Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

January 17, 2024
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 46 - The Incredible Samson

You may have grown up hearing the story of Samson, whose strength was connected to his hair. Did you know that it was also tied to one of his emotions? RDY gently guides us on a comparative look of how Samson’s love of Delilah and his destructive anger ties him to certain gamma based characters in Marvel comics.

00:00:42 The story of Samson
00:02:55 Samson’s Riddle
00:08:10 The Hulk, aka Bruce Banner
00:12:08 Dr. David Banner
00:12:48 You may not like him when he’s angry
00:18:40 Where their strengths come from
00:20:51 Anger and God
00:32:26 Being gripped by God
00:36:13 Designed on a flaw
00:38:03 Doc Samson

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January 3, 2024
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 45 - Our Heroes and Transformative Grief

Ethan returns and shares about his brief hiatus from the show due to the loss of a loved one. In this episode, we celebrate the life of Kiya, we each discuss how our grief has shaped us, and the difficult personal experiences and choices that can come from losing someone dear to us.

00:00:48 Final reminder for Torah Smash! Live!
00:01:50 Ethan talks about Kiya and the reason for his hiatus
00:03:55 Let’s talk about grief
00:07:47 Meowing and other moments of relief
00:11:17 The Jewish grieving process
00:13:04 The difference between “grief” and “mourn”
00:16:30 What types of support have you continued for others?
00:22:54 King Solomon’s special ring
00:27:57 All captains experience grief
00:32:27 It can consume you or transform you
00:34:58 The custom of kriah - tearing
00:37:43 What characters are shaped by grief
00:42:20 Sometimes there is no conclusion

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December 20, 2023
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 44 - Loki and the Whale…With Special Guest Joshua Edelglass

In this episode, we timeslip between Loki, the TVA, and Nineveh with our guest, Josh Edelglass. We go back in time to talk about Loki season 2 and his learned compassion for others, just like Jonah who gained compassion for his fellow man (and many beasts as well). So pull up your throne at the end of time and grab a slice of key lime pie, because all we can say about this episode is *in your best Owen Wilson impression* “wow.”

00:02:01 Regaling about JewCE
00:03:11 Book Your Tickets for Tora Smash! Live!
00:04:03 Loki is back in Season 2
00:07:15 Who else learns about compassion for others?
00:08:13 The Book of Jonah
00:11:01 What does Judaism say about our own glorious purpose?
00:13:15 Unrealized purposes
00:22:01 For you, for all of us.
00:24:24 Biblical misinterpreted purposes
00:26:29 The missing endings and origins
00:33:00 When will we see you again?
00:35:35 Favorite parts of the Loki series
00:39:03 The meaning of Key Lime Pie
00:42:15 The Jewish Ouroboros

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December 6, 2023
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 43 - Love, Jews + Robots …With Guest Host Joshua Sky

Our guest host this week, Joshua Sky, is not only a writer for popular properties like He-Man , Heavy Metal Illustrated, and Ben10, but he is also a massive Sci-Fi fan. He gives us an in depth look at how the era of Science Fiction started as well as the multitude of Jewish influences on its progression into modern sci-fi and comic stories.

00:02:20 Torah Smash! Live!
00:04:00 The Jewish influence on modern science fiction
00:07:36 The golden age of science fiction
00:09:11 Isaac Asimov, an OG Jewish nerd
00:11 34 The 3 Jewish Laws of Robotics
00:13:58 Asimov’s WWII rescuers
00:14:53 Stemming from the science fiction pulps
00:18:09 Judaism and jealousy in modern comics
00:22:29 Pulp science fiction paved the way for comic mythology
00:24:16 Jewish undertones
00:26:51 More representation, stemming from our love for others
00:30:38 Closing the gears on this robot
00:34:04 One last special He-Man Hanukkah smash!

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November 22, 2023
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 42 - Treehouse of Talmud …With Guest Host Rabbi Benjamin Sharff

This week, guest host Rabbi Benjamin Sharff crashes into our living room couch and teaches us about the Jewish connections from the longest running sitcom in television history, The Simpsons. The incredible discoveries made here will have you saying “ay, caramba!”

