Best Moshe Segal Podcasts (2025)

1
A Deeper Look at Asarah B'Teves (rebroadcast) 12:22

2+ y ago12:22

12:22

With the fast of the 10th of Teves approaching this week, I'm rebroadcasting episode 55 which contains such a powerful idea behind the spiritual power of this meaningful day. There are 6 public fast days on the Jewish calendar: Yom Kippur, Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av), Tzom Gedalia (the 3rd of Tishrei), Asarah Biteves (the 10th of Teves), Taanis Esth…

1
Ep. 87 The "Real" Miracle Of Chanuka 11:48

2+ y ago11:48

11:48

If you ask most people what the miracle of Chanuka was, they'll most likely respond with the story of a small jug of pure oil burning in the Temple for 8 nights. After all, we light our menorahs for 8 nights to commemorate that miracle! But, was that really the greatest miracle? Did a tiny small untrained Jewish army led by rabbis not defeat the mi…

1
Ep. 86 Understanding The Structure Of Torah: The Written And Oral Law 13:07

2+ y ago13:07

13:07

The Torah is broken up into many different sections and parts. The primary two being the written law (Torah She'bichsav) and the oral law (Torah She'ba'al Peh). In today's episode I lay out the general structure of the Torah and show how all the sections are interconnected. I also cover topics such as: 1) How could the oral law have been written do…

1
Ep. 85 Creating Real Change - Positive Teshuva 11:04

2+ y ago11:04

11:04

This past week I asked close to 50 people to think of something that they want to improve at over this coming year. A whopping 100% (!!!) thought of something that they're really bad at and is extremely difficult for them. This is often how we think. We know what we're bad at and want to change it, but when we approach it head on, we often fail and…

1
Ep. 84 The High Holidays - A Time To Pause and Think 11:47

2+ y ago11:47

11:47

Do you find yourself approaching the High Holidays the same way every year? Thinking about the same things you want to improve on that you said last year? With so much busyness in life, how can we make a real change? Join me as we look to our forefather Abraham, and his journey of finding God in a pagan culture, to help guide ourselves in 2022 and …

1
Ep. 83 Physician Assisted Suicide In Jewish Law 55:43

3y ago55:43

55:43

After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Brittany Maynard moved to Oregon, then (2014) one of only four states with legalized physician assisted suicide. She was a big activist for legalizing suicide for terminal patients, allowing them to "die on their own terms". In this class, we take a deep dive into the traditional sources on suicide and ph…

1
Ep. 82 Why Don't We Have An Immersive Spiritual Center Today? 9:55

3y ago9:55

9:55

Wouldn't life be simpler if we could just walk into a building and experience God? Would it not answer so many questions and doubts? Would it not provide such clarity of purpose and mission? A long time ago, when the Temple stood in Jerusalem it provided just that. Entering the temple was a transcendent experience - as if you were now experiencing …

1
Ep. 81 The Deeper Meaning Of Modeh Ani 11:11

3y ago11:11

11:11

The first words a Jew says when he or she wakes up is 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘩 𝘈𝘯𝘪, a prayer expressing thanks to God for another day. Jewish law desires one to say this prayer so immediately upon waking that the prayer doesn't contain the name of God in it, so one can say it even before they wash their hands (𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘮). What is so special about this prayer th…

1
Ep. 80 Understanding The Three Weeks 14:19

3y ago14:19

14:19

This coming weekend begins the saddest part of the Jewish calendar. Occurring across a three week period, between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av, this time period has held the most terrible tragedies for the Jewish nation. What were those tragedies? What's the history behind these ominous days? What's the message for us nowadays? What are the…

1
Ep. 79 Genetics In Torah Law 46:39

3y ago46:39

46:39

In this episode we look into the concept of genetics in Torah law. When are we developing the world and using the resources God gave us and when are we playing God? Is it ethical to pick the gender of a child? What about their height/eye color? What if it impacts their health? Does that make it better? In addition to these general questions, we dis…

