On today’s pages, Zevachim 17 and 18, the Talmud examines failures in the Temple—when even the priests can’t get it right. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin joins us to connect those failures to the enduring agony of Mets fans. Can learning to endure collapse without losing faith bring us closer to understanding Yom Kippur—and even the Messiah? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Zevachim 16, the rabbis insist that no one grappling with acute grief, with the exception of the High Priest, be asked to partake in offering sacrifices, because mourners must be allowed to focus on their loss and their pain. What can we learn from the Talmud when it comes to thrusting the families of victims into the limelight? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Zevachim 14 and 15, the Mishnah rules that only a proper priest can collect the blood of a sacrifice into a vessel. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin explains why this seemingly passive step is essential: it turns fleeting life force into something that can endure. What does this teach us about the vessels we need to hold our own spirit and purpose? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Zevachim 12 and 13, the Talmud reminds us again that intention matters a lot when offering sacrifices. But why? After all, in every other aspect of life, when we do something good, few people care if we did the right thing for the wrong reason. How is the world of offering sacrifices to God different than the world of earthly human relations? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Zevachim 10 and 11, the Talmud tells the story of one of the most dramatic days in rabbinic history, the day one great rabbi was deposed as president and another young reformer elevated in his stead. Why the drama? And what lessons about politics and leadership can we moderns learn from this very ancient tale? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, Zevachim 7, 8, and 9, the rabbis debate the meaning of the mysterious Korban Olah, which was offered to God for no reason at all other than showing our love and gratitude. How can this ancient ritual help us forge better marriages, better friendships, and better lives? Listen and find out.

On today’s pages, ⁠Zevachim 5 and 6⁠, intent once again takes center stage: even a valid offering is incomplete if the mind isn’t in the right place. To mark the season, we share a special segment from our sister podcast Sivan Says, with Sivan Rahav-Meir guiding us into Rosh Hashanah. Can intentionality transform not just sacrifice but also the way we begin a new year? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Zevachim 4, the rabbis teach us the magic and meaning of korban shelamim, the one kind of sacrifice we could carry out of the Temple and share with folks we love. How did that sacred take out help create community and bring about peace and love? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Zevachim 3, the rabbis wonder what happens when a sacrifice is offered properly, but with the wrong intention. The act stands, yet the obligation remains unfinished—forcing a repeat. Do we, too, risk having to “do it twice” when our head and heart aren’t in it the first time? Listen and find out.

On today’s page, Zevachim 2, we open the mysterious world of Kodashim—the Talmud’s deep dive into sacrifices. Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin reminds us that these offerings were never about feeding God, but about drawing close through holiness. What does it mean to treat the conceptual as more real than the material? Listen and find out.