The Rabbi's Husband

Mark’s good friend, Senator Bill Cassidy - one of the most bipartisan members of the Senate - joins him on the podcast today. In addition to being the Senator for Louisiana, Bill’s vast number of other achievements include co-founding the Greater Baton Rouge Community Clinic, a clinic providing free dental and health care to the working uninsured, creating a private-public partnership to vaccinate 36,000 greater Baton Rouge area children against Hepatitis B at no cost to the schools or parents, and, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, leading a group of health care volunteers to convert an abandoned K-Mart building into an emergency health care facility, providing basic health care to hurricane evacuees. Mark has seen first hand Bill’s devotion to bringing health care to the most vulnerable through his work with Mark’s African Mission Healthcare. The passage Bill has chosen to discuss with Mark is taken from Psalms 51.

Bill begins the discussion by summarizing the passage, and sharing his reasons for selecting it. He then explains his concept of a ‘funnel verse’, and why he considers this passage one, before exploring the notion of doing justice actively and the attitude each person brings to such action. Bill also offers details about the Bible Studies with other politicians in which he takes part, and shares examples of members from differing parties finding common ground and working together. He and Mark also review God’s love for the broken, and Bill’s concept of God ‘going through the furniture’ of his life is discussed. The podcast finishes, as always, with our guest sharing the lessons he has learned about mankind, and expands to reveal how Bill brings his medical expertise to Congress. Throughout their conversation, you will uncover precisely why Mark feels that the nation’s Founders were hoping for Bill Cassidy, a man who funnels all aspects of his life through this most meaningful of passages in order to allow God to teach and guide him each day.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“We kind of totally ignore the practical teaching of what we read.”

“Everything else I’m reading which I wish to guide my life, funnels through it.”

“We really need God to teach within us that which we should be doing.”

“Am I actually living this? It’s a challenge.”

“You are not righteous unless you do justice.”

“You can fool lots of people, you can even fool yourself, but you can’t fool God.”

“Believe me, in politics, you need a funnel verse.”

“Actions matter, but so does character.”

“If there’s a funnel verse, there are funnel relationships.”

“In my own mind, my own understanding, there should almost be a restlessness.”

“Do the simple thing for the person who is before you.”

Psalms 51:8 Indeed You desire truth about that which is hidden; teach me wisdom about secret things. https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.51?lang=bi

Links:

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

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

Senator Cory Booker, Mark’s great friend of almost 25 years, joins him on the podcast today. Cory’s many accomplishments include being a Stanford All-American tight end, Rhodes Scholar, Yale Law School graduate, and two term mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He is now serving in his second term in the United States Senate. Cory is also a Christian who has spent his adult lifetime studying and drawing inspiration from Jewish texts as Mark has witnessed during their long friendship. The passage he has chosen to discuss today is Genesis 18:1-10.

Cory begins by summarizing the passage, and sharing his reasons for choosing it and the meaning it holds for him. He and Mark then discuss the concepts of ‘underpromise, overdeliver’ and ‘giving without being asked’ as they appear in the passage and in their own lives. They also discuss the nature of angels and their presence within the Torah and throughout the world today. Cory offers his perspective on the lessons he has learned about humankind and also what he has learned about America that others wouldn’t necessarily know. Woven throughout this informative discussion is the sense that the lessons of the Torah continue to reveal themselves to these two very good friends and play a pivotal role in their personal and professional lives as they bring kindness and justice to life and look for and find God’s messengers in those around them.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“It involves...two of the great values of humanity...kindness, and...justice.”

“Welcome the stranger because you were once a stranger in a strange land.”

“I got such chills watching these men dance and sing and celebrate the welcoming of strangers coming into America from a different faith and race - it was amazing to me.”

“He runs away from God to do good, to do justice.”

“I’m going to stand up for what is just, no matter if it’s the will of God or not.”

“When you serve people, you become greater than the angels.”

“I see you, I love you.”

“Everybody is worthy of love and grace.”

