On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah
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On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah, a podcast presented by ReformJudaism.org. Each week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union For Reform Judaism, will offer divrei Torah (insights into the weekly Torah portion) to help open up Jewish thought and its contemporary influence on your life....
Recent Episodes
232 episodes
L’hitraot, for Now...
After four years of bringing you a new episode nearly every week, this podcast is taking a little break. Listen to this episode to learn more about ou...
The Antidote to Kvetching
Most of us today aren't tasked with wandering through the desert, like the ancient Israelites were... but we still find plenty to kvetch about! What i...
The Blessing of Blessing One Another
Parashat Naso, the longest of all the Torah portions, features a famous blessing – but what does it mean for us to bless one another? Is it a power re...
How the Book of Ruth Connects Us All Today
Chag Sameach and welcome to a special Shavuot edition of On the Other Hand! On this week's holiday episode, Rabbi Rick Jacobs talks about Ruth, her co...
Where the Mishnah Meets the #MeToo Movement
Parashat Naso includes a passage about the sotah, the "errant woman" who is accused of adultery. It's a complex and problematic part of ancient Judais...
Our Multiracial Jewish Community
The Torah commands us to take a census of the "whole Israelite community" – but who does the counting, and who, exactly, is counted? In this episode,...
Do You Really Care?
How much do you care about the environment? Yourself? Other people? Rabbi Rick Jacobs talks about our fundamental responsibility to care for God's ear...
What Is Blasphemy, Anyway?
In ancient times, crimes of blasphemy were punished by stoning - but what does it really mean today to blaspheme? Rabbi Rick Jacobs explains the bibli...
"Loving the Stranger" Isn't Always Intuitive
Let's talk about love: Torah talks about three kinds of love - and in fact, the phrase "love the stranger" appears in the Torah 36 times. Why is it wr...
Using Our Words to Heal, Not Hurt
For many Jews, Parashiyot Tazria and M'tzora are perhaps the most nerve-inducing of all the Torah portions. After all, none of us is exactly eager to...
Go Ahead, Be an Innovator
Parashat Sh'mini tells of the deaths of two men who are though to have been punished for the sin was innovation - but today, don't we look at innovati...
A Passover of Hope
Why is this Passover not like all other Passovers? How can we observe this festival meaningfully and connected to one another during this COVID-19 pan...
Following Their Lead
Jewish wisdom says a child's Torah education should start with the Book of Leviticus. As we read its second portion, Parashat Tzav, we share an episod...
The Laws of Leviticus, Choice, and A.J. Jacobs, the Gratitude Expert
How can we find modern meaning in ancient rituals? From our "greatest hits" collection comes this episode from March 2019, featuring Rabbi Rick Jacobs...
Special Episode: Announcing a New Format, Coming Soon!
Four years after launching our weekly Torah podcast, we're getting ready to shake things up a little! Exciting new changes are coming to On the Other...
Three United Faiths, One Divine Presence
In Vayak'heil-P'kudei, we see that God was so pleased with the Israelites' sacred space (the Tabernacle) that God's own presence descended upon them a...
Slowing Ourselves to Anger
What is the Jewish approach to anger? How do we deal with it in a way that's healthy? This week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs explores Parashah Ki Tisa and explo...
Let Your Eternal Light Shine
This week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs takes a look at parashat T'tzaveh, in which the Israelites are commanded to create the ner tamid (eternal light) in the T...
Building Our Own Tabernacle Together
In this week's Parashah, the Israelites contribute whatever they can to Moses in order to help build the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Join Rabbi Rick Jacobs...
Mindfulness, Being Present, and Having Heart
What does it mean to be "mindful," to truly slow down and pay attention to what's happening in our daily lives? This week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs explores...
Commanded to Honor, Compelled to Care
In Parashat Yitro, we are instructed to honor our parents, in part so that we may live longer lives. Rabbi Rick Jacobs takes a look at this commandmen...
Lifting Hands and Sharing Power
This week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs discusses Parashat B'shalach and the powerful image of Aaron and Hur lifting Moses' hands as he grew weary. How can this...
The Sacred Pursuit for Reparations
This week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs takes a look at Parashat Bo and the behaviors of the Israelites during the Exodus from Egypt. He asks how we can use this...
Reaching the Promised Land
This week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs discusses Parashat Va'eira and reflects on the commonalities between revolutionary leaders like Moses and Dr. Martin Luth...
Born to Lead, Born to Serve
This week, as we move into the book of Exodus, we transition from learning about Joseph to learning about another Jewish leader: Moses. Rabbi Rick Jac...
The Jewishness of Healing
In the closing portion of the book of Genesis, Joseph finds out his father is ill. Rabbi Jacobs, reflecting on his own experience with family illness,...
Formed in the Wilderness
This week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs sits with Jeremy Fingerman, CEO of The Foundation for Jewish Camp, to discuss the impact and benefit that Jewish summer c...
The Meaning of Our Miracle
As this week's Torah portion focuses on Joseph and his brothers, Rabbi Rick Jacobs discusses another band of "brothers," the Maccabees, and how their...
Under the Sky
In this week's Torah portion, as Joseph searches for his brothers, he also seeks the shalom (peace) that comes with rebuilding their relationship. How...
A Place Unlike Any Other
In Parashah Vayishlach, we find Jacob transforming a site into a holy and special place. Rabbi Rick Jacobs wonders what it means to make a place speci...
The Power of Jewish Meditation
Many of us lead busy lives, but what if we were to take just one moment each day to simply "be present"? Rabbi Jacobs uses the story of Jacob's dream...
The Altar of Achievement
This week, Rabbi Jacobs discusses Parashat Tol'dot, or "The generations." Like Rebecca and her son Jacob, Rabbi Jacobs asks: Are we as parents incline...
Two Jews, Three Opinions, One Heart
Sometimes, what isn't said is more provoking than what is said. This week, Rabbi Jacobs brings a curiosity about what the Torah doesn't tell us about...
And You Shall Love...
What can the akeidah (binding of Isaac) teach us about loving God and loving one another? In this week's Torah portion, Vayeira, Rabbi Jacobs explores...
Dancing With Our Tradition
This week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs recounts his experience studying dance while in Rabbinical School, how partaking in an interpretive dance about Abraham,...
Fruit of the Vine
In Judaism, it's common to perform ritual and celebrate festivals with a glass of wine, but how do we do so while honoring those in recovery and their...
Creation and Co-Existence, with Special Guest David Broza
What's your creative process? How do you begin? This week, Rabbi Rick Jacobs discusses Parashat B'reishit, which is all about Creation and the very be...
Within These Three Walls
This week is Chol HaMo-eid Sukkot, the six days between the festival of Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Join us as Rabbi Rick Jacobs discusses the importanc...
Do What We Can
This week with Yom Kippur we are continuing the theme of forgiveness. Rabbi Rick Jacobs revisits the story of Jonah and talks about how we must do wha...
Moving On And Letting Go
It's that time of year, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, where we are celebrating the New Year and contemplating our previous actions, while thin...