Life is a Sacred Story
96 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsLife is short, as they say—sometimes sweet and sometimes bitter. As a rabbi, my attitude towards life and Torah involves both of these, plus a good helping of irreverence. I try to make this podcast both short and sweet, starting with my own life, my struggles, and those of the world today, and connecting to lessons I can take from Torah. There’s plenty to be bitter about, but living from that place is not healthy. My goal is to bring meaning I find with a new and relevant perspective as I discover it for myself, leaving you with a blessing for the week each time.
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Episodes
Without Bathroom Breaks? (Tzav)
March 30, 2023 23:21 - 8 minutes - 7.6 MBThe hardest time leading up to Passover is the week just before—or the days. The cleaning, shopping, cooking, all have to happen in a particular order. Once leavened products are out of your house, you still can’t eat matzoh. So much liminal time—the difficulty of waiting. This is what the priests go through before ordination: waiting for seven days in a doorway. As we struggle as a world, with all the bad news coming from Israel and our country, too, we are in a liminal space, not crossing o...
Tree Hugging, Rudeness, & Vayikra
March 23, 2023 16:57 - 10 minutes - 9.89 MBIn this week’s episode, I explore the question of sacrifice, respect, and how we can approach a crumbling world that feels too overwhelming to have an impact.
Not just afterthoughts on ki Tissa!Vayakhel/pekudei & vanity and social media
March 10, 2023 12:00 - 18 minutes - 17 MBHere I discuss the special pressure on women to look a certain way, how social media has blurred the lines between private and professional life, and how difficult it is to navigate this as I step fully into being an older, female rabbi. And what this has to do with this week’s Torah reading.
Of Life and Limb, Stinky Messes, and Ki Tissa
March 08, 2023 22:39 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBMy phone fell into a New York City compost bin, totally derailing plans for the day. I was forced to check my faith that day. The Israelites, Moses, God—all had their faith challenged. It’s a funny story, but also serious because if we’re cynical, how can we bring about positive change in the world?
Clear Drawers, Jumbled Rubber Bands, Empty Bells, and Tetzaveh
March 02, 2023 21:52 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBIs cleaning out messy drawers a waste of time, or does it have some deeper spiritual meaning? That’s what I explore in this week’s episode in relation to the Parsha with its pomegranates and bells.
The Heart of the Matter & T’rumah
February 24, 2023 02:03 - 15 minutes - 14 MBThere is so much despair in the world today, and younger generations are as hopeless as they come about the future. But what do they need from us, and how can the Torah guide us here to live from a more heart-cantered place, to not become disheartened ourselves, so we can support them?
Bubbles & Mishpatim
February 17, 2023 16:18 - 13 minutes - 12.4 MBI have things sprouting, blooming, growing all over my apartment—not mold! Although I’m sure there’s some of that as well. How do we decide whether to take the mandate, “We will do and we will hear” literally or not? That’s where I am this week as I reflect on my recent ordination and all the craziness in the world that calls for immediate action.
Revelation, the Ten Utterances, and the Neurosis of Yitro
February 10, 2023 01:11 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBBuddhist psychotherapist Bruce Tift says we use the excuse of our wounds to avoid showing up in our lives. I posit that the Israelites do the same. They miss out on an incredible opportunity. Listen for some wisdom—and revelation!
Revelation, the Neurosis of Yitro, & Ten Utterances
February 10, 2023 01:11 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBBuddhist psychotherapist Bruce Tift says we use the excuse of our wounds to avoid showing up in our lives. I posit that the Israelites do the same. They miss out on an incredible opportunity. Listen for some wisdom—and revelation!
Zigzags, Song, Split Seas & Split Minds of Beshalakh
February 01, 2023 01:02 - 8 minutes - 7.92 MBIn life, we go from ecstasy to complaint and back again. It’s not a straight journey. So too with the Israelites. We need song and celebration to give us strength, but these are complex, reflecting the complexity of our hearts.
Imposter Syndrome, a GPS, and Bo
January 25, 2023 21:24 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBDon’t we all suffer from imposter syndrome to some extent? Moses, and even God, does. Is it self-sabotage when God repeatedly hardens Pharaohs heart? Or is there a more subtle message and meaning behind it?
Shortness of Breath, Hearing Problems, & Va-era
January 19, 2023 21:40 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBI’m just landing from my trip and the high of being ordained, and it’s hard to integrate all of it, and so easy to fall back into old patterns. It’s hard to learn to listen to the body in order to prevent a crash. This is when illness descends. We’ve all been there. Va-era is about difficulty speaking and difficulty hearing. It’s about how we shut down due to trauma. And it has some hints about how to overcome it.