“I feel complicit when I witness things and I don’t speak up about them.”

“You’ve internalized so many of these values of the Torah.”

“I’m trying to live up to my values everyday, and I fall short everyday, but I think it’s that wrestling always with that, is what’s important with me.”

Genesis 18:1-10 - https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.18

Links:

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

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

Mark’s great friend, and the Rabbi who officiated at his wedding, Rabbi Matthew Reimer, joins him on the podcast this week. A native of West Orange, NJ, Rabbi Reimer was ordained in 2007 by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and has served as Senior Rabbi of Temple Sinai in New Orleans, the Rabbi for The Shul of New York, the Interim Rabbi for Port Jewish Center in Port Washington, LI, and Assistant and then Associate Rabbi at Temple B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, New Jersey. He has chosen Exodus 3:11 to discuss with Mark today.

Matt begins the discussion by offering his advice regarding seeking truth especially in relation to that fateful ping-pong match, and then sharing the context of today’s passage and a summary of the passage itself. He and Mark then engage in an analysis of being fully present, showing up with humility, and Moses’ choice of noticing what others don’t. They also explore the nature of leadership, its relation to humility, and the concept of God and Moses in covenant with each other. As is the tradition, the podcast finishes with our guest sharing the lessons he has learned about mankind through his experiences. Listen in today to enjoy an episode where the level of insight and wisdom shared is rivaled only by the level of friendship and respect that is so warmly displayed between our host and guest.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“There is this idea that Moses is inviting us to think about what it means to show up, what it means to be present.”

“It’s the all-present here.”

“I will be with you.”

“God doesn’t answer Moses’ question, he answers Moses’ real question.”

“The audacity of the assignment cannot be overestimated.”

“Know Before Whom You Stand.”

“There is a place for leadership to be not just chosen, but also taken.”

“Leadership can manifest itself in lots of different ways.”

“Always be happy and do good things in this world.”

“Always be yourself, unless you’re a schmuck, in which case be somebody else.”

Exodus 3:11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites from Egypt?” https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.3.11?lang=bi&aliyot=0

Links:

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

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

The incredibly accomplished Dr. Marty Makary is Mark’s very special guest on the podcast today. Among his many, many roles and achievements, Dr. Makary is a surgical oncologist and chief of the Johns Hopkins Islet Transplant Center, a clinical lead for the Johns Hopkins Sibley Innovation Hub, and the Executive Director of Improving Wisely, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation project to lower health care costs in the U.S. He is a best-selling author, a frequent medical commentator on NBC and FOX News, an advocate for health care innovation, and, quite simply, a national treasure who has dedicated his life to making the lives of others better. The passage he has chosen for today is Genesis 8:11.

Marty begins the discussion by sharing his summary of the passage, its meaning for him, and the impact which Chuck Colson has had upon him. With Mark, he reviews the importance of the dove in this passage, our connection to the natural world, and the regrets which his dying patients often share with him. The two then explore the polarization of the United States these days, Mark’s concept of ‘offense archeology’, and the power of living each day as if it’s your last. Marty also explains the lessons he has learned about mankind, gives his perspective on one of the biggest public health crises in the United States today, and offers a touching tribute to his aunt, Mama Maggie, and her inspiring mission. You owe it to yourself to seize this unique opportunity today to enjoy the analysis of this iconic story of hope and loyalty by these two remarkably accomplished seekers of Biblical truth.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“This is a message of hope here – that’s what my patients want when I talk to them.”

“What we treasure in life most is loyalty, it’s love, it’s empathy, it’s being available for people.”

“Kids want your time, not your money.”

“I’m not going to define him by his worst moment. I’m going to assess the man by the whole breadth of his life.”

“No one has just one face.”

“You can be fed up, you can be angry as hell, but still communicate in a civil fashion.”

“We’re all gifted differently.”

“I think part of being relatable, part of being effective is to be vulnerable and be honest about all of your personality, including the child in all of us.”