1
Ep. 78 Personal Autonomy and Medical Coercion In Jewish Law - The Case of Cassandra C. vs. State of Connecticut 50:12

3y ago50:12

50:12

In this episode we take a look at the fascinating case of Cassandra C. In September 2014, Cassandra C., then 17 years old, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. After lying to the courts and running away from chemo, she was placed under the custody of the Connecticut Dept. of Children and Families. She was then forced to complete treatments agains…

1
Ep. 77 Disconnect To Reconnect (Understanding the Nazir) 11:18

3y ago11:18

11:18

Have you ever felt trapped in a certain behavior pattern and struggled to break out? Often when we approach our behaviors head on, we lose badly. How can the Torah guide us in this aspect? In Numbers chapter 6 the Torah discusses the Nazirite, one who accepts upon himself to separate from certain physical pleasures and focus on their spiritual grow…

1
Ep. 76 Flags & Unity: Individuality Within The Community 10:25

3y ago10:25

10:25

While traveling in the desert, God commands Moses to set up the Jews in very specific formation; three tribes in each direction and the tabernacle in the center. The Torah also teaches that each encampment had its own flag, as well as each tribe had its own flag. What was the role of these flags and encampments? Why not keep the people united as on…

1
Ep. 75 The Two Parts Of The Omer: Honor & Goodness 12:00

3y ago12:00

12:00

I heard earlier today that one of my greatest Rabbis passed away. His name was Rabbi Eliyahu Margulies zt'l, and he was the first teacher I had that really opened my eyes to the deeper side of Torah. Many of the ideas that I share on this podcast and throughout all of my teaching are sourced in what I learned from this great man. In his honor and i…

1
Ep. 74 Can You Really Love Your Neighbor As Yourself? 13:39

3y ago13:39

13:39

One of the most famous Jewish dictums is (Leviticus 19:18), "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But this verse seems quite difficult! Is it really possible? What does that mean? Do I really have to do everything that I would do for myself for all my Jewish brethren as well? Buy them their groceries? Lease them a car? Take out a mortgage for…

1
Ep. 73 Understanding The Counting Of The Omer 10:30

3y ago10:30

10:30

There is a biblical obligation to count 50 days from the Omer offering (Leviticus chapter 23), and then on the 50th day to bring an offering of two breads and celebrate a holiday (Shavuos). Even in modern times, in which we no longer have a temple and can no longer perform these offerings, we still count the 50 day period from when the Omer should'…

1
Ep. 72 A Deeper Look At The Yahrtzeit 11:17

3y ago11:17

11:17

The Yahrtzeit is the Hebrew date of passing of a close family member. There are many customs observed on the yahrtzeit as a merit for the departed soul, such as, lighting a 24 hour candle, learning Torah and saying the mourner's kaddish. In this episode, I take a deeper look at the significance of the yahrtzeit and its customs. What exactly happens…

1
Ep. 71 Freedom and Pesach (class recording) 40:32

3y ago40:32

40:32

What is the real definition of "freedom"? Is it doing whatever we want, however we want, whenever we want or is it something more internal? How does the Torah define freedom? Join me as we analyze a few unique stories of "freedom" to uncover this essential principle. Additionally, we'll discuss many other fundamental ideas, such as free choice, the…

1
Ep. 70 The Laws Of The Passover Seder 8:03

3y ago8:03

8:03

This episode is the last one discussing the laws of Passover. In episode 68, I discussed the laws (and philosophy) of removing chametz from your house in general. In episode 69, I discussed how to kasher your year-round kitchen to allow you to use it for cooking Passover food. In this episode, I discuss the laws of the Passover Seder. We'll go thro…

1
Ep. 69 Kashering Your Kitchen For Passover 9:06

3y ago9:06

9:06

In this episode, I discuss the laws of using your year-round kitchen for Passover foods. Obviously, we want to avoid any chametz from getting into our Passover food, but in addition to actual physical chametz, the Torah prohibits chametz "flavor" from being cooked into our Passover food as well. The episode begins with the general rules of taste tr…