Keeping Things Real & Sh’mot
January 17, 2023 15:26 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBI’m officially a rabbi now! And I really like keeping things real, as hard as these truths are to say. It’s how I was brought up, and it remains a big part of my values. You can hear my ordination speech here, and how it relates to the week’s parsha.
Beginnings, Endings, Whole-Hearted Walking, and Vayechi
January 03, 2023 23:17 - 17 minutes - 16 MBAs I am about to be ordained in just five days, I am ending and beginning. So is Genesis and the Jewish people. How will my leadership change, and who will lead the Jewish people? What happens to Joseph? Listen for a really interesting commentary coming from Leon Kass in The Beginning of Wisdom. Also—Have you ever thought of writing your own eulogy? Or death-bed confession, your Viduy? Whaaat?? Yup. Listen.
The Truth of Your Life & Vayigash
January 03, 2023 22:46 - 21 minutes - 20 MBAre we Israel? From dust to dust? Or are we like the Egyptians who want everlasting life? What do we learn from Jacob and Joseph about doing honest life review? Listen and find out!
Colors, Divided Souls, Higher Selves, & Mikkeitz
December 23, 2022 19:40 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBWe can not heal if we are not whole, if our souls are divided. This is the state of Joseph’s soul, caught between his loyalty to Pharoah and his family of origin. The question remains, what are Joseph’s true colors?
Dreams, A Land of Fear, and Vayeshev
December 16, 2022 01:57 - 22 minutes - 21.1 MBDreams and fear don’t mix well. If I’d let fear stop me from fulfilling my dream of becoming a rabbi (in just three weeks!!), I wouldn’t be here today! And. The parsha starts out with us wondering about whether Jacob continuing to live in his father’s fear, and passing down that fear to future generations.
And He Sent; Vayishlakh
December 09, 2022 00:12 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBIn this episode, as I am about to be transformed by receiving smicha/ordination, Jacob becomes Israel. It’s the beginning of transformation for him. He must face his demons and his illusions of separation. You’ll hear a beautiful old midrash, a rabbinic story, and Rami Shapiro’s interpretation of the angelic world and the stoic self. Listen! It’s fun!
Rock Bottom & Va’yetzei
December 01, 2022 23:52 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBJacob is on the run, from his brother, but also from himself. As a flawed human being, perhaps undeserving of love after the awful things he has done, he discovers that God is there for him despite these things. In opening to the Divine, he has taken his first baby step into a different kind of future. It is love that gives him the patience to endure life’s travails.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-changes & Toldot
November 25, 2022 17:53 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBI’m in the final countdown—six weeks until I’m ordained as a rabbi! When we come to these big moments in life, we may have a fairy tale version of how things will play out. The parsha called Toldot shows how real life is, and how hard we try to control the outcomes. But holding on tight can lead to disaster and heartbreak.
Old Man Rabbi & Chayei Sarah
November 18, 2022 00:11 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBIn this episode I tell of how I was challenged to question a choice I made about a choice a certain image representing rabbis when I am becoming a rabbi that this image doesn’t represent. Is it perpetuating a stereotype—or is it defying it? And what does this have to do with faith, with the parsha this week? Above all, why is faith so important? (And visit my website, whose link you’ll find in the bio, to learn about Jewish Spiritual Direction—or just to find this rabbi (me) in New York City ...
Darkness, Light, and Va’yera
November 10, 2022 18:52 - 11 minutes - 10.9 MBHow do we cope with the mess of the world and our country, keep trust and hope alive, and remain active and engaged? Our great spiritual leaders who have inspired huge movements have some answers, as does the Jewish mystical tradition. Does the Torah?
My Tummy Hurts & Va’era
November 09, 2022 01:18 - 14 minutes - 6.84 MBIn this episode, I talk about how to deal emotionally with the mess of the world, our political disaster looming with the midterm elections, and climate disaster. Tara Brach gives some beautiful answers—and poetry. Take a listen!
Frum Jewish Black Boy & Lekh Lekha
November 02, 2022 00:11 - 22 minutes - 10.6 MBIn the sea of social media, we are all trying to make our names great. So God says to Abraham, “Go out” and “I will make your name great.” But at what cost? Traditional societies didn’t live for the individual, but for the collective. How can we do both?
