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A discussion on a topic from the week's Parsha covering many important parts of Judaism that are not regularly addressed.... more
FAQs about Torah Cafe:How many episodes does Torah Cafe have?The podcast currently has 410 episodes available.
January 23, 2023The Blessing on the MoonEvery month, we gather and say a blessing and prayers thanking G-d for the moon. The blessing is a very special moment with many unique and unusual prayers included....more43minPlay
January 15, 2023Why do Jewish men wear a Kippa?One of the hallmarks of the Jewish dress code is that men cover their heads, usually with a Kippah or Yarmulke. Why do Jewish men cover their heads? Why do we use a Kippah? Must it be worn all the time or just in the synagogue? Why don't women wear a Kippah too.A fascinating discussion about the Kippah and Yarmulke....more47minPlay
January 08, 2023The Dead Sea ScrollsThe Dead Sea Scrolls, possibly the greatest discovery in Jewish history, were largely preserved scrolls from the late Second Temples period (2000 years ago) that were discovered near the Dead Sea about 80 years ago.The Dead Sea scrolls describe the lives of the people who wrote them and lived with them as well as a number of parts of the Tanach (Jewish Scriptures)...more57minPlay
January 01, 2023The Story of Translating the TorahFor the first 1,000 years of Judaism, the Torah was only available in Hebrew. However, in the thousands of years since, the Torah was translated into Greek, Aramaic, Latin and eventually hundreds of other languages.Some translations were done by Jews, many were done by non-Jews. Some translations were accurate while others corrupted the text. Some translations were seen by Jews as a major accomplishment while others were seen as a tragedy.A fascinating discussion about the long and complex history of translating the Torah....more57minPlay
December 25, 2022The Mystery of the Star of DavidThe Star of David is widely recognized as the symbol of Judaism and the Jewish people. Where did the Star of David come from? What is its significance? When did it become a Jewish symbol? Does it hold mystical powers?A fascinating discussion about the mystery of the Star of David!...more44minPlay
December 19, 2022The Clash Between the Jews and the GreeksTwo of the greatest ancient civilizations were the Jews and the Greeks. After the Greek conquest of the Persian Empire, Jews and Greeks lived together all around the Middle East and beyond.The two great civilizations with their respective beliefs, traditions and wisdom influenced each other greatly but also clashed. The most notable clash was the banning of Judaism in the Seleucid Greek Kingdom around 200 BCE that led to the rebellion led by the Maccabees.A fascinating discussion about the great clash between the ancient Jewish and Greek civilizations....more45minPlay
December 11, 2022The Battle of the Two SoulsOne of the most important books of Jewish mysticism is called the Tanya. The primary theme of the Tanya is that every person has two souls inside them that battle each other constantly.A fascinating discussion about the Tanya's teachings of the battle of the two souls inside every person....more42minPlay
December 04, 2022The Historical Riddle of the Missing 150 yearsOne of the greatest riddles in history is the strange contradiction between Jewish and Greek sources over the length of the Persian Empire. While Jewish biblical and rabbinic sources speak of a short empire that lasted about 50 years, Greek sources put the Persian Empire as lasting over 200 years.This riddle has troubled historians for hundreds of years with various theories put forth to resolve it but still remains largely unresolved today....more1hPlay
November 27, 2022The 12 TribesThe Jewish people in ancient times were split into 12 tribes descending from the 12 sons of Jacob. Each tribe has unique features and roles in Jewish history.A discussion about the 12 tribes, their histories, uniqueness and if we can know which of the tribes we come from today....more47minPlay
November 20, 2022No Jew Will be Left BehindWhen the majority of Jews in the world were mostly assimilated by the mid 20th century, many observant Jews worked to build their own enclaves where they could build traditional observant Jewish communities.The Rebbe who led the Chabad movement, took a different approach. He encouraged his followers to build communities for unaffiliated Jews and slowly bring each of them back to their Jewish heritage.The fascinating story of how the Rebbe refused to give up on a single Jew leading to him sending thousands of emissaries to reach each and every Jew....more44minPlay
FAQs about Torah Cafe:How many episodes does Torah Cafe have?The podcast currently has 410 episodes available.