What if the Torah’s “rules” were actually designed to help us live more grateful, flexible, and fully human lives—and not simply to restrict us?

In this illuminating episode of "In Such a Time: Conversations on Jewish Life, Leadership and Meaning," Rabbis Jonathan Jaffe and Leora Londy pull back the curtain on some of the most surprisingly radical and emotionally resonant teachings in the Jewish tradition.

Timed with Simchat Torah and the annual restarting of the Torah reading cycle, this episode takes listeners on a journey through personally meaningful verses and texts. Rabbi Jaffe reveals how a biblical call for 100 daily blessings isn't just about rote gratitude, but about living in a state of constant "wow" and appreciation—even on the hardest days. Rabbi Londy shares how one of Jacob's most vulnerable moments teaches us about self-knowledge, transformation, and the ongoing possibility for change and awakening.

You'll also hear them boldly reframe the often-misunderstood Book of Leviticus—not as an outdated manual of sacrifices, but as a groundbreaking model for empathy, ritual reintegration, and making space for those who have suffered or faltered. And through stories ranging from childhood rituals to the challenges of parenting, they wrestle honestly with what it means to build meaningful structures for gratitude, apology, and second chances.

Some highlights from the episode:

• The secret history behind the tradition of saying 100 blessings every day—and how it refocuses your attention on life's overlooked miracles
• Why Jacob, the Torah’s “most imperfect” patriarch, might be the ultimate model for growth, humility and spiritual awakening
• The deeply countercultural idea in Leviticus that illness or failure doesn’t define you, and how ancient rituals point to the need for full rehabilitation and belonging
• The powerful message of the “Second Passover”—and what it teaches us about letting ourselves try again when we’re not ready or able to get it right the first time
• Honest reflections on ritual vs. intention, spiritual fitness, and how both rabbis build gratitude and awareness into ordinary daily routines

Perfect for anyone curious about how ancient texts can speak to modern lives, leadership, and personal meaning, this episode is an inspiring start to a new Torah cycle.

Timestamped Overview:00:00 — Introduction & Simchat Torah framing

00:59 — Rabbi Jaffe’s ordination story and Deuteronomy 10:12 : 100 daily blessings, gratitude, and the structure of Jewish gratitude rituals

05:07 — Rabbi Londy on gratitude routines, the neurotic mind, and noticing everyday miracles (like kitchen window bunnies)

10:51 — Mindfulness through Jewish rituals: blessings, food, and the Jewish calendar

13:12 — Transformative family rituals: Three daily gratitudes and bedtime prayers

14:30 — Rabbi Londy’s text: Jacob’s awakening and discovery of holiness in Genesis 28:16

18:05 — Ego, spiritual self-knowledge, and the Hasidic interpretation of “God was in this place and I, I did not know it”

21:00 — Torah as descriptive, not prescriptive: embracing imperfection and realness

22:41 — Rabbi Jaffe on Leviticus as a radical text: inclusion, rehabilitation, and the difference between illness and sin

26:11 — Empathy for leaders, Miriam’s story, and rethinking punishment and process of return

29:35 — Controlled violence in ritual and society—ancient and modern parallels

33:01 — Rituals of repentance vs. our modern hunger for “blood” and spectacle

34:09 — Rabbi Londy: Second Passover and the Torah’s surprising flexibility on second chances

39:01 — Adapting rituals, flexibility, and the evolution of Jewish practice

43:31 — Recommended readings & closing encouragement to engage with the Torah anew

Ready to see the Torah—and yourself—through new eyes? Listen in and discover the wisdom you didn’t expect.