On today’s page, Zevachim 108, a pigeon’s head, a pinch of salt, and an olive-sized requirement spark a surprisingly elegant debate. Is sameness defined by substance, by function, or by obligation? As the rabbis slow everything down and refuse to rush to judgment, they remind us that clarity often comes from sharper questions, not cleaner answers. What does it mean to let a dilemma stand? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Zevachim 107, the Gemara asks if the land of Israel keeps its holiness even without the Temple. Our discussion includes a visit to the National Library of Israel, home to the Rambam’s handwritten manuscripts. How does sanctity persist when the world changes? Listen and find out.

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 105 and 106, the Talmud explores the radical holiness of shemita, the sabbatical year, when produce itself becomes sacred and even transfers that sanctity to money. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to trace how this law shaped Jewish farming, Zionist history, and modern Israeli life. What does it mean to live in a world where ownership pauses? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Zevachim 103 and 104, the rabbis debate whether the absence of prior examples can serve as proof in halacha. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin shows how this question has echoed from Temple times to modern issues like machine-made matzah. When does tradition guide us, and when does it limit us? Listen and find out.

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On today’s page, Zevachim 102, the Gemara suggests that Moses was too preoccupied with the Divine Presence to fulfill a basic priestly duty. Israeli rabbi Avihud Schwartz unpacks why that startling answer explains not just Moses’s role, but Judaism’s broader vision of sanctity. Is being “too spiritual” ever a real excuse for skipping the work of this world? Listen and find out.

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On today’s page, Zevachim 101, the rabbis revisit the terrifying story of Pinchas, whose violent zeal halts a deadly plague but raises lasting moral questions. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks reflects on why religious passion, however sincere, can never be a blueprint for leadership. When does moral urgency cross the line into dangerous certainty? Listen and find out.

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On today’s page, Zevachim 100, the rabbis dwell on acute mourning, a moment when grief interrupts routine, obligation, and even meaning itself. The late Norman Podhoretz offers a powerful meditation on the role of ideas and intellectual responsibility at precisely such moments of rupture. What happens when loss forces us to reconsider what truly shapes history and our lives? Listen and find out.

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 98 and 99, we encounter the rules for priests in the period of acute mourning, when they cannot offer sacrifices or partake in the ritual meat. Our teacher and friend, Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, helps illuminate what this stage says about grief, ritual, and the human confrontation with mortality. How do we make space for loss without losing connection to life’s sacredness? Listen and find out.

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On today’s pages, Zevachim 96 and 97, the rabbis explore a case of jealousy between teachers when a promising student decides to learn elsewhere. Presidentischer Rav, Dr. Tevi Troy joins us to draw connections between this debate and famous moments of political switching in American history. How do we decide when it’s right to move on and when loyalty should win out? Listen and find out.

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On today’s page, Zevachim 95, the rabbis continue their careful discussion of how sacred garments are cleaned in the Temple. We take a Chanukah pause with a song from Nefesh Mountain, because nothing launders our hearts and our minds and makes them fresh again quite like music. When the details of ritual start to pile up, where do you turn to feel renewed? Listen and find out.

Join Nefesh Mountain tonight at the Brooklyn Bowl for a very special Love & Light show! Doors open at 6pm, there's a pre-show candle lighting at 7pm, and the show starts at 8pm. Get tickets here.

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