00:02:31 Torah Smash! Live! Reminder
00:03:22 The Simpsons (sing the theme song opening in your head now)
00:07:26 The Mishnah (sing this the same way in your head)
00:08:30 Longest running show
00:15:03 The Jewish side of The Simpsons
00:17:10 Favorite Simpsons episodes
00:20:39 Simpsons rabbinic spinoffs
00:22:27 What if the Temple was rebuilt?
00:31:10 More Simpsons characters and appearances

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November 8, 2023
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 41 - Ahsoka Tano, RJE

In this episode, Ethan teaches us what makes Ahsoka and her Star Wars Rebels teammates different from those who came before them. Is it how they were taught? Or how they were teaching others? And which of the series’ characters are the most Jewish? Jump on a intergalactic traveling purrgil and let’s find out together!

00:00:41 Torah Smash! Live!
00:02:25 Ahsoka introduced in a Clone Wars
00:03:38 Star Wars Rebels is where it’s at
00:04:17 Who is the most Jewish character in Ahsoka?
00:05:00 The wise elder, Huyang
00:06:22 Ezra Bridger
00:08:46 Morgan Elsbeth and the Akeida
00:15:00 Kanan Jarrus, the best jedi?
00:16:58 Sabine Wren, Jew by choice
00:24:22 Ahsoka Tano is not just a Jewish Jedi
00:27:58 What am I doing wrong?
00:30:38 J.E.D.I. Training
00:31:15 Yoda’s Jewish roots
00:32:11 Ahsoka Season 2 Theories

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October 25, 2023
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 40 - Top 5 Jewish Characters ...With Special Guest Isaac Brynjegard Bialik

We welcome back Isaac to the show in this exploratory look at Jews in pop culture. We count down each of our top five favorite Jewish characters in pop-culture. We may have had some overlap in our choices, but were there any that we forgot?

00:02:15 Coming this January: Torah Smash! Live!
00:03:57 How does this countdown work?
00:05:01 Starting with our #5 picks
00:12:45 First sign of trouble with our #4’s
00:30:27 These #3’s are bringing the heat!
00:40:20 Another contentious round with our #2 picks
00:58:23 Our top favorites
01:12:25 Honorable mentions

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Learn more about Isaac's career and artwork at https://www.nicejewishartist.com/ and learn about he and his wife's art workshops at https://www.papermidrash.com/

October 11, 2023
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 39 - Indiana Jones and the Dial of Beshert

Jock! Start the podcast! This episode we explore the most recent installment to the Indiana Jones franchise and the titular character’s entanglement with destiny. We also ask why everything belongs in a museum? And why did it have to be snakes? We don’t know. We’re making this up as we go. Just be glad we didn’t also name the podcast Indiana.

00:00:38 Big Indy fans
00:03:29 The yiddish word beshert
00:03:53 Destiny vs. free will according to Judaism
00:05:52 Joseph's divine story
00:07:19 Process theology
00:11:33 Indiana without Indiana, Isaac without Isaac
00:16:45 Moments of beshert in our lives
00:22:51 Ranking the Indy movies
00:28:18 Warehouse 13 and The Librarian
00:29:55 Jewish Archeology
00:31:41 Struggles with faith and facts
00:35:10 Changing names

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September 27, 2023
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 38 - The Latest Last of Us …With Guest Host Rabbi Eric Linder

This episode’s guest host, Rabbi Eric Linder, reintroduces us to the recent HBO drama The Last of Us and its artful history. We’re not playing games when we explore the connections between this retelling of the Playstation hit to a few poignant biblical texts.

00:04:38 The Last of Us video game
00:08:30 The retelling in Deuteronomy
00:12:46 A completely different reason for Shabbat
00:16:17 Not so faithful adaptations
00:22:20 Retelling for a different audience
00:27:54 Retelling in the same medium
00:29:54 We have Rashi
00:31:11 Biblical text in cinema
00:34:53 The return of the twelve spies
00:41:58 Favorite video games

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September 13, 2023
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 37 - Jews in Space? …With Special Guest Dr. Miriam Mora

The Co-Creator of JewCE (the Jewish Comics Experience), Dr. Miriam Mora, joins us as we explore strange Jew worlds, seek out Jew life and Jew civilizations, and boldly discuss which of the numerous Star Trek species are Jewish. You may find some of our conclusions highly illogical, but just know that we’ve given it all we’ve got!

00:03:47 Exploring the alien races and species of Star Trek
00:04:55 Have you watched any Star Trek?
00:11:54 The Vulcan salute, their origins, and their struggles
00:22:43 The Ferengi and historical antisemitism
00:38:28 The Klingons. The Klingons?
00:43:26 Worf
00:43:47 The Bajorans
00:45:23 Cardassians
00:45:48 Why the answer is yes

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