Numbness, Knowing, & Noah
October 27, 2022 18:58 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBIf we really picture what happens in Noah with the destruction of all human and animal life on Earth—save one family—it’s a painful sight. It also hits way too close to home at the moment. In what ways do we numb ourselves to the pain, should we always be empathetic, or can we find more productive ways to deal with it. Take a listen to hear my thoughts. It’s not a pessimistic view in the end!
A Baby and B’reishit
October 21, 2022 15:10 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MBIn this episode I tell the story of a beautiful interfaith baby naming and what it means to be made in God’s image.
A Simcha & V’zot Ha-Bracha
October 13, 2022 20:10 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MBThe holidays that mark the beginning of the Jewish new year are a combination of joy and sadness all mixed together. It’s really kind of confusing the way the Torah readings don’t even begin with Rosh Hashanah, which would be the most logical thing to do. Beginnings and endings are never completely one thing or another. Just like the Jewish cycle, life blurs all the lines that we would like to have clearly marked, the way humans like things in general:neatly tied up in a box we can open, know...
Don’t Change/Surely Change & Ha-Azinu
October 06, 2022 19:41 - 17 minutes - 16.5 MBIn Jewish tradition, Yom Kippur is a time to face our own deaths, remember those who have passed before us, and to be cleansed of our wrongdoings. Feelings around all of this are complicated. The famous Israeli poet teaches us of the varying voices of our parents, both harsh and loving—and the eleventh and twelfth commandments. And I talk about my journey through the day.
Who Am I To Judge? (Vayeilekh & Yom Kippur)
September 30, 2022 16:40 - 19 minutes - 18.5 MBIn this episode, I share some surprises that found me on Rosh Hashanah, at home and at Jury Duty, examine what it means to approach Yom Kippur with awe, and the different types of forgiveness—and the criminal justice system. (Who are we to judge?)
Tears of Gratitude & Nitzavim
September 22, 2022 23:53 - 20 minutes - 19 MBIn this episode, I explore the idea of inclusivity and the problem of exclusivity in Judaism, and what it means to lead a holy life. How do we? And why is it so hard? What are the mixed messages we get from Torah?? Hopefully you’ll get some answers as we enter the Jewish New Year.
Milk, Honey, & Blessings (Ki Tavo)
September 15, 2022 17:35 - 9 minutes - 4.52 MBIn this episode I explore the blessings of life and Torah in contrast to the many enumerated curses in this week’s parsha. How do we tackle the two extremes, and what meaning do we make of them? (Visit my website, lnegditamid.us, to learn more about me and my offerings!)
Till Death Do Us Part, Ki Teitzei, and Fences
September 09, 2022 00:05 - 27 minutes - 25.8 MBMy daughter’s wedding happened this past Sunday. She married a man who is not Jewish. In this episode, I consider the question of building a “fence around the Torah,” where our traditions need to be upheld and where the fences need to be lowered.
From Bloody Guilt to Mazel Tov & Shoftim
August 31, 2022 00:06 - 9 minutes - 9.11 MBIn this episode, I talk about transitions, their joys and pain, and ritual. Personally, I’m going through many transitions at the moment, including my daughter’s wedding. But Jews, and the entire world, are going through huge transitions. I discuss the strange ritual at the end of this week’s parsha, some ancient rituals we still hold on to, and I attempt to answer the question of how rituals can help us, both in moments of joy and grief.
Seeing With Generous Eyes & R’ei
August 26, 2022 13:35 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBThis week I talk about generosity, as we are told in Torah, and as I struggle to take care of myself and my health while also welcoming many people who will be sleeping at my house for my daughter’s wedding next week.
Seeing With Generous Eyes
August 26, 2022 13:35 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBThis week I talk about generosity, as we are told in Torah, and as I struggle to take care of myself and my health while also welcoming many people who will be sleeping at my house for my daughter’s wedding next week.
Look in the Mirror (Eikev)
August 19, 2022 14:52 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBIn this episode, I explore patriarchy, patriarchal relationships, and how our Torah both reflects these but also might have something to teach us about how to go forward to create a new way of living. I discuss Terry Real’s Relational Life Therapy as discussed with Tami Simon on her podcast, Insights From the Edge, and how it all brings us back to Torah.
Panic, Prayer, & Va’etkhanan
August 12, 2022 18:15 - 10 minutes - 10 MBIn Moses’ plea to God in this week’s Torah portion, there’s an element of desperate and panic. We, also, tend to panic when we think we must have or do something, and we may silently ask, please, please, please, make it so.” But do we always have such clarity that we know for sure what’s right, or is it sometimes in retrospect that we realize we weren’t praying for the best thing after all.