1
Ep. 68 Removing Chametz And Setting Up Your Pesach Zone 12:38

3y ago12:38

12:38

This episode begins with the laws of chametz, leavened bread, on the holiday of Passover. Interestingly, in addition to the famous prohibition against eating chametz on Passover, there is actually a less-known law prohibiting even owning chametz on Pesach! After defining what exactly chametz is, we'll learn how to avoid all the prohibitions regardi…

1
Ep. 67 A Deeper Look At Kosher 12:49

3y ago12:49

12:49

The concept of Kosher is probably one of the most well-known Torah laws in the world. Why is that? Is there a deeper theme behind it that reflects the broader lessons of Torah? In this episode, we'll discuss that which the great Kabbalists before us, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Lozzatto, Rabbi Shneur Zalmen of Liadi and the holy Ariz'al, revealed to us about…

1
Ep. 66 The Mourner's Kaddish 10:54

3y ago10:54

10:54

The Kaddish is one of the most powerful prayers that we have. The Talmud goes so far as to say that the Kaddish is one of two merits that allow the world to continue to exist. Additionally, the Kaddish is one of the most observed rituals in Judaism. Even Jews who don't frequently attend services, will make sure to come to synagogue when they need t…

1
Ep. 65 The Essence Of Amalek 12:39

3y ago12:39

12:39

The verse states that G-d loves peace and makes peace, and yet when it comes to the nation of Amalek, G-d very strongly condemns them and demands the Jewish nation to completely destroy any trace memory of them. Why is that? Why would a peaceful G-d desire that? There must be more to the Amalekite concept than initially meets the eye. Join me as we…

1
Ep. 64 ʅɐsɹǝʌǝꓤ ɯᴉɹnԀ ʇɐǝɹ⅁ ǝɥꓕ 10:14

3y ago10:14

10:14

One of the great themes of the holiday of Purim is the concept of "Vinahafoch Hu," and it is completely reversed. This concept appears throughout the Purim story and alludes to the fact that all of the parts of the story that appeared initially as gloomy, difficult and mournful in the end were reversed and not only were we saved from them, but thos…

1
Ep. 63 The Friday Night Kiddush 9:36

3y ago9:36

9:36

Every Friday night, we begin the Shabbos meal with sanctifying the Shabbos over a cup of wine (making Kiddush). It seems like such a simple action, but the Talmud teaches that through saying this Kiddush, we are actually becoming partners with God in the creation of the world! What does that mean? How does saying a few verses and blessings turn us …

1
Ep. 62 A Deeper Look At Clothing 11:09

3+ y ago11:09

11:09

In many places throughout the Torah and Rabbinic writing we find an emphasis on clothing. There are mitzvahs surrounding the clothing we wear, and there's even an entire Torah portion on the materials and style of the priests' clothing while serving in the tabernacle and temple. The question is, why does God care about our clothing? Doesn't God car…

1
Ep. 61 The Secret Of The Jewish Leap Year 12:31

3+ y ago12:31

12:31

The Jewish calendar is a lunisolar calendar, meaning it aligns with the cycles of both the sun and the moon. Since the solar year is 11 days longer than the lunar year, every few years (occurring 7 times in every 19 years) we add an extra month to the year, to align these two calendars. This year is a leap year, and we recently began the Jewish mon…

1
Ep. 60 Gefilte Fish History And Shabbos 9:49

3+ y ago9:49

9:49

One of the most recognizable Jewish dishes is the gefilte fish. Often served with a cooked carrot and a side of beets and horseradish sauce, known as chrein, it's probably the most classic appetizer at any Ashkenazi shabbos table. In this episode, we begin with the history of the gefilte and actually discover it wasn't originally a Jewish creation!…

1
Ep. 59 Man Is Like A Tree In The Field - Tu Bi'Shevat 2022 10:25

3+ y ago10:25

10:25

The Mishna (Rosh HaShanah 2a) teaches us that the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shevat is the "New Years for the Trees." In the practical sense this impacts multiple laws of agriculture as explained in the Torah. But is that all it is? Is it merely a birthday for the trees or is there a stronger more personal connection to us? We find multiple ex…

