PODCAST · religion
Xai, how are you?
by Michael Sokolovsky and Xava De Cordova
Queer Jews Michael Sokolovsky and Rabbi Xava De Cordova play with the multi-millennial dialectic that is the Talmud. Join them as they throw drash, seek prophetic insight and uncover the rabbinic smuttiness inherent in the system.
Episodes
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273. Good in the Mouth, Good in the Heart
Ladies, we've all been there: you're out at girls night, then you and your besties make a 5-way interlocking chain of mutually exclusive but causally dependent vows of Naziriteship. What happens next? Only Hillel knows! To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on…
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272. Cow Thief's Remorse
Can you cancel your Nazirite vow because of force majeure? What about grand theft bovine? Also, a rare rare case of Rabbis straight up calling out their predecessors. To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
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271. Department of Mistaken Vows
Finally someone actually gets read to filth in the Mishnah. Also, our first instance of rabbinic bureaucracy! Check out the HiHos at Shel Maala here: https://bit.ly/shelmaala-5787 To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by...
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270. Xava on Ways of Awe
Xava was part of making an amazing high holidays resource called Ways of Awe! Check out the episode she was on this week, and check out the full project here: https://waysofawe.buzzsprout.com/ To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at...
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269. Black Ox Theatre
What's the difference between mistaken and erroneous? Why won't the Gemara just let the Tannaim be CHILL for once? How many oxen can a house even fit? Find out in this episode. To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben...
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268. Shaving It for a Rainy Day
Got a structured Nazarite funds inheritance settlement but need cash for sacrifices now? Call Mishnah Nazir, Chapter 4 Mishnah 7 cash now! Really though, why is chapter 4 all about stuff lady nazirites can't do? Join Shel Maala in England: http://bit.ly/torah-in-exile To ask us questions, email…
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267. Teach a Man to Shave
What can you get away with for "educational purposes"? Could you, for instance, override the Torah? Maybe! Listen and find out. Check out Shel Maala in England at http://bit.ly/torah-in-exile To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at…
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266. Shaven Wife, Shaven Life
To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber. To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
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265. Dough D'Oh
When you're a hardworking woman making your own dough, but you end up designating animals for a sacrifice that will never happen, hijinks are bound to ensue. Chuck some money into the Dead Sea and take a listen. Check our The Torah is a Tiara here: http://bit.ly/torah-tiara To ask us questions,...
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264. Rebellious Lashes
Want glamorous, long lasting lashes? Try breaking your Nazirite vow by going to a wine tasting after your husband has nullified it. Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's Nazarene. Check catch Shel Maala in the UK here: http://bit.ly/torah-in-exile To ask us questions, email us at...
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263. Wife Guy
Sometimes you can be SUCH a wife guy that you agree to her nazirite vow and later regret it. What happens then? Sign up for Xava and Binya in the UK here: http://bit.ly/torah-in-exile To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music...
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262. Mutually Assured Naziriteship
What has a never ending paradoxical chain of interlinking vows, women's rights, the Church of England and ordinary halakha? That's right, it's our mishnah! Sign up for Alef Beysics at Shel Maala here: http://bit.ly/alef-beysics To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us…
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261. Nazirite Tattletales
What happens when you vow, and then someone comes into court and gives testimony about your vow? But then what if another guy comes in and says something different and then two other guys say something different than that? Thank GOODNESS our Rabbis thought to explain this. Find out about Nazirite...
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260. Queen Helene Sets the Scene
A mishnah about a woman with a name and her own agenda! Now that's a rare treat. Sign up for The Three Oaths here: https://bit.ly/threeoaths To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
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259. Impurity? In My Cemetery?
It's more likely than you think! What if you take a Nazirite vow in a spot that is fundamentally incompatible with Naziriteship? Thank GOODNESS the Rabbis thought about this. Catch Liz Furman at Shel Maala: https://bit.ly/sm-sfas To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us...
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258. (100) Days of Naziriteship
After a long ramble about modesty, Xava's upcoming paper, and motivation in Judaism, we get around to a nifty little mishnah about that slippery, weird, in-between day of Naziriteship we call day 30. To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at...