Words, Miracles, Life Expectancy (and other things)
August 05, 2022 18:53 - 17 minutes - 16 MBIn this episode, I look at chronic illness (as experienced by me) and relationship to society and our expectations for our lives. Is there such a thing as a Miracle Cure? What about faith? And what is Torah trying to teach us through Moses’ words?
Russian Dolls, Mattot-Mas’ei, and Tisha b’Av
July 29, 2022 15:18 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MBIn this episode, I discuss the Netflix series, Russian Dolls, as in the layers it uncovers in the human psyche and our desire to control not only the present and future, but the past. Tisha b’Av tells us to mourn, while the week’s parsha teaches us about vows and justice. Somehow, I connect these three. Listen and find out how.
God’s Image in Pinchas?
July 24, 2022 17:13 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBWe are told that everyone is made in God’s image, but it’s hard to see that in everyone. What about God’s violence? What about Pinchas? In this episode, I explore these questions and draw on some fun stories in an effort to find answers.
Curses to Blessings & Balaam
July 20, 2022 17:54 - 11 minutes - 11.1 MBThe story of Balaam and his donkey is about not seeing things we should be able to, but also about seeing things maybe we wish we didn’t. It’s a complicated balance. I describe my time on a tiny vacation when this happened, and my struggle to stay in a positive mindset despite the beauty around me. The frustrations that make us want to curse can, however be be turned into blessings, the way Balaam is forced to do.
Laws of the Land: Hukkat
July 20, 2022 16:44 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBIn this episode, I talk about the watershed of Supreme Court rulings coming down over the past weeks and how they relate to the parsha’s laws around niddah and coming into contact with the dead. Why are we so afraid of endings? If we could understand death as bearing new birth, we’d probably be living very differently today.
Hollywood & Korach
July 01, 2022 12:08 - 10 minutes - 9.59 MBOur rabbinic tradition and our Torah stories both often give us a whitewashed version of the past and our biblical characters as people. Korach definitely fits into this category. Listen and find out why I say this!
Unthinkable & Shlach Lecha
June 26, 2022 21:55 - 17 minutes - 16.6 MBWith the overturning of Roe v Wade, I am left with more questions than answers about courage, faith and trust—and how these relate to the spies in the week’s parsha. (And visit my website to learn more about me and my offerings: lnegditamid.us)
Jade and joy: b’ha’alotcha
June 22, 2022 16:00 - 21 minutes - 20.1 MBI got to see both ends of life last week: I accompanied a mohel for a bris and went to a funeral home the very next day. The experiences both upset me and filled me with joy, but not for the reasons you’d think. Listen to find out how and why!
Miami Vice; B’midbar
June 07, 2022 16:19 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBI was in Miami over Memorial Day weekend with a group of Latino and Jewish kids. Getting them to interact after a whole year of meeting bi-weekly was our job—not easy when everyone wants to feel safe by hanging out with their own tribes. Here I tell the story of how that happened in the end, and the beauty and hope and healing that happened, for them and for me. I also share a lot of my own story, as I told it to them. (You can also go to my website to learn more about me: lnegditamid.us
Love the Earth (and moss): B’khukotai
May 24, 2022 14:44 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBMoss and taxes. A reciprocal relationship between government and people. Moss is a perfect example of cooperation and reciprocity. Yet we’ve been programmed to think that we as individuals are responsible for our own successes and failures, riches and poverty, separate from the society and system we live in. What the Bible teaches about caring for the Earth and the consequences of not doing so…pretty gruesome. And we are living it now. But let’s learn from moss…
Love the Earth (and miss): B’khukotai
May 24, 2022 14:44 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBMoss and taxes. A reciprocal relationship between government and people. Moss is a perfect example of cooperation and reciprocity. Yet we’ve been programmed to think that we as individuals are responsible for our own successes and failures, riches and poverty, separate from the society and system we live in. What the Bible teaches about caring for the Earth and the consequences of not doing so…pretty gruesome. And we are living it now. But let’s learn from moss… --- This episode is sponsor...
My People, My Mountain: B’Har
May 20, 2022 13:02 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBMass shootings, filibusters, laws that don’t serve the majority, yet we are prevented from changing them. The way we treat our people reflects the way we treat and possess our land. If only this one statement in Torah could be respected: “the land is not yours; it is Mine,” it could change everything. With a special treat—the words of Woody Guthrie that most of us don’t know…