The Rabbi's Husband

Mark is absolutely delighted to welcome Super Bowl-winning tight end, Benjamin Watson, to the podcast today. In addition to his great success with four different NFL teams, Benjamin is the proud father of seven whose family is deeply devoted to their Christian faith. He has been a finalist for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award on multiple occasions, is an author of two books, and leads a charitable initiative entitled Freedom Friday. The passage he has chosen to discuss is Jeremiah 9:22-23.

Benjamin begins the conversation by summarizing the selected passage and its significance for him. Mark then describes how Benjamin very much embodies the passage’s message of using God-given gifts to better communities, particularly through his Freedom Friday initiative. Benjamin also shares how ‘God repeatedly showed up’ for him and his family, the heartwarming story behind his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the role that faith and biblical verses play in the NFL, and his experience with fear and how he overcame it. He concludes, as all guests do, by detailing the lessons he has learned about mankind. As Mark notes, Benjamin’s website reflects a Christian family devoted to their faith and acting on it through the alleviation of suffering and creation of opportunities in ways that genuinely and directly benefit the least fortunate. You will discover that he and Mark are truly kindred spirits in this regard, as they both bring this passage to life not only in their conversation here today, but so very much in the way they lead their lives as well.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“We need to have some humility in the way we speak, in the way we act, in our thought process, because of the blessings that we have.”

“It talks about God being God of kindness, justice, and righteousness which is what kind of informs how I believe we should act towards people and the things we should be involved with.”

“Don’t deny these gifts. Thank God for them, work on them, develop them, don’t be falsely humble, acknowledge God gave me strength, God gave him wisdom, God gave her riches…now our job is to channel these gifts.”

“God strategically places His people where He wants them to be.”

“Push for a certain moral standard that not only benefits us personally, and as a representation of the God that we serve, but will also benefit our country collectively for the long term.”

“There are a lot of things that are important, but we have to hone in on what God wants us to be involved in.”

“Certain verses inspire certain players at certain times.”

“After every single NFL game, players from both sides come to the middle of the field…you’ll see a circle of players pray together - both teams, hand in hand.”

“If we can trust our eternity to God, I can trust him with my career, I can trust him with my relationships, I can trust him with the things that I see right now.”

“God can use your talents, but He doesn’t need them.”

“Our lives are best lived when they are poured out for other people.”

Jeremiah 9:22,23 - https://www.sefaria.org/Jeremiah.9.22-23?lang=bi

Links:

The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: http://therabbishusband.com/

Mark’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/markgerson?lang=en

Benjamin’s homepage: https://thewatsonseven.com/

One of America’s leading public intellectuals, John Podhoretz, joins Mark on today’s podcast. In addition to contributing to various publications from the Wall Street Journal to the Weekly Standard, serving as speechwriter for two American Presidents, and appearing as a political commentator on CNN and Fox News, John has, for the past 11 years, been the editor for Commentary magazine, one of the most important sources of ideas in the digital world. He is also a Rabbi’s son-in-law, and his friendship with Mark goes back 25 years, when Mark served as an intern for him. The passage he has chosen to discuss is Genesis 34. John starts off by explaining how he has worked to maintain the quality of Commentary into the digital age, and offering his summary of today’s passage. He and Mark then explore the concept of peace through strength evident in the passage, the differing views of the events within it, the beauty of the Bible, and the significance of its identification the ‘thing that must not be done’. They also review the sophistication and moral seriousness of the Torah, and John shares the lessons about mankind which he has learned, including the central difference between conservatives and liberals. Listen in today, and enjoy this enlightening conversation between these two great thinkers as they reaffirm the power and the eternal influence of the Torah.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“The task of Judaism is to renew the old and sanctify the new, and you have certainly done that with Commentary.”

“This rape then turns to love, I guess, the next morning.”

“The circumcision they transform into a military tactic.”

“It was the first example of peace through strength.”

“It’s tantalizingly unclear what God thinks of what the two young men did.”

“One of the beauties of the Bible is the complexity of everybody in it.”

“God is not a wimp.”

“We could have been over before we got started.”

“You have to have just outcomes with just means.”

“The framing of biblical morality is, in some ways, a visit from a radical future.”

“Here is the book on how to live and nobody else on the planet was anywhere near the sophistication and the moral seriousness of these presented rules of conduct.”