“God made us to be part of communities…people are hungry for community.”

Genesis 8:11 The dove came back to him toward evening, and there in its bill was a plucked-off olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the waters had decreased on the earth. https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.8.11?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Links:

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

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

Stephen’s Children homepage: https://stephenschildren.org/

Mark is delighted to welcome his very good friend, Gordon Robertson, President and CEO of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), to the podcast today. In addition to his CEO role, Gordon is also a co-host of CBN’s original flagship program, The 700 Club; the President of Operation Blessing, CBN’s humanitarian organization; the Executive Producer of CBN Films; and the Executive Producer of Superbook whose mission is to bring the stories of the Bible to the children of the world in their own languages. Gordon and CBN have also partnered with Mark’s African Mission Healthcare in strengthening Christian Mission Hospitals throughout Africa. The passage he has chosen to discuss with Mark today is Genesis 24:62-64.

Gordon’s love of all things Jewish and how this love began and was reinforced through events in his life begins the conversation today. He then shares his summary of the passage, why he chose it, and how it presents what he feels is the best family in the Bible. He and Mark also discuss the differing levels of action attributed to Isaac and Rebekah, and go into great detail about the Akedah, and how it impacted all involved. The lessons Gordon has learned about mankind and the prevalence of existential loneliness throughout the world today are explored as well. Gordon’s vast amount of experience in bringing the lessons of the Bible to life are on full display as he and Mark dive deeply into this passage, mining and distilling the meaning it holds for all of us in today’s world.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“To see the prayers of the generations fulfilled right before my eyes – it was a profound moment.”

“I heard a voice behind me. It literally caused every cell in my body to vibrate.”

“Salvation is of the Jew.”

“You see a generational transfer…how very much the covenant of God is transmitted through family generation.”

“It teaches all we need to know about what to look for in a spouse.”

“True love deepens with commitment.”

“I’d argue it’s the best family in the Bible.”

“All people everywhere wonder if there’s somebody up there, that somebody cares about them, and if there’s a way to reach Him.”

“You have done more than anybody else to bring the Jewish and the Christian communities together and to show the commonalities that we have under God.”

Genesis 24:62-64 Isaac had just come back from the vicinity of Beer-lahai-roi, for he was settled in the region of the Negeb. And Isaac went out walking in the field toward evening and, looking up, he saw camels approaching. Raising her eyes, Rebekah saw Isaac. She alighted from the camel https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.24.62-64

Links:

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

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

Mark’s great friend, Democrat Congressman Max Rose, joins him on the podcast today. Max is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the London School of Economics, who has served as an active duty officer in Afghanistan from 2012-2013 and earned a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Infantry Badge. Max is Ranger-qualified, continues to serve in the National Guard, and is the first post-9/11 combat veteran to represent New York City. The passage he has chosen to discuss with Mark is Exodus 32:4, the passage which he has decided will be his son’s Bar Mitzvah portion 13 years from now.

Max begins today’s discussion by sharing his summary of the passage and how it provides an example of speaking truth to power, and then he and Mark offer differing perspectives on Aaron’s leadership within it. They follow with an in depth investigation into the nature of leadership both in the passage and in the world today, particularly in relation to Max’s work with the military and in politics, and they review the moral obligation we all have to question authority as Moses did. The conversation finishes with Max sharing the lessons he has learned about mankind. Today’s episode exemplifies the beauty of the Torah in its openness to interpretation as well as its timeless guidance. As Max states, everyone has an opportunity to lead at some point in their lives, and today’s passage and resulting analysis offer listeners valuable perspective to consider when their opportunity arrives.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“Moses subsequently speaks truth to power…pushes back upon God using God’s own words.”

“One could also argue he bought some time.”

“We don’t teach leadership enough to young people.”

“Who among us knows what we would do if we were in Aaron’s position?”

“It is confidence in God. It is confidence that God will not put ego first, will not put arrogance first, but that God will put His own sense of moral clarity, moral consistency, and rightness first.”