1
Ep. 58 The Ten Commandments, The Ten Plagues and The Ten Utterances: Discovering The Soul Of The World 10:16

3+ y ago10:16

10:16

Anyone who has read the Bible knows that G-d famously decimated the Egyptian nation with 10 plagues, enabling the Jews to leave and gain their freedom. But why did G-d need 10 plagues? G-d is all-powerful! He could've just marched the Jews right out! What was the purpose of these ten plagues? Join me as we discover a fascinating connection between …

1
Ep. 57 Blessing Our Children On Friday Night 11:54

3+ y ago11:54

11:54

Many have the custom to give their children a blessing before they sit down to the Friday night Shabbos meal. We place our hands on our children's head and wish our daughters to be like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah and our sons to be like Ephraim and Menashe and conclude with the Priestly blessings. Why do we give this blessing on Friday night? …

1
Ep. 56 You Are Worthy Of A Relationship With God 10:34

3+ y ago10:34

10:34

When people think of their relationship with God, they sometimes feel unworthy. God is so great, is it possible that he really cares about me individually? Does he really want to hear my prayer? Does he really care if I get stuck in traffic? Or perhaps, God did a personal miracle for them and they wonder why did God spare me from a potential traged…

1
Ep. 55 The Heavenly Tribunal and Asarah Bi'Teves 12:22

3+ y ago12:22

12:22

There are 6 public fast days on the Jewish calendar: Yom Kippur, Tisha B'Av (the 9th of Av), Tzom Gedalia (the 3rd of Tishrei), Asarah Biteves (the 10th of Teves), Taanis Esther (the 13th of Adar) and Shiva Asar Bi'Tammuz (the 17th of Tammuz). And while Yom Kippur and the fast of Esther each have their own independent reason for fasting, the remain…

1
Ep. 54 Uncovering Chanukah's Deeper Meaning 12:33

3+ y ago12:33

12:33

Chanukah is often viewed as the holiday of lights in which we light the Menorah, eat oily foods and get presents, but is that all there is to Chanukah? In this episode, we uncover the ideological underpinning of the Maccabean revolt against the great Greek army. What did Ancient Greece stand for? What was the Jewish response? How did the Maccabees …

1
Ep. 53 Laws and Customs of Chanukah 15:06

3+ y ago15:06

15:06

In this episode, we go through the basic laws and customs of Chanukah. We discuss the menorah, the fuel, time of lighting, placement of the menorah, the game of dreidel, Chanukah gifts and much more. If you want a quick 15 minute primer to either learn for the first time or remind yourself from last year of all the various laws and customs, you won…

1
Ep. 52 Why Are We Called Jews? 11:28

3+ y ago11:28

11:28

The name we generally identify with as a religion and a nation is the "Jew". We consider ourselves Jewish and practice Judaism, but have you ever wondered where this name comes from? In the Torah, God refers to the nation as the "sons of Israel" or the "Israelites" but no mention of Jews or Judaism, so where did that come from? Join me as we take b…

1
Ep. 51 Why Are The Stories Of Genesis Included In The Torah? 10:59

3+ y ago10:59

10:59

The Torah is a legal guide to help us maximize our time in this world. The word Torah itself means instruction or teachings. Why would a book of laws begin with stories? Imagine if the constitution began with stories of George Washington, Paul Revere and Samuel Adams, it'd be ridiculous! The place for stories is in the history books, not the law bo…

1
Ep. 50 Why Are Mitzvahs Physical - Understanding Physical and Spiritual Space 11:53

3+ y ago11:53

11:53

Often when one thinks of a deep spiritual experience, they think of a transcendent meditation, or maybe about accessing deeper levels of consciousness or the like. They don't generally think of hanging a parchment outside their front door (mezuzah) or sitting in a wooden hut (Sukka), separating a piece of bread for the priest (Challah), yet when we…

1
Ep. 49 Uncovering the Mystery of Mikvah 12:05

3+ y ago12:05

12:05

The Mikvah is one of the most powerful tools in Judaism. The Mikvah has the ability to transform a ritually impure (tamei) person into a pure one (tahor), as well as to transform a gentile into Jew. How does entering a pool of water accomplish such a magnificent transformation? Where does the Mikvah draw this amazing power from? This episode begins…