Genesis 34 - https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.34.1-31?lang=bi&aliyot=0

Links:

The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: http://therabbishusband.com/

Mark’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/markgerson?lang=en

Dr. Mort Fridman, Past President of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), joins Mark on the podcast today. Mort has been a doctor and psychoanalyst for several decades so he brings a unique perspective to the passage he has chosen to discuss with Mark which is Micah 6:8.

Mort begins by summarizing the passage, its meaning for him, and by sharing a quick summary of Jewish history in order to put the passage into its historical context. He and Mark then discuss the true role of a prophet, Micah’s message in this passage, and the concepts of acting justly and loving kindness and mercy which it espouses. Mort also offers his perspective on one of the most significant parts of Micah’s message, explores with Mark just what it really means to be good and to ‘walk humbly with God’, and reviews the notion of the 70 faces to the Torah. As with all of Mark’s guests, Mort finishes up with the lessons about mankind that he has learned, an exercise which leads him back to the nature of narcissism and its prevalence in today’s society. Today’s conversation is a prime example of the Torah’s value as a guide to modern life, as these two scholars tease out the ‘the kind of life we’re supposed to be living’ from this timelessly instructive passage.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“For me, I would say, it’s aspirational.”

“The Hebrew of this passage is so nuanced…each word just contains a whole world of psychological information.”

“Much like the Middle East of today, chaos, war, refugees, so you know this passage is going to speak to us.”

“The Jews were given the land of Israel to be a light unto the nations which means moral behavior.”

“What does God seek from us?”

“You have to know God every way you are capable of knowing him. You have to be in touch with yourself.”

“If you do justice over and over and over again, you will end up loving mercy.”

“Being a Jew means being involved with the world.”

“People are very, very much stuck on themselves.”

“If you’re going to be all about you, you’re not going to have a very happy life.”

“Torah means teaching.”

Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good, And what the LORD requires of you: Only to do justice And to love goodness, And to walk modestly with your God; https://www.sefaria.org/Micah.6.8?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Links:

The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: http://therabbishusband.com/

Mark’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/markgerson?lang=en

In today’s episode, Mark is delighted to welcome Jake Cohen, chef, food writer, and culinary influencer, who has also held the position of Food Editor of TastingTable.com as well as Food Critic for Time Out New York. Jake is currently the Editorial and Test Kitchen Director at The Feedfeed, the largest food driven social media publication, and is working on his first cookbook, JEW-ISH. The passage he has chosen to discuss with Mark is Exodus 16:5.

Jake starts off by explaining why this passage is meaningful to him, how he prepares for and practices Shabbat, and how Jewish hospitality is portrayed to the world. He and Mark discuss the Torah idea of ‘you are what you eat’, explore differing perspectives on the concept of being kosher, and then Jake shares details of his Jewish upbringing, and his personal example of the role that food plays in building community. He then gives a glimpse into his upcoming book, offers examples of what is considered Israeli food, and relates his favorite aspect of Jewish food that has come to a head during the time of quarantine. Jake’s lessons about mankind are also presented which lead to a review of Shabbat and purposeful rest, and the OneTable organization. All that Jake shares here regarding his sacred task of helping people to love Shabbat provides yet another shining example of the Torah’s relevance and value today and, really, throughout all time.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“I think there’s really one word that talks to me in this passage, and that’s the concept of preparation, and it’s about the preparation of Shabbat.”

“Creating a moment of, kind of, gathering and breaking bread that is so traditionally Jewish. It’s this Jewish ritual that most people I host would not celebrate on their own, and I’m creating a space, and preparing a space in which they’re able to do it in a way that fits their lives.”

“Hospitality is essential to what it means to be a Jew.”

“By full authority as the Rabbi’s Husband, a Rueben is kosher.”

“I personally find that creating a meal, creating an experience around this day of Shabbat and this…special meal is what makes it sacred.”

“You’re doing a sacred task by helping people to love Shabbat. That’s a sacred task.”

“You’re enjoying Shabbat – that’s the substance…focus on the substance.”

“The key part of why we turned to Jewish ritual was this concept of community.”

“The fundamental principle of Judaism is the community.”

“I think food was definitely this unifier, as it always will be.”