“Moses always defends his people externally, and criticizes them internally.”

“He leads his leader.”

“We have far too much arrogance in our society today.”

Exodus 32:4 This he took from them and cast in a mold, and made it into a molten calf. And they exclaimed, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.32.4

Links:

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

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

Mark is so delighted to welcome his friend, Representative Mike Gallagher, to the podcast today. Born and raised in Green Bay, Mike is a Princeton graduate who joined the United States Marine Corps the day he graduated. Among his many achievements in this career, he has deployed twice to Iraq as a commander of intelligence teams, served on General Petraeus’ Central Command Assessment Team in the Middle East, and worked for three years in the intelligence community, including tours at the National Counterterrorism Center and the Drug Enforcement Agency. In addition to his degree from Princeton, Mike has earned a master’s degree in Security Studies from Georgetown University, a second in Strategic Intelligence from National Intelligence University, and his PhD in International Relations from Georgetown. The passage he has chosen to discuss is Judges 6:15.

Mike begins the discussion by providing the context of the passage, its meaning for him, and how it relates to his experiences in Iraq. He and Mark also draw parallels between Gideon’s and Moses’ stories, God’s conception of faith for us, and the treatment of primogeniture and idolatry throughout the Torah. Mike also shares the role that fear played in his military career, and the concept of the ‘main effort’ which he continues to employ today. To conclude, Mike reveals the lessons that he has learned about mankind, and offers a glimpse into the weekly discussions in which he and other politicians participate, and how they have greatly increased his respect for even those who hold vastly different political views from him. Today’s passage does indeed contain life lessons for all of us today, as Mark states, and these two very good friends uncover them in this dynamic and informative conversation.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“Gideon uses intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, psychological warfare, and guile to defeat his enemy on the field of battle.”

“This story which started out as this sort of cool, military story about victory in the face of fear, using guile and deception, became a more complex lesson about self-doubt and sin, and this sort of cycle of failure and redemption that I think pervades both the Old and the New Testament.”

“Maybe that’s the story of the Israelites, right? You know this constant cycle of screwing up and getting back on the horse.”

“I was always very afraid that I wouldn’t measure up.”

“The strength of the wolf is in the pack.”

“I feel people get corrupted through a slow slide of compromises.”

“Some of the most successful people out there are also some of the most miserable.”

Judges 6:15 He said to Him, “Please, my lord, how can I deliver Israel? Why, my clan is the humblest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s household.” https://www.sefaria.org/Judges.6.15?lang=bi

Links:

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

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

Mark’s guest today is his great friend and NFL legend, TIki Barber. During his career with the New York Giants, Tiki’s many accomplishments included being a 3-time All Pro, leading the league twice in yards from scrimmage, and setting dozens of Giants franchise records. Since retiring from football, Tiki has moved into broadcasting with NBC, BBC, and now CBS, and has become a great entrepreneur with several businesses and non-profit ventures to his credit. The passage he has chosen today is Deuteronomy 10:12.

Tiki begins the discussion by describing his introduction to Shimon Peres, where his love of Judaism originated, and his reasons for selecting this passage. He and Mark then embark on a thorough analysis of the passage and the significance of certain words within it, and Mark shares his advice for those who find themselves lost. Mark also explains the difference between the Torah and the Talmud and the purpose of the Torah. Tiki then shares the lessons he has learned about mankind and about success and failure during his career in football, his perspective on the psychology of a sports fan, and how he escaped fear. Today’s episode is one which demonstrates brilliantly the shared love of the Torah and Bible that these two very good friends hold, and provides yet another glowing example of just how relevant these sacred texts are to our lives today.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“This is the greatest commandment, I think, of all in the Bible, which is honor God, and obey Him and fear Him above anyone else.”

“We’re going to make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be whole again.”

“There’s no notion, really, of ever being lost from God.”

“It’s the constancy that matters.”

“Whenever we open it up, it’s there to help us today for our own good.”

