The Chavrusa

By Moshe Schonbrun

What's The Chavrusa about?

Exploration of deep Torah and ideas that have guided some of history's greatest men and women for over 3,000 years, & contemporary takes on moral and social issues.

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The Chavrusa episodes:

09.05.2021
The Five steps of Teshuva (Baderech- 6)
Mapping out an empowering and uplifting framework of Teshuva through the 5 steps laid out by Rebbe Zusha, the "genius of humility", Striving to be whole; not perfect, and the intersection of sophistication and simplicity I'm Moshe Schonbrun, & this...
08.31.2021
We are the Turkey Prince (Baderech- 5)
Discussing Rebbe Nachman's whimsical tale and its message to reclaim our authentic life story, The story of the elderly man who found out his Tefillin were never actually valid, and when in life we should be unrealistic I'm Moshe Schonbrun,...
08.30.2021
Netflix before Selichos (Baderech- 4)
An emphatic decrying of a philosophically misguided and spiritually damaging attitude, shouldering the burden and pains of others & Hashem, & dripping blood while davening Mincha I'm Moshe Schonbrun, & this is the Chavrusa Podcast- an exploration of timeless wisdom &...
08.26.2021
The Texan Mikvah (Baderech- 3)
Discussing the foundational command that the entire Torah emanates from, the eternity of short-lived inspiration, and an epic story of a Vishnitzer cowboy somewhere out in Texas I'm Moshe Schonbrun, & this is the Chavrusa Podcast- an exploration of timeless wisdom...
08.25.2021
Turning Kosher Lamps in the Airport (Baderech- 2)
Why we all are compared to the 'Kosher-Lamps' and the story of one rolling down an airport terminal, Rebbe Bunim's insight into doing Teshuva solves a puzzling statement of the Rambam, and Ralph Waldo Emerson's musing on the painters use...
08.24.2021
Along the Path (Baderech- 1)
Embarking on new beginnings on paths both beaten & never taken, why effective change is not in changing flaws but in emphasizing ones strengths, and the Torah's radical view on mistakes and sin. I'm Moshe...
05.27.2021
Regards to the Leviathan (6.16)
Analyzing a fascinating police report registered against 20 Chassidim of Peshischa in 1823, The way to cultivate joy & happiness, and the differences between a couch & a shtender (The Quest for Authenticity- 16)
05.24.2021
Depressing Judaism (6.15)
Discussing how to navigate the fundamental quest for self-analysis while avoiding looming pitfalls of depression, and the importance of swapping out a cold & dry Judaism for one that's overflowing with joy & pleasure. (The Quest for Authenticity- 15)
05.24.2021
Depressing Judaism (6.15)
Discussing how to navigate the fundamental quest for self-analysis while avoiding looming pitfalls of depression, and the importance of swapping out a cold & dry Judaism for one that's overflowing with joy & pleasure (The Quest for Authenticity- 15)
05.13.2021
Balanced Personality (6.14)
How people followed the Torah even before it was given, Why R' Bunim disagreed with Kabbalistic takes on sin & evil, & living a life of wholesome balance (The Quest for Authenticity- 14)
05.11.2021
Reasons not to Write a Book (6.13)
Discussing the hesitancy of famous Rebbe's to publish their own works, "modern" Orthodoxy, and an extraordinary Torah idea with a remarkable implication (The Quest for Authenticity- 13)
05.05.2021
Intolerance of Externals (6.12)
Discussing the Torah's intolerance of Externals, the convergence of Rebbe Bunim and the Mussar Movement, & dealing with worrying about what others think (The Quest for Authenticity- 12)
05.04.2021
Jazz Judaism (6.11)
The search for a new appellation for the post-idealogical, broad and diverse Torah community leads to scintillating contrasts between classical & jazz music, with stunning philosophical & societal implications (The Quest for Authenticity- 11)
04.29.2021
Passion Search (6.10)
The incredible balancing act of combining passion and self-analysis, Seek & Search: the 2 necessary elements for growth, & differentiating between religion that's imposed from without and Torah that expresses a person's fundamental nature (The Quest for Authenticity- 10)
04.27.2021
Don't be like Bunim (6.9)
An incredible story of dealing with communal division & politics, How the difference between a water well and a pit portrays the possible purpose of humanity, & deep insights into defining your life authentically (The Quest for Authenticity- 9)
04.26.2021
Personal Authenticity (6.8)
The seminal value from which all thought of Peshischa flows, the dangers of reductive resignation and false piety, and how to find one's own path (The Quest for Authenticity- 8)
04.22.2021
Messiah (6.7)
Attempts to hasten the Messianic Age, what Moshiach actually is about, and how it can be a diversion from the authentic life. (The Quest for Authenticity- 7)
04.22.2021
Kabbalistic Miracles (6.6)
The story of the meeting between Rebbe Bunim and Rabbi Akiva Eiger, the missing element in contemporary Torah education, and the diminishing of kabbalah and miracles in Peshischa (The Quest for Authenticity- 6)
04.20.2021
Throwing the Gauntlet (6.5)
Discussing an incredible 3-way debate between Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, the Baal Shem Tov, & Rebbe Bunim regarding the role of Torah learning, and the theological revolution it inspired (The Quest for Authenticity- 5)
04.15.2021
Rebbe Bunim (6.4)
The fascinating biography of Rebbe Bunim: chemist, linguist, chess master, timber merchant, talmuldist, outreach professional and chassidic rebbe, & the story of his remarkable impact on European Jewry (The Quest for Authenticity- 4)
04.14.2021
Lublin vs. Przysucha (6.3)
Examining the deep ideological underpinnings and passionate divides between the Seer of Lublin & the teachings of Pryshuscha, and the inaugural story taught to all incoming students of Rebbe Bunim (The Quest for Authenticity- 3)
04.13.2021
The Off-Script Life (6.2)
Prince Phillip's unerring capacity for akward remarks, The convergence of psychology & spirituality, and the pitfalls of living a scripted life (The Quest for Authenticity- 2)
04.12.2021
The Quest for Authenticity (6.1)