“We have a holiday every week…it’s magical.”

Exodus 16:5 But on the sixth day, when they apportion what they have brought in, it shall prove to be double the amount they gather each day.” https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.16.5?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Links:

The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: http://therabbishusband.com/

Mark’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/markgerson?lang=en

Jake’s homepage: https://www.wakeandjake.com/

Jake’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jakecohen/?hl=en

Jake’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Jew-ish-Cookbook-Reinvented-Recipes-Modern/dp/035835398X

Mark is delighted to be joined by his friend, Bill Simon, for today’s episode. Bill has had a remarkable career in law, business, philanthropy, and authorship, and, for Mark, he is the epitome of what it means to be a thoughtful businessperson living the examined life in the marketplace. He has been an Assistant United States Attorney, a merchant banker, a gubernatorial candidate in California and is the leader of the most important prize in philanthropy. Bill has discovered a theme within the conjunction of Ecclesiastes 3 and Exodus 14:14-15, which he discusses with Mark today.

Bill begins by explaining the notion of a ‘spiritual director’, and then he shares his summary of the passages, the unity he finds in the two, and the reasons that he chose them for today’s discussion. He and Mark continue by discussing the three-step process for taking action which these passages delineate, and the times that Bill both has and hasn’t followed this process, particularly in his current career. Bill also explores the Jesuit concept of ‘that still, small voice’ which leads to Mark’s description of the classic Jewish angel in Mark’s life. Bill finishes the episode by sharing the lessons he has learned throughout his extensive career and how they relate to today’s passages. While it may be true that ‘there is no right action for all time’, you can rest assured that today is the right time for you to listen, learn, and be moved to action by these two titans of business, philanthropy, and biblical study.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“There’s a time for a whole variety of things.”

“There’s no one right action for all time.”

“This passage…is a good summary of some of the minefields that I attempt to navigate.”

“Once you feel that you know the direction from God, then it’s time to move.”

“Be still, pray, get direction…and then move.”

“This was God’s will..He’s providing me a path.”

“I began to notice when I was driving home after class, I just had a feeling of peace…I don’t feel that in a lot of other areas of my professional life.”

“I was flying with God’s grace.”

“God created me the way I am.”

“If you’re strict, you can’t teach.”

“In the teaching context, I feel like I can pause and maybe impart that idea, you know, that we’re all the same."

Ecclesiastes 3 - https://www.sefaria.org/Ecclesiastes.3.1-22?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Exodus 14:14-15 - https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.14.14-15?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Links:

The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: http://therabbishusband.com/

Mark’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/markgerson?lang=en

On today’s episode, Mark is joined by legendary Wall Street trader, Peter Borish. In addition to his success in business, Peter is also a founding member of the Robin Hood Foundation, an organization which funds New York City educational projects for disadvantaged children, and a founding board member of Math for America, a non-profit whose goal is to improve mathematical education in U.S. public schools. The passage he has chosen to discuss with Mark is Leviticus 25:35-38.

Peter begins by explaining how he predicted the 1987 stock market crash, the role of the Robin Hood Foundation, and his reasons for selecting this passage. Together, he and Mark analyze the passage and its message of treating others as family, the call for obligation and responsibility, and the importance of acting righteously particularly during times of increased difficulties such as the current pandemic. Peter finishes by stressing the need to learn about yourself, shares the advice he offers those just beginning their careers, and, as with every guest, relates the lessons about mankind which he has learned. Today’s episode focuses on our obligation and responsibility to treat others as family, and it is brought to you by two men who daily live this passage – listen in to become informed and inspired.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“The stock market crash precipitated the founding of Robin Hood.”

“I think that in a nutshell was a little bit of the philosophy of Robin Hood.”

“They are your brothers and sisters.”

“It’s the right thing to do.”

“You can’t be righteous without giving.”

“If you give it away, you will make it.”

“Giving becomes a habit.”

“You take pleasure in raising people up to your level.”

“Loyalty comes because you are interested in them.”