“Would you believe that the words you spoke are being studied and lived thousands of years later?”

“This may be the seminal passage of the Torah.”

“Failure’s going to happen, and if you dwell on it, you’re just going to create a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure, so you have to stay confident and positive at all times.”

“It’s this preparedness that allows you to trust in real time…it is earned confidence.”

Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God demand of you? Only this: to revere the LORD your God, to walk only in His paths, to love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and soul, https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.10.12?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Links:

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

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

Today, Mark is delighted to welcome Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle, Kelvin Beachum, to the podcast. In addition to his highly successful football career, Kelvin has worked with a number of charities including Bread for the World, Feeding America, and World Vision, and has been nominated for the NFL’s Walter Payton Award as a result. Kelvin has chosen Daniel 6:5-10 to discuss with Mark.

In their discussion, Kelvin talks about his annual fast and his reasons for engaging in it, and he also shares his summary of today’s passage including the meaning it holds for him. Together, he and Mark analyze the message touting the importance of conviction and commitment in both the passage and in our lives, and the power of inspiring others through our actions, thus achieving what Mark terms ‘the great Jewish mission’. Kelvin also shares the lessons he has learned about mankind throughout his career and beyond. Today’s passage is all about committing to your faith and bringing that faith to life through actions – a theme with which Mark and Kelvin have an enormous amount of experience in their own lives.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes:

“Listening to God, I was begging for forgiveness, I was campaigning for strength in many areas of my life, and being in close communication with our Savior. It’s a must as more has been added to my plate.”

“You have to be content and okay with who you are, and you have to be committed to who you are.”

“It’s not about self-edification, it’s not about promoting ourselves. It’s about allowing the one God to work through us.”

“If you’re working out your faith, working out your own soul’s salvation daily, you don’t talk about it, it’s those around you that see it and they talk about it.”

“God rescues and saves.”

“The King is so inspired that he learns almost perfect theology just from observing Daniel’s actions.”

“People respond to actions so profoundly.”

“You have to love the stranger.”

Daniel 6:5-10 The ministers and satraps looked for some fault in Daniel’s conduct in matters of state, but they could find neither fault nor corruption, inasmuch as he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. https://www.sefaria.org/Daniel.6?lang=bi

Links:

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

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

Mark is delighted to be joined today by his good friend, Senator Tom Cotton, to discuss his passage of choice: Isaiah 6:8. Tom grew up on his family’s cattle farm in Arkansas, graduated from both Harvard and Harvard Law School, and eventually joined the Army where he served in Iraq and Afghanistan. His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, and Ranger Tab, and he has served with The Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. In addition to the Senatorial work he does with a number of committees, Tom is also the NY Times best selling author of Sacred Duty: A Soldier’s Tour at Arlington National Cemetery.

Tom begins today’s conversation by offering a summary of the passage along with the reasons why it is so meaningful not only to him, but to young soldiers, chaplains, and so many throughout the Army. He and Mark then discuss the partnership between man and God, the distinction of truly knowing and truly understanding, and Tom shares how The Old Guard, with whom he served, embodies the meaning of this passage. As always, our guest finishes the discussion by recounting the lessons that he has learned about mankind throughout his remarkable life. Tune in today to learn, along with Mark, just how important this passage is to those who serve in the Army, and the lessons it can offer to all of us.

Episode Highlights:

Quotes: “Probably one of the two most cited verses among soldiers, at least the soldiers I knew at the time I served.” “The Army’s way to purify you, to turn you into a true soldier who’d be ready to go forth and do the work, Lord’s work and the nation’s work.” “You should always do your duty and do what’s asked of you.” “It’s through that partnership of man and God that God’s work gets done on the Earth.” “There’s a difference between knowing of something and truly knowing it; of perceiving it and truly understanding it.” “Do the hard right over the easy wrong.” “Hopefully, the eternal wisdom and ever inspiring words of the Bible can bring us to an ever better place, politically and otherwise.”

Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of my Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me.” https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.6.8

Links:

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

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