TanakhCast

In this week’s episode: Deuteronomy 28-31. We consider the blessing and the curse in light of choice architecture and wonder what might have happened if Moshe did a little more nudging instead of threatening people’s tushies with harsh medieval treatments. 

The paper by Thaler, Sunstein and Balz about "choice architecture" is here and the Nudge blog is here.

In this week’s episode: Deuteronomy 24-27.  We examine (once again) remembrance and how memory is mustered and bolstered through the simple act of recitation.  Listen closely then repeat after me.

And you can find the most excellent Radiolab podcast about weights and measures here.

In this week’s episode: Deuteronomy 20-23. We consider biblical police procedurals, women as corpses or eye-candy and how men can unlearn how to treat women badly.  And yes, I said MEN.

And the Jess Zimmerman piece about #NOTALLMEN is here.

In this week’s episode: Deuteronomy 16-19.  We explore the novel legal construct of “home free” for accidental murderers, and how a sanctuary system once set up for unintentional killers has been employed to shelter asylum seekers from persecution.  And, last, we consider the practicality of private revenge and the rights of the blood-redeemer in the present day.

In this week’s episode: Deuteronomy 12-15.  We look at the Shemitta or “Release” and consider the arguments for and against debt forgiveness before concluding that besides being the right thing to do, it might stimulate economic growth and make our lives better!

And if you're curious about the millennium debt forgiveness movement, click here.

In this week’s episode: Deuteronomy 8-11.  We consider for a moment what we would eat on a bagel while an eight day old boy has his foreskin excised and ponder more profoundly other metaphors related to foreskins and their removal.

In this week’s episode: Deuteronomy 4-7.  We explore the favourite sport of the elder generation - worrying about the future and the dissolute behaviour of young folk who indulge in the carnal rites of Ba’al and consider whether society is really in peril when those same youngsters eventually become the elders.

In this week’s episode: Deuteronomy 1-3.  We launch the Book of Deuteronomy with a look at the early hortations of Moshe’s farewell address and puzzle over what is arguably the first attempt to fabulize recent events by inflating them (and furniture) into titanic proportions.

The article on ever-taller Europeans (and plateau-ing Americans) can be found here.

In this week’s episode: Numbers 32-36.  We conclude the Book of Numbers in high literary fashion, pondering the fine details as we consider how readers read, what we expect of texts and what happens when ne’er the twain shall meet.

In this week's episode: Numbers 28-31.  We ratchet up the rhetoric as we consider the first salvo in the campaign to claim the land God promised to Patriarchs.  And it’s not pretty.

UPDATE:  Click here for a lengthy yet breezy explanation of Fermi's Paradox - with diagrams!