Best Rabbi David Lapin Podcasts (2025)

1
Avodah Zarah 58b Thwarting the Anti-Semite - יין שמסכו עכום 17:15

3d ago17:15

17:15

We have an example of how the great Poskim solve human and social problems within the guardrails of Halacha by fully understanding the context of the circumstance Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 57a Transformational Choices - עד שתשקע עבודת כוכבים מפיהם 20:23

4d ago20:23

20:23

Every choice we make entails a cost, a sacrifice. Some choices are made from an inner place of fear, others from a deeper place, from a place of soul, of Emunah. These are the choices that are transformational Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 56b Hands and Feet - נסוך דרגל לא שמיה ניסוך 16:11

5d ago16:11

16:11

We explore how the differences between hands and feet extend beyond physiology and even halacha, to kabbalistic ideas as well Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 55a Medicine and Miracle -חלאים רעים ונאמנים 18:57

6d ago18:57

18:57

Medicine plays a critical role in health care – but there are other factors too, and science goes far beyond what we know in any given age Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 52a Leadership Greatness - דיין שאינו הגון כאילו נוטע אשרה בישראל 20:43

9d ago20:43

20:43

Leadership greatness entails the combination of character and wisdom. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 51a Corrupting Holiness - בעינא כעין פנים 18:47

10d ago18:47

18:47

Defiling that which is holy, corrupting that which is authentic, is one of the most serious transgressions Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 50a Discernment - בנן של קדושים 19:50

11d ago19:50

19:50

Seeing to the essence of things and discerning the differences between that which appears similar Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 49b Transference and Contamination - יוליך הנאה לים המלח 19:46

12d ago19:46

19:46

The negative force of idolatry contained in an object cannot be transferred but it can contaminate other objects. Destroying the contaminated object can at times destroy the negative force in its entirety Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 48a A Tree and its Branches - גדעו ופסלו לשם עכום 18:00

13d ago18:00

18:00

Parents are obligated to do their best in how they raise their children. But if their children turn out bad, how responsible are they? Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 45a The Hills are Alive with Idolatry - ההרים והגבעות 17:03

16d ago17:03

17:03

The source of idolatry is neither in the object of service, nor in the subject serving it. The source is in a corrupted value system. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 44b Sanctity in Thought and Words - דברים של קודש בלשון חול 18:52

17d ago18:52

18:52

There is so much sanctity in the words of torah that even thinking about them in inappropriate places is forbidden Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 43a The Dragon Ring - טבעת רבי אליעזר הקפר 18:40

18d ago18:40

18:40

One can be attached to an object or to its commercial value. In the same way one can be attached to an idea embedded in that object. Idolatry is an added layer of value embedded in a worshipped object Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 42a Ownership and Value - גזרה דלמא מגבה לה 16:22

19d ago16:22

16:22

There is a widely held assumption that if one is forbidden to benefit from a certain object, it has no value and therefore is not subject to the laws of ownership. However, probing more deeply we discover ownership is not determined by one’s rights to an object but rather by one’s responsibility for it. Source Sheet…

1
Avodah Zarah 41a Ideas and Objects - חומר וצורה_עכום שנשתברה מאיליה 20:57

20d ago20:57

20:57

Unlike other faiths, the Torah does not bifurcate the spiritual and the material, they are fused into one. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 38a Food and Social Intimacy - בישולי עכום 18:30

23d ago18:30

18:30

Intimacy is not only about who is in the inner, intimate circle; it is also about who is not. Boundaries create social intimacy Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 37a Reputation as a Tool for Self-Awareness - קרו לן בית דין שריא 20:50

24d ago20:50

20:50

Truth and reputation are not always loving siblings. There are times when truthfulness can impair reputation thereby reducing an individual’s future effectiveness. But sometimes we have to listen tour reputation and challenge our inner beings and deeper motivations Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 36a Tradition & Innovation - אין בית דין יכול לבטל דברי בית דין חבירו וכו 22:53

25d ago22:53

22:53

Faithfulness to tradition assures authenticity. Innovation avoids rigidity and fundamentalism. How do we balance the two? Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 35a-b Teachers and Angels - עלמות אהבוך 17:04