New Season on The Chavrusa Podcast: Pryshuscha. Exploring a revolution uncompromisingly aimed against complacency of the Jewish establishment, and the internal war upon the leadership of its time, pretension, & self-deceit. (The departure point for this season is the book...
04.09.2021
Interlude
Quick update!
03.26.2021
Essentialism (5.6)
Two core essential aspects of Matzah, how it could lead to inner liberation & the truest of personal expression, & why being around people who are genuine and authentic increases happiness and is our concluding message of Passover
03.23.2021
Defanging Bnei Brak (5.5)
Wildly divergent political opinions converge at the same seder, Blunting harsh exteriors, & How to incorporate individuality into communites
03.19.2021
Four Questions/ Five Children (5.4)
Uncovering new depths behind the questions of the Seder, Rav Kook's incredible insight into why we eat maror, & the biggest crisis facing world Jewry today
03.18.2021
Hand Machine (5.3)
Entering the fray of the contentious debate over the optimal way to bake Matzah- Handcrafted Artisnal, or efficiently symmetric through automation?, Discovering the moment when slavery changes to freedom, & How to deal with wealth inequities
03.17.2021
Buy the Dip (5.2)
Stunning new archeological revelations, How to transform chaos into beauty, the deep symbolism of Karpas & Yachatz, & why you should transform from being a dipper to being the dipped
03.16.2021
Hagadah of Passover (5.1)
Introducing Season 5 of The Chavrusa: The Haggadah. An epic debate over the meaning of history, The Torah's take on freedom, Ben Gurions 1947 speech, why Questioning is at the core of Spirituality, and why the seder begins with Kadeish
03.11.2021
Sloth Communications
How to communicate with your pets, The way animals escape Tsunamis, & a tremendous opportunity that is worth trading eternity for
03.10.2021
Bending Truth
Gray areas of integrity, giving false positive recommendations, and the story of a remarkable man who quit his only job over $9
03.09.2021
Air All Interviews on Yelp (Mailbag- 8)
Ethical conditions of leaving reviews online, former royals exposing details to Oprah, the cautionary tale of Richard Jewell, and why teeth don't decompose
03.07.2021
The Agunah Disaster
Addressing the plight of the Agunah: the convoluted roots of the issue, contemporary Rabbinic response, social media pressure, and the solutions moving forward
03.04.2021
Jewish Brisket (4.Finale)
In the season finale, we discuss the Kosher BBQ scene, the only way to respond to antisemitism, and answer the question: Why be Jewish? (Letter in the Scroll- 16)
03.03.2021
The Vanishing Jew (4.15)
Discussing the fallacy of a child with 3 fathers listed on birth certificate, Preventing Toxic Positivity, The differences between anti-Judaism & antisemitism, & The Vanishing American Jew: why are so many young Jews walking away? (Letter in the Scroll- 15)
03.02.2021
Software > Hardware (4.14)
The Gemara's etiquette for dealing with akward hosts, waiters, and introductions, The essential difference between Philosophy and Torah, and why Judaism is needed more than ever in today's advanced, affluent, and anxious world (Letter in the Scroll- 14)
03.02.2021
Don't Stab the Corpse (4.13)
The story of the momentous showdown between the Roman Emperor Vespasian & Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai, exploring King David's death, & how Torah achieved equality, liberty, & fraternity centuries before the French (Letter in the Scroll- 13)
02.26.2021
Anti Depressant (Purim- 4)
A zenithal spotlight into the human mind and the nature of happiness, and how celebrating Purim can cultivate transformational change
02.25.2021
Suit Sweaters (Purim- 3)
Fashion advice on an emerging trend & an illuminating understanding of the concept of secrets, and its connections to Purim
02.23.2021
Drink, Dress, & Sniff (Purim- 2)
Delineating how the essence of Purim is a call for Authenticity, the 2 conflicting sentiments of 'Be True to Yourself', Gladwell debunks common understanding of the effects of alcohol, & why Jews drink, dress & sniff on Purim
02.22.2021
Scattered & Separate (Purim- 1)
Defining the essence of what a community is (and is not), Esther's profound and enthralling response to the gravest of dangers, and the deep messaging behind sending gifts on Purim
02.19.2021
Shul (4.12)
Thinking Fast & Slow through a Kabbalistic lens, analyzing the history of the Synagogue, and how Jewish identity has been sustained amidst centuries of dispersion
02.17.2021
The Neutral Life (4.11)
A penetrating critique into today's culture of career liberation, Becoming a 'Tomorrow Person's, and how an incredible vision of hope emerged from Judaism's darkest hour (in contrast to Christianity, The divide between Rabbi Akiva and Paul)
02.17.2021
Forest Bathing (4.10)
In today's episode of The Chavrusa, we discuss Forest Bathing, New York City Parks, Education Evidence, & Judaism's most daring institution.
02.16.2021
Political Theories (4.9)
Exploring the 2 Political theories in Judaism, the unique Torah theory of state, and its theory of society, A deeper look at the 3 core concepts in Jewish communal life, & an inner glimpse on Purim
02.14.2021
Rabbi, You, & Autonomy (Mailbag- 7)
In this episode of The Mailbag, we address questions about Rabbis- "Does having a Rabbi reduce my own autonomy in decision making? "Are some Rabbis better than other rabbis?" "Can Women be Rabbis"? "Should I be asking my Rabbi Business...
02.11.2021
Exit the Community (4.8)
The 2 types of communities, The 2 forms of Freedom, and how the most influential political story ever told shaped an enduring revolution - transitioning a nation to a people, Exodus to Sinai, passive to active, fate to faith, and...
02.10.2021
Watered-down Kippah (4.7)
An attorney's improvisation for a kippa is indicative of a serious gap between technical actions and the moral imperative of Halacha, And delving into the roots of the Chosen People, Terrorism, & Democratic Socialism (A Letter in the Scroll- 7)
02.09.2021
Banned Songs & Relationships (4.6)
California bans singing in synagogues- but they're not the first. Exploring the 2 ways to sing in Judaism, and how the Torah's moralizing of relationships turned out to be the most transformative idea in all of social history (Letter in...

