Inside The Jewish Mind

The Choice: Jewish Wisdom for a Joyful Life | Miriam Lipskier

JLI — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

What if happiness isn’t something to chase—but a choice you can make?
In this 2012 talk, Miriam Lipskier explores happiness through a Jewish lens, rooted in daily choices, soulful perspective, and timeless Jewish wisdom.
She shows that true happiness isn’t waiting somewhere in the future—it’s found in how we choose to live each moment, and offers practical steps to help us get there.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Inside the Jewish Mind
(00:00:57) - Coca Cola's Happiness Campaign
(00:07:34) - A Rabbi's talk to a non-
(00:11:47) - The Pursuit of Happiness
(00:17:20) - How to Be Happy in Life
(00:21:17) - How to Be Happy When Things Are Falling Apart
(00:26:20) - The pursuit of happiness in Judaism
(00:30:39) - The Joy of the Hasidic Movement
(00:36:50) - The Message of Haisa (
(00:40:07) - The Story of Connecting to God
(00:44:31) - The Chamber Pointer

What Can We Really Know About G-d? | Rabbi Manis Friedman

JLI — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 13:00:00 +0000

If G-d is truly infinite, how can we ever begin to know Him?
In this thought-provoking 2021 talk, Rabbi Manis tackles one of the biggest spiritual questions of all time—and reveals how the unknowable becomes personal.
Prepare to discover a side of your Creator you’ve never encountered before.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Inside the Jewish Mind
(00:01:14) - Knowing God is the first mitzva
(00:04:08) - What is the Difference Between Believing and Knowing?
(00:06:11) - I Don't Believe in God
(00:13:51) - God is Infinite
(00:16:55) - God is unknowable and meaningful
(00:21:45) - The Need to Create Chava
(00:25:24) - Is it Good to Be Alone?
(00:31:37) - Why God Is Not Content to Be Alone
(00:38:33) - Rosh Hashanah preparation time for marriage
(00:42:40) - God's Love Letter for His People
(00:49:22) - Inside the Jewish Mind

Where Is G‑d When It Hurts? | Rabbi Benjamin Blech

JLI — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:12:13 +0000

As we enter the Three Weeks leading up to Tisha B'Av, Rabbi Benjamin Blech tackles one of life’s hardest questions: Why do we suffer?

In this 2014 talk, he draws on Jewish wisdom to offer comfort, clarity, and a path to meaning, even in life’s darkest moments.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
(00:04:28) - Why Bad Things Happen To Good People
(00:14:21) - Omni the Power of God
(00:20:30) - Blackboard #3
(00:23:21) - The Problem with the Friends of Job
(00:29:46) - Kushner on God's Omnipotence
(00:36:48) - Why Did This Happen to the Jews?
(00:43:17) - The Problem of Tzadik Varalo
(00:48:34) - The Message of Talking To a Suicidal Student
(00:54:42) - A Story about Why Bad Things Happen to Good People

From Sinai to Today: The Story of Jewish Tradition | Rabbi Chaim Block

JLI — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 16:11:25 +0000

How did a moment at Mount Sinai become thousands of years of living? In this engaging 2015, traces the transmission of Jewish law and practice through generations—revealing how Torah, interpretation, and tradition form one unbroken chain. You’ll walk away with a clearer picture of how Judaism evolved from divine revelation to everyday life.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Inside the Jewish Mind
(00:00:53) - The Structure of the Torah
(00:07:28) - The Book of Kings and the Prophets
(00:14:31) - Oral Tradition and the Written Law
(00:18:41) - Oral Tradition on Shabbat
(00:26:25) - The Right to Keep and Bear Arms
(00:35:01) - What is the Cantillation in Talmud?
(00:36:45) - The Oral Torah and the Written Torah
(00:40:48) - The Talmud and its arguments
(00:46:06) - Halachic Relevancy in Our Age
(00:49:46) - Survey of surrogate motherhood

Would I Make It into the Bible? Rethinking Biblical Icons | Rabbi Yitzchok Schochet

JLI — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

The Torah is filled with stories of our remarkable patriarchs and matriarchs. But were they born extraordinary, or did they become great by making the same kinds of choices we face every day?

In this talk, explores what truly set these individuals apart and what their stories reveal about our own potential for greatness.

You might just walk away seeing yourself in a whole new light.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Inside the Jewish Mind
(00:01:01) - God's Word and our own
(00:09:00) - The Real Life of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
(00:18:02) - Maimonides on Nature, Nurture
(00:25:16) - "Always Aim Too High and Miss."
(00:25:50) - What Makes a Leader?
(00:33:29) - The Limits of Self-Realization
(00:38:27) - The Search for a Hero

What’s the Deal with Jewish Comedy? | Mendel Kalmenson

JLI — Mon, 26 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Why have Jewish comedians played such a huge role in shaping the world of comedy? In this fascinating (and yes, funny) talk, author Mendel Kalmenson explores Jewish humor as more than just entertainment. Drawing on Torah, history, and culture, he reveals how Jewish comedy reflects a unique way of thinking rooted in deep spiritual perspective. Humor becomes a lens for understanding Jewish identity, values, and worldview.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Inside the Jewish Mind
(00:00:59) - Is There a Jewish Joke?
(00:05:06) - Jewish Jokes About Infighting
(00:09:37) - The Talmud
(00:15:15) - 8 Levels of Charity According to Maimonides
(00:17:30) - Jewish Jokes
(00:24:41) - Jewish Jokes
(00:30:31) - The Origins of Jewish Humor
(00:40:07) - Are Jewish People More Successful Than Others?
(00:41:55) - Jewish Humor Origins
(00:44:58) - Jewish Self-Humor
(00:49:01) - The Jewish humor about God
(00:56:12) - Inside the Jewish Mind: The Israelites

6 Jewish Ways to Calm an Anxious Mind | Rabbi Mordechai Dinerman

JLI — Mon, 19 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Can’t stop replaying that one conversation? Already worrying about next week? You’re not alone.

In this powerful talk, shares six practical tools and meditations—drawn from deep Jewish wisdom and timeless Chasidic tales—to help quiet the mental spiral and create space for clarity, calm, and joy.

Which one will speak to you?

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Inside the Jewish Mind
(00:00:57) - 6 Jewish Ideas for the Anxiety
(00:02:44) - The Talmud
(00:05:53) - The Benefits of Speaking to Others
(00:09:22) - How to Stop Worries About Your Friends
(00:11:31) - The Emotional Role of the Rabbi
(00:17:24) - Can You Control Your Mind?
(00:22:09) - Cast Your Thoughts Away
(00:28:35) - Rebbe Schneerson on Success in Time
(00:31:15) - The Concept of Trust in God
(00:38:31) - Relaxation for Anxiety Disorders
(00:39:31) - How to Deal with Anxiety
(00:45:40) - The Fifth Approach to Davening Mincha
(00:47:23) - Reb Shlomo's Letter to His People
(00:48:02) - Maimonides

The Jewish Happiness Hack | Dr. Abraham J. Twerski

JLI — Mon, 12 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In an age of instant gratification, endless self-help content, and one-click convenience, you'd think we’d have cracked the code to happiness by now. So why are so many of us still searching?

In this 2011 talk, the late author and psychiatrist Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski draws on timeless Jewish wisdom to offer a deeply insightful—and refreshingly honest—look at what true joy really means. Not the quick fixes we’ve come to expect, but the kind of lasting fulfillment that comes from within.

Why the World Exists: A Jewish Guide to the Meaning of Life | Rabbi Shais Taub

JLI — Mon, 05 May 2025 15:59:00 +0000

What is the purpose of existence? Why did G-d create the world at all? These age-old questions sit at the core of Jewish thought and Kabbalistic philosophy. In this thought-provoking talk from 2013, Rabbi Shais Taub explores the deeper meaning behind creation—and what it reveals about your personal role in the universe.

Drawing from the deepest wells of Jewish wisdom, he offers a compelling and accessible perspective on life’s greatest mystery.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Inside the Jewish Mind
(00:01:05) - Why Did God Create the World?
(00:06:31) - Jews on Proposals in the Talmud
(00:10:26) - God's Love Requirement
(00:14:53) - Adam and Eve
(00:20:29) - Understanding God's Desire
(00:26:36) - What's the Right Response to a Love Letter?
(00:30:16) - God's Desire for Women
(00:36:01) - Jewish Women and Girls Lighting Shabbos Candles

The Holy Temple Inside You | Leah Rosenfeld

JLI — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 19:14:20 +0000

Two thousand years later, the Jewish people still mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple that once stood in Jerusalem. But why does a long-lost building continue to hold such a powerful place in our collective heart?

In this 2018 talk, Jewish educator Leah Rosenfeld explores the Temple as a spiritual blueprint that lives within each of us. Discover how and why its legacy still shapes the way we think, feel, and live—today.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Inside the Jewish Mind
(00:01:02) - Why We Mourn the Sacred Temple's Destruction
(00:09:27) - The Message of the Coming of Mashiach
(00:17:09) - The altar of the holy temple
(00:23:11) - The Passion of the Jew
(00:30:20) - The Need to Remember Amalek
(00:36:27) - The Small Things of Relationship with God
(00:42:09) - The Fire of the Holy Temple
(00:43:56) - How to Deal with Trauma in a Jewish Life

The 7 Habits Of Highly Successful Jews | Rabbi Pinchas Allouche

JLI — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:14:26 +0000

Over 20% of all Nobel Prize winners – but less than 0.2% of the global population is Jewish. The numbers speak for themselves: the Jewish story is one of extraordinary impact. But what drives a successful Jewish life? And more importantly—what can you learn from it?

In this 2023 talk, Rabbi Pinchas Allouche shares seven powerful Jewish principles that guide personal growth, purpose, and achievement. More than just ideas, these are practical habits you can use to build a more meaningful and successful life.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Inside the Jewish Mind
(00:01:36) - Basic Attributes of the Jewish People
(00:07:18) - Habit #2
(00:11:07) - Habit #3 of Love and Respect
(00:17:01) - The Most Important Verse in the Torah
(00:20:02) - The Story of Kamsa and Bar Kamsaa
(00:25:41) - The Art of Letting Go
(00:29:33) - The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Vision
(00:32:06) - The Story of Oskar Schindler
(00:36:04) - 7 Traits Recap
(00:36:21) - Thanks for Listening!

The Gratitude Secret That Could Change Your Life | Dr. Rona Novick

JLI — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:40:56 +0000

In this episode, Dr. Rona Novick, psychologist and dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education, uncovers the transformative power of gratitude. More than just good manners, gratitude has the power to rewire your brain, boost your well-being, and improve your health. Drawing on Jewish wisdom and modern psychology, Dr. Novick offers practical tips for incorporating Jewish gratitude into your daily life.

Introducing 'Inside The Jewish Mind' | A JLI Podcast

JLI — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 18:30:59 +0000