Leviticus 25:35-38 If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority, and you hold him as though a resident alien, let him live by your side: do not exact from him advance or accrued interest, but fear your God. Let him live by your side as your kinsman. Do not lend him your money at advance interest, or give him your food at accrued interest. I the LORD am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God. https://www.sefaria.org/Leviticus.25.35-38?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=bi

Links:

The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: http://therabbishusband.com/

Mark’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/markgerson?lang=en

Mark’s guest on the podcast today is author, poet, and lecturer, Erika Dreifus. Erika has earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Harvard University, taught history, literature, and writing there for several years, is a fellow in the Sami Rohr Jewish Literary Institute, and is also an adjunct assistant professor at Baruch College of The City University of New York. The passage she has chosen to discuss with Mark is Proverbs 31:10-31.

Erika begins by introducing this Eshet Hayil passage, her reasons for selecting it, its recitation on Shabbat evenings, and how she first encountered it. Mark recounts the qualities of a ‘woman of valor’ as outlined in the passage as well as Dr. Ruth’s selection of the most erotic line in all of literature which is found within it. Erika follows with the feminist perspective that her study group offers on the passage, and her poem, A Single Woman of Valor, is read and discussed. As with all guests, the podcast concludes with the lessons about mankind which Erika has learned. Today’s episode takes this ‘most frequently said…and rarely studied’ passage and finally provides it with the analysis it so richly deserves.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“Probably the most frequently said prayer…and rarely studied.”

“It essentially delineates the qualities of an ideal woman, a woman of valor.”

“Always listen to one’s mother.”

“It’s a really terrible melody, I think. I mean it sounds like a funeral dirge.”

“I was really moved by the text itself.”

“It seems to be a quintessential text of female empowerment.”

“She’s an amazing woman.”

“She does everything…she doesn’t sleep much.”

“Dr. Ruth is the youngest 92 year old in the history of the world.”

“If you stop learning and stop growing, then you basically consign yourself to a kind of death.”

Proverbs 31:10-31 What a rare find is a capable wife! Her worth is far beyond that of rubies. Her husband puts his confidence in her, And lacks no good thing. She is good to him, never bad, All the days of her life. She looks for wool and flax, And sets her hand to them with a will. She is like a merchant fleet, Bringing her food from afar. She rises while it is still night, And supplies provisions for her household, The daily fare of her maids. She sets her mind on an estate and acquires it; She plants a vineyard by her own labors. She girds herself with strength, And performs her tasks with vigor. https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.2.2-3?lang=bi&aliyot=0

Links:

The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: http://therabbishusband.com/

Mark’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/markgerson?lang=en

Mark is delighted to welcome his great friend, Cantor Howard Stahl, to the podcast today. Howard was called to Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, New Jersey, in July of 1999, having previously served Temple Israel (Lawrence, New York) and Congregation Beth Emeth (Albany). In addition to being hailed as one of America’s outstanding cantors, Howard’s accomplishments include having been the President of the American Conference of Cantors, having served on the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, and currently serving on the faculty of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. The passage he has chosen to discuss today is Leviticus 9:1 – 10:3.

Howard starts off today’s discussion by setting the stage for the passage, describing this first example of a dual leadership model, explaining the difference between a prophet and a priest even as it is sustained today, and emphasizing the Torah’s proclivity for intentional word selection. He and Mark continue by examining Aaron’s Imposter Syndrome, the quality which makes him the most qualified to assume the role of High Priest, and, through an analysis of his sons’ deaths, they reveal the true moment of his consecration. Howard concludes the discussion by sharing lessons that this passage offers regarding how to treat those in mourning, the burden of leadership, and the lessons that he has learned about mankind throughout his long and storied career. The sheer amount of knowledge, wisdom, and enthusiasm which Howard brings to today’s conversation renders it a joy to listen to – those ‘hungry to learn’ will find in his words, truly, an unparalleled feast.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“This is really the ordination of Aaron as high priest and his sons as the priestly dynasty.”

“We have a leadership paradigm being established here.”

“Your biggest weakness will be your greatest strength.”

“The reason why you feel like an impostor is actually the reason why you’re the most qualified guy I could possibly have.”

“They had a zealousness that consumed them.”

“Judgment and fidelity to law is something that the priesthood must follow.”

“He cannot assume this high office with haughtiness. He has to be grounded, just like you’re grounded to the earth.”

“Every loss is unique, and sometimes just a shake of the head or a comforting hand on someone’s shoulder offers more comfort.”

“We are who we were.”