What's The Chavrusa about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Chavrusa episodes:

The Five steps of Teshuva (Baderech- 6)

We are the Turkey Prince (Baderech- 5)

Netflix before Selichos (Baderech- 4)

The Texan Mikvah (Baderech- 3)

Turning Kosher Lamps in the Airport (Baderech- 2)

Along the Path (Baderech- 1)

Regards to the Leviathan (6.16)

Depressing Judaism (6.15)

Depressing Judaism (6.15)

Balanced Personality (6.14)

Reasons not to Write a Book (6.13)

Intolerance of Externals (6.12)

Jazz Judaism (6.11)

Passion Search (6.10)

Don't be like Bunim (6.9)

Personal Authenticity (6.8)

Messiah (6.7)

Kabbalistic Miracles (6.6)

Throwing the Gauntlet (6.5)

Rebbe Bunim (6.4)

Lublin vs. Przysucha (6.3)

The Off-Script Life (6.2)

The Quest for Authenticity (6.1)

Interlude

Essentialism (5.6)

Defanging Bnei Brak (5.5)

Four Questions/ Five Children (5.4)

Hand Machine (5.3)

Buy the Dip (5.2)

Hagadah of Passover (5.1)

Sloth Communications

Bending Truth

Air All Interviews on Yelp (Mailbag- 8)

The Agunah Disaster

Jewish Brisket (4.Finale)

The Vanishing Jew (4.15)

Software > Hardware (4.14)

Don't Stab the Corpse (4.13)

Anti Depressant (Purim- 4)

Suit Sweaters (Purim- 3)

Drink, Dress, & Sniff (Purim- 2)

Scattered & Separate (Purim- 1)

Shul (4.12)

The Neutral Life (4.11)

Forest Bathing (4.10)

Political Theories (4.9)

Rabbi, You, & Autonomy (Mailbag- 7)

Exit the Community (4.8)

Watered-down Kippah (4.7)

Banned Songs & Relationships (4.6)