1
Ep. 48 Understanding A Traditional Jewish Wedding 12:50

3+ y ago12:50

12:50

Marriage is one of the most important values in Judaism, and as such the marriage process is filled with meaningful rituals and processes, reflecting the magnitude of the moment. Often many people aren't aware of the meaning behind much of what's being done, so in this episode, we go through the entire wedding process from the time one enters the w…

1
Ep. 47 - Why Do We Look At Our Fingernails During Havdala? 10:30

3+ y ago10:30

10:30

The Havdala ritual is comprised of making a blessing on a cup of wine, a candle and nice smelling spices. When we make the blessing over the havdala candle, the code of Jewish Law teaches us that we should fold our fingers down over our palms and look at our fingernails and palms. What is the meaning of this custom? Why do we look at them? Join me …

1
Ep. 46 The Holiday Season and The Search For Adam 13:54

3+ y ago13:54

13:54

The incredible holiday season, beginning with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, continuing to Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, and then Sukkos, finally comes to a climax with the holiday of Shemini Atzeres. And while all the other holidays have unique commandments associated with them (shofar, fasting, lulav and esrog, sitting in a sukkah etc.) …

1
Ep. 45 A Deeper Look at the Laws of Yom Kippur 12:22

3+ y ago12:22

12:22

Yom Kippur is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar and carries along with that many unique laws and customs. What are all the laws of Yom Kippur? When do they apply? What's the deeper meaning of them? Is there a common theme that goes across all these laws? Join me as we uncover the unique element of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and we'll di…

1
Ep 44 It's Not Too Late To Repent 10:26

3+ y ago10:26

10:26

What if we feel like we haven't accomplished as much repentance as we would've liked over the past month? What if we are embarrassed to show our faces in synagogue on the High Holidays after another year of failed accomplishments? What's the advice? Join me as I relay a few parables revealing the key to gaining God's assistance in the repentance pr…

1
Ep. 43 The Power of the Shofar 13:19

3+ y ago13:19

13:19

The only mitzvah unique to Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, is the obligation to hear the Shofar blasts. These Shofar blasts are so powerful that they actually get God to move from his throne of judgement to his throne of mercy. What is so special about the Shofar? How does it produce this heavenly transformation of Godly perspective? And, why is…

1
Ep. 42 Uncovering the True Essence of Rosh Hashana 10:59

4y ago10:59

10:59

Many view the day of Rosh Hashana as the Day of Judgement; when God looks at our past year's actions and determines what the next year will look like. But if that's all Rosh Hashana is, why don't the Rabbis primarily refer to it as Yom Hadin, the Day of Judgement. Why call it Rosh Hashana, the beginning of the year? And why does the service on Rosh…

1
Ep. 41 Elul - When God Is Near 10:10

4y ago10:10

10:10

Our Rabbis teach us that during the month of Elul, God makes Himself more accessible than at any other time of the year. During this period of introspection and self improvement, God is standing there with us in the fields, helping us along. Join me as we discover why this is? What is special about this time period that God makes Himself more avail…

1
Ep. 40 Seeing God's Hand - Stories of Providence 14:37

4y ago14:37

14:37

When you take care of G-d's children, you're partnering with G-d and you can be confident that he'll assist you in your efforts. If you want to see the hand of G-d in your life, get involved in communal efforts and you're sure to see how things come together in ways that are oozing with providence. In this episode, I veer off my classic style of wo…

1
Ep. 39 Eruv: The Essence of Shabbos 9:42

4y ago9:42

9:42

In the last episode, we discussed the practical elements of constructing a community eruv. In this episode, we take a deeper look. What does an eruv represent in Kabbalah? Why does the tractate of Shabbos begin with the laws of carrying outside on Shabbos? Why does the Torah exemplify Sabbath observance with the laws of eruv? Join me as we uncover …

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Moshe Segal Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide