119 episodes

Somewhere along the way, many of us were forcefed the idea that philosophy is boring and esoteric. What? Philosophy is, in fact, rebellious and therapeutic! Using humor, personal anecdotes, and much hubris, the Schrift provides fresh and unexpected answers to life's most tricky and fateful questions. The anchor of the Schrift is the weekly reading of the Torah. These passages are analyzed not as religious dogma but as brilliant pieces of literature and anthropology which bring ancient wisdom back into our lives. The greatest philosophers and writers of the German canon also weigh in on these questions during the Schrift. Finally the lectures incorporate Buddhist teachings and the practice of Yoga to bring together East and West, body and mind, eternity and the moment. And the Schrift will always give you a "life tip" to carry with you along the way. IG: stevehead0001 s.t.weinberg@gmail.com

The Schrift - Ancient Jewish Wisdom for Modern Times Steven Toby Weinberg

    • Religion & Spirituality
    • 5.0 • 9 Ratings

Somewhere along the way, many of us were forcefed the idea that philosophy is boring and esoteric. What? Philosophy is, in fact, rebellious and therapeutic! Using humor, personal anecdotes, and much hubris, the Schrift provides fresh and unexpected answers to life's most tricky and fateful questions. The anchor of the Schrift is the weekly reading of the Torah. These passages are analyzed not as religious dogma but as brilliant pieces of literature and anthropology which bring ancient wisdom back into our lives. The greatest philosophers and writers of the German canon also weigh in on these questions during the Schrift. Finally the lectures incorporate Buddhist teachings and the practice of Yoga to bring together East and West, body and mind, eternity and the moment. And the Schrift will always give you a "life tip" to carry with you along the way. IG: stevehead0001 s.t.weinberg@gmail.com

    Interview 15 - Yady Oren, Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Potsdam - Bo

    Interview 15 - Yady Oren, Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Potsdam - Bo

    In these all-too-modern of times, we not only have fast food and instant coffee, but we also get to enjoy bite-sized philosophy. Why read Hegel or Kant or Descartes when we can, you know, get their entire philosophy summed up in a YouTube video? If this sounds snobby, it shouldn't, for no one is more guilty of this "hack" than I. Fortunately, Yady Oren, who has actually read Hegel, is here to explain Hegel's real philosophy of history. We also hear his opinion on whether the tenth plague was a genocide and whether the Israelites had the right to jingoistically celebrate when the Egyptians drowned in the Red Sea.

    • 1 hr 25 min
    Interview 14 - Rabbi Dovid Roberts - Va'era

    Interview 14 - Rabbi Dovid Roberts - Va'era

    What, if anything, gets lost when we translate the Torah from Biblical Hebrew into English? Despite popular belief based on the English translation of the Torah, the Pharaoh did not exactly "harden his heart." Rather, he strengthened his heart, made his heart heavy, and even, perhaps, turned his heart into a liver. Rabbi Dovid Roberts is the rabbi and spiritual leader of the Kahal Adass Jisroel Synagogue, located in the heart of Berlin. In this interview, Rabbi Roberts explains why he reads secular books, shares an enthralling theory of Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch on Pharaoh's heart, and divulges the secret to great leadership.

    • 52 min
    Interview 13 - Chaim Noll, German-Israeli Writer - Shemot

    Interview 13 - Chaim Noll, German-Israeli Writer - Shemot

    In his 1940 work Moses and Monotheism, Freud made the provocative claim that Moses might have been an Egyptian! Even today, and even in secular circles, few would dare to voice this theory at the Passover Seder. Yet, Chaim Noll, German-Israeli writer and DDR dissident, explains why Moshe has far more controversy surrounding him than his lineage. In fact, it was Moshe's fondness for THE DESERT which was truly scandalous, at least by ancient standards.

    • 55 min
    Interview 12 - Leigh Smith, VP of Student Affairs, ACM - Vayechi

    Interview 12 - Leigh Smith, VP of Student Affairs, ACM - Vayechi

    We all have professors and teachers who taught a course which changed our lives. Rarely, however, do we get to sit down with them years later and reminisce on the class. And even more rarely do we get to do so in podcast form. Yet, this is exactly what I do with the professor who introduced me to Kafka's novel The Trial, which has been my favorite novel ever since.

    • 51 min
    Interview 11 - Richard Orodenker, Author - Vayigash

    Interview 11 - Richard Orodenker, Author - Vayigash

    We tend to view writers like J.K. Rowling and Shakespeare as magicians, baffled and floored by their ability to create exotic and captivating new worlds on the page. Yet, the dirty secret of writers is that fiction relies on time-tested storytelling techniques which anyone can learn. When Joseph reunites with his brothers, we see these ancient (and modern) storytelling tactics on full showcase. Richard Orodenker, writer and professor at Temple University, breaks down the literary stratagems of Vayigash.

    • 59 min
    Interview 10 - Nate Klett, Neuroscientist at Leiden University - Miketz

    Interview 10 - Nate Klett, Neuroscientist at Leiden University - Miketz

    We often dream about truly "random" things. Indeed, our dream life tends to look like a painting by Salvador Dali. Joseph believed that our dreams come from God. But what is God, actually? Is it possible that God, luck, and randomness are all intertwined? In my interview with Nate Klett, he explains how neuroscience remains utterly "in the dark" as to where (random) thoughts come from. Whether they have a "cause" or not remains a question of belief, not science.

    • 50 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
9 Ratings

9 Ratings

Stevehead0001 ,

Life-changing

The Schrift will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you reevaluate your entire existence. One thing it won’t make you do, however, is moralize.

FLFizz ,

Love it

An exhalatory antidote to our national discourse.

mhw776 ,

Provocative

Really enjoying this podcast! It’s a very interesting blend of torah, literature and meditation/mindfulness. Steven is clearly well-versed in all these areas and it’s fascinating to hear the delightful and often bold connections he makes between them. He is a talented storyteller with a lot of wisdom to share. What I most appreciate is that each episode is filled with insights that are applicable in my daily life, particularly around mindfulness. Definitely check it out!

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