26d ago17:04

17:04

To be a nation of learners, as we are, we need first and foremost to be a nation of teachers. Teaching is not just a means of enabling the next generation with the knowledge and skills they need, teaching is also a form of learning by which the teacher can access higher levels of understanding than he would merely as a scholar. Source Sheet…

1
Avodah Zarah 34a Time Dilutes Impact - קנקנים של עכום לאחר יב חדש מותרים 20:22

27d ago20:22

20:22

Time has a diluting effect both on memories and on the impact of events and even materials. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 31b Beer and Wine - מפני מה אסרו שכר של עכום 17:09

1M ago17:09

17:09

Wine is a vehicle both of social connection and of connection to Hashem. Dilution of Jewish society through intermarriage dilutes our relationship to Hashem as well. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 18 The Anatomy of a Sheila - ברוריא ברתיה דר' חנינא בן תרדיון 14:53

1M ago14:53

14:53

Have we paid too high a price for the release of our hostages or is no price too high? Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Avodah Zarah 2a Overture – פתיחה למסכת ע"ז 19:08

2M ago19:08

19:08

By Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 40b Good Character is Innate – אין אדם מעיז פניו 18:10

2M ago18:10

18:10

In some areas we are expected to master and overcome our natural urges. But there are areas, the areas of basic human character, where virtue is innate – we simply need to nurture and develop it. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 37a When Image Becomes a Mask – קרבן אשם לשבועת הפיקדון 19:24

2M ago19:24

19:24

When using Hashem as a strategy to gain trust which is then broken, the transgression is not just monetary, but one of faith as well Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 36a What we Imply is Also a Statement -מכלל לאו אתה שומע הן 19:07

2M ago19:07

19:07

We need to be mindful not only of what we say but also of what our words imply, even if not said Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 35a-b Empathy and Grace - ליכא מידי אחריני דנקרא רחום וחנון 18:40

2M ago18:40

18:40

The synthesis of empathy and grace applies to Hashem uniquely Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 34b and 41b Memory - מלתא דלא רמיא עליה 18:22

2M ago18:22

18:22

How much we remember or whether we remember at all, depends on the responsibility we have to remember and the degree to which we are intentional about remembering Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 30a Be Judgmental - הוי דן את חבירך לכף זכות 18:20

3M ago18:20

18:20

The Torah goes much further than requiring us to not be judgmental. The Torah wants us to make positive assumptions about the actions and intentions of others wherever possible. This is both a law, and a strategy for successful relationships Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 29a Perspectives and Truth - שבועת שוא ושקר 17:54

3M ago17:54

17:54

Everything we see is a perspective, not the Truth." – Marcus Aurelius. Is this true according to Torah? Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 28a Being Human - האדם בשבוע 16:47

3M ago16:47

16:47

Being human means being conscious and aware not only of what we do but also of the consequences of what we do Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 27a When it is Right to Do Wrong- נשבע להרע לעצמו 18:39

3M ago18:39

18:39

Life is seldom black and white. Even in matters of moral values, there are times we need to prioritize one value over others. In Halacha is also nuanced and at times we must prioritize one halacha over another. How we prioritize values and halacha is a skill we develop through the learning of Gemara. Source Sheet…

1
Shevuot 26b Write or Speak - מוצא שפתיך תשמור 17:06

3M ago17:06

17:06

A thought that is articulated carries with it a powerful energy that a thought alone lacks. A written thought carries a similar energy, but lacks the communication nuances that the oral word has Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 23b Cannot vs May Not - יראת שמים ויראת חטא 16:39

3M ago16:39

16:39

There is a qualitative difference between things we cannot do because they go against our nature or against the laws of nature, and things we can do but may not. However, is this difference in our minds or is it a difference in reality? Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 22b The Moral Authority of Logic - איבעית אימא סברא 21:24

3M ago21:24

21:24

We assume that a clear imperative of the Torah carries the highest moral authority. Yet this may not be so: rational human logic carries an even higher authority and underpins the authority of the Torah Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 21a Forging G-d’s Signature - בית דין של מעלה אין מנקין אותו 17:17

3M ago17:17

17:17

Forging G-d’s “signature” to authenticate a lie undermines the very essence of Truth Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 20a Contextual Interpretation - במסרבין בו לאכול 19:14

