07

232. Squashing the Opposition

Michael brings us a Purim-relevant sugye on reasoning and rhetoric, full of gourds and goodies! Sign up for Torah from the Inside Out here: http://bit.ly/torahinsideout To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

03-18
31:02

231. Rich Torah, Poor Torah

Xava brings a sugye on the things that can "distract" us from Torah study, which leads to a discussion on how the hell we're supposed to relate to Torah when it's being used for wicked ends. Register for Torah from the Inside Out here: http://bit.ly/torahinsideout To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

02-26
32:47

230. Public Affairs

What does Jewish law look like on a group scale? How do we deal with harm to the public? How do you do teshuva for the commons? Find out on this episode! Sign up for Shel Maala in Seattle at http://bit.ly/shelmaalaseattle To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.

01-18
40:15

Grace Hardy

Trans person in the Jesus fandom here, this is fascinating.

05-30 Reply

Howard Patterson

Surgeons only like people who are unconscious; a warm bedside manner is relatively rare, although I'm having better and better experiences with younger surgeons these days. But it's true, in order to be a surgeon you'd have to be incredibly arrogant: "I have godlike powers of life and death, and i deserve these powers. I never stop to consider the gravity of what I'm doing, because if i did I'd be unable to cut people open and mess with them. i am a G-d, and i am superhuman, and I'd rather not waste my time talking to your puny human ass."

10-26 Reply

Recommend Channels