Leviticus 9:1 – 10:3 - https://www.sefaria.org/Leviticus.9.1-10.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Links:

The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: http://therabbishusband.com/

Mark’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/markgerson?lang=en

Former United States Ambassador to Costa Rica, Fitz Haney, joins Mark on today’s episode. His is a distinguished career as an international businessman at Procter and Gamble, PepsiCo Restaurants International, and Citibank and in the investment management business in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Ambassador Haney is the sole political appointee made by Barack Obama who was maintained by Donald Trump, and he and Mark are kindred spirits in the fact that they are both husbands of Rabbis. The passage he has chosen to discuss is Exodus 23:9.

The Ambassador begins by sharing his fascinating Jewish journey, identifying this passage as a revolutionary idea, and revealing just why it is so meaningful for him. Building on the theme of the passage, he relates his varied life experiences as a ‘stranger’ including his Jewish experience in Costa Rica and the Jewish community he found there. As an extension to the lessons he has learned about mankind in both business and government, Ambassador Haney also provides examples that he has encountered of those who have been immobilized by fear. This is a man who has very much lived the passage he has selected to discuss, and his words here today shine a brilliant spotlight once more upon the supreme value and eternal relevance of the Torah.

Episode Highlights:

Ambassador Haney’s Jewish journey

Quotes:

“You have a Jewish soul. It just will take time for it to develop.”

“It is the most frequently cited commandment in the Bible – 36 times – ‘to love the stranger’ in various forms and incarnations.”

“This was a revolutionary idea.”

“I think my entire life, in some ways because of the situations I was in, I felt like a stranger, I felt like an outsider.”

“Costa Rica, you know, has a…small but very strong Jewish community, and it’s very connected to Israel.”

“You have to actually do something to welcome the stranger into your world.”

“You are only as happy as your most miserable child.”

“The fear of failure tends to paralyze people.”

“We have to be commanded to step out of our comfort zone.”

Exodus 23:9 You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt. https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.23.9?lang=bi&aliyot=0

Links:

The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: http://therabbishusband.com/

Mark’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/markgerson?lang=en

Mark’s friend, Erick Stakelbeck, Director of Christians United for Israel’s CUFI Watchman Project and host of the very popular “The Watchman” program on TBN, joins him for today’s episode. Among his many accomplishments, Erick is the author of several books on counter-terrorism, his articles have appeared in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, New York Post, and the Jerusalem Post, and he has spoken at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention (NRB), the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and the Israel Allies Foundation (IAF). His video ‘The City of David's Top 10 Finds Proving Israel's Claim to Jerusalem’ is one of Mark’s favorites and can be found on YouTube. Erick and Mark have been friends ever since they met at the opening ceremony of the US Embassy when it officially moved to Jerusalem. The passage he has chosen to discuss is Genesis 12:3.

Erick begins their conversation by sharing his summary of the passage, the profound meaning it holds for himself and all Christian Zionists, and how this verse has influenced his Christianity and Zionism. He and Mark then review the clarity and practicality of the Torah, the foundational and theological lessons which are revealed in this passage, and Erick discusses the moment when he began to take his faith seriously. The two also explore precisely how the love of Israel spreads and grows, the power of the Shabbat dinner, and Erick concludes by offering the lessons he has learned about mankind. Their enthusiasm is indeed contagious as these two highly accomplished individuals analyze and bring to life this ‘foundational verse for every Christian Zionist’ in today’s inspired and inspiring episode.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“This is a foundational verse for my life, Mark, and my life’s work.”

“At no more time than today do we see all nations on Earth being blessed by the Jewish people.”

“Call me crazy, but I want to be on the right side of God.”

“God chose the Jewish people to transmit His message to the world.”

“Israelis are the first to offer a helping hand – a blessing to the world.”

“The more you learn about Israel, and the more you get to know the people, the more you walk the land, the more the love grows deeply in your soul, in your very being.”

“Blessings beget more blessings.”

“Clearly there is a love for God in the room during Shabbat.”

“Children change you in the most wonderful and profound way.”

Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you And curse him that curses you; And all the families of the earth Shall bless themselves by you.” https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.12.3?lang=bi&aliyot=0

Links:

The Rabbi’s Husband homepage: http://therabbishusband.com/

Mark’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/markgerson?lang=en