3M ago19:14

19:14

As in the case of Nedarim, in Shevuot the precise meaning of the language used is critically important. Nevertheless, Abaye teaches us, context can provide a very different interpretation of an individual’s intention Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 19a Avoiding OCD in Halacha - שני שבילין 20:02

3M ago20:02

20:02

The stakes in Halacha are high. The consequences of committing an aveira (wrongdoing), even in error, are serious. However, Halacha magnificently builds mechanisms to avoid people developing OCD over the fear of possibly having committed an aveira. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 16b What is the Shechina - משכן ומקדש 18:11

3M ago18:11

18:11

Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 14b -15a Education on Purpose - עבודתן מחנכתן 18:34

3M ago18:34

18:34

Education is the process of bringing out the potential an individual already has for a particular talent or characteristic Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 14b Knowledge and Reality - נעלם ממנו מקום מקדש 18:42

3M ago18:42

18:42

This sugiya explores the difference in consciousness between theoretical knowledge and one’s living reality Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 12b-13a Yom Kippur Afternoon - יום הכפורים מכפר 15:18

3M ago15:18

15:18

By the time we reach Yom Kippur afternoon, our Kapara (Atonement) is complete. The remainder of the day our focus pivots from healing self to healing others and to the universe we might have contaminated with our actions. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Shevuot 5a The Subconscious - ונעלם 21:23

3M ago21:23

21:23

Normally a shogeig (unintentional action) means that at the time of the action we had no knowledge that what we were ding was wrong. In the case of שגגת טומאת מקדש וקדשיו the un intentionality that triggers the obligation to bring a קרבן עולה ויורד, requires a measure of subconscious knowledge that the action was wrong. We explore the nature of sub…

1
Shevuot 4a Contradictions in Halacha - ומשנה לא זזה ממקומה 20:22

4M ago20:22

20:22

Halacha is a living process. Poskim (halachik decisors), like all of us, are works in progress. Their decisions at a given time are snapshots of their evolution at that time. Their later opinions, when different from earlier ones, do not invalidate the reasoning of these earlier opinions which remain a part of our halachik canon. Source Sheet…

1
Shevuot 2a Overture_ What is an Oath - סדר ישועות 20:41

4M ago20:41

20:41

Universally, oaths are taken seriously as a way of assuring facts in the future and establishing facts in the past. This is because the idea of oaths is a natural law built into the creation Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Makkot 23b Finale_Reward, Sanctity and Freedom - רצה הקבה לזכות את ישראל 21:10

4M ago21:10

21:10

ר' חנניא בן עקשיא אומר: רצה הקדוש ברוך הוא לזכות את ישראל לפיכך הרבה להם תורה ומצות, שנאמר: ה' חפץ למען צדקו יגדיל תורה ויאדיר Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Makkot 21b-22a Deconstructing Complexity - יש חורש תלם אחד 16:50

4M ago16:50

16:50

The value of an object, action or idea is a function of the number and complexity of its individual components. Connoisseurs appreciate this. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Makkot 20b Gender Differences_ Appearance and Behavior - לא ילבש 22:13

4M ago22:13

22:13

Gender confusion is initiated not only by cross-dressing and make-up, but also by cross-gender behavior Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Makkot 18b Prosperity and Sacrifice - ביכורים הנחה מעכבת 21:51

4M ago21:51

21:51

National prosperity is a blessing from Hashem that is conditional on the sacrifices that individuals make. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Makkot 17a Wholeness - בריה 18:57

4M ago18:57

18:57

When the Torah names something not as a description of a commodity but as the definition of a specific object’s wholeness, it becomes a “beriah”, something whose identity is complete and cannot be adulterated. Source SheetBy Rabbi David Lapin

1
Makkot 16a Awareness - התראה 21:07

4M ago21:07

21:07

Doing something by mistake (שוגג) and doing it intentionally (מזיד) are two points on a single spectrum of awareness. Full awareness of what one is doing creates the conditions for a מזיד; anything less than full awareness already moves the dial in the direction of שוגג. The purpose of warning (התראה) is to raise awareness to the maximum level. Sou…

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