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257. Terms and Condiments
Finally, you all may learn our take on hot dog vs. hamburger and the mundanity of free will. Also, a mishnah in which when you try to be a little too specific, you really get bitten in the butt by corpse impurity. Check out Shel Maala’s PNW tour here: http://bit.ly/ShelMaalaPNW To ask us…
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256. Fiddle Leaf Figs on the Roof
Mishnah 2 of chapter 3! What if there was a light-year long bridge of dough would that be messed up or what? Check out Shel Maala's PNW Tour here: https://bit.ly/ShelMaalaPNW To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben...
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255. Going Both Ways
A new chapter of Mishnah begins! Is there such a thing as a day of Naziriteship which can apply to two separate terms, and count for each? Find out if the rabbis are biphobic or not with this one simple mishnah. Check out the Shel Maala PNW Tour here: Check out Shel Maala's PNW tour here:...
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254. Russian (Nazirite) Doll
The tension between the magic of vows and the legal folderol of the Rabbis heightens in this Mishnah about vows within vows. Check out Shel Maala's PNW tour here: http://bit.ly/PNWInterest To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou....
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253. Nazirite, Interrupted
After a long break (Michael was sick, sorry!) We're back to talk about Nazirite's taking breaks. What if you go on a paternity leave Naziriteship in the middle of your day job Naziriteship? Thank goodness, our Rabbis thought of this problem. To ask us questions, email us at…
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252. Schrödinger’s Naziriteship
And you thought we had unspecified Nazirites before! This week, conditionals within conditionals, hedging our bets, and being embarrassed for our inadequate feelings. Sign up for In the Shadows here: http://bit.ly/shelmaalashadows To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support…
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251. Born to be a Nazirite, Forced to be Podcaster
What if you swore a Nazirite vow on the birth of your son, but the numinous indescribable horror of gender said "No."? Find out in this episode! Also we'll talk about some Rabbinic misogyny, transphobia, and why we're still interested in this mishnah anyway. Sign up for Shel Maala's Terms of...
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250. Heroes with a Half Shave
The shaving saga continues! Rabbi Meir's iconoclastic hot takes return to the pod, along with the mythical half-Nazirite. Do two halves make a whole? Let's find out. To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
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249. Bros Shaving Bros
What happens when two totally normal bros vow to shave each other? The Rabbis knew and had rules about it, which they put in this mishnah. Catch Shel Maala's East Coast Tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at...
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248. Exceptional
Sometimes people make vows claiming or assuming they’ll be the exception to normal Nazirite stuff. The Rabbis say (mostly) no way! Check out Shel Maala’s East Coast Tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at...
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247. Drinking Problems
Mishnah 3 of chapter 2 is here! What happens when you get a guy to leave you alone at the bar by saying you’re a Nazirite? Let’s find out. Check out Shel Maala’s East Coast Tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at [email protected]. Support us on patreon at...
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246. Xai Judaism, How Unbound Are You? -- Mishnah Nazir
Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman of Judaism Unbound join us for a big crossover episode about Nazirite philosophy, Rabbinic agendas, Kol Nidre and the metaphysical importance of vows! The Judaism Unbound podcast is a show released every Friday, pushing the boundaries of how we might understand...
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245. Holy Cow
If I was a Nazirite cow refusing to get up, would the Rabbi's still love me? This week, we find out! We also talk about Nazirite doors, the Shekhina as a bovine, and more. To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at…
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244. Let Them Not Eat (Fig) Cake
Chapter two of mishnah Nazir begins! And it's about what if you make a completely nonsensical vow. And also, seemingly, how much credit do we give vow makers for their intentions, the interpretive power of the court, and all or nothing reasoning. To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail...
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243. Nazirites All the Way Down
It's Mishnah 7, the conclusion of the first chapter! We talk about life expectancy, self-similarity, our thoughts on the chapter as a whole and speculation on the future of the masechet. Also, check out Aderaba, a dope new podcast right here: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Ly49AOTSTpWyLmwr91jDQ…
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242. There and Back Again, A Nazir's Tale
Would you be a nazir in a box? Would be a nazir with a fox? Find out this week! And also, why the end of the world is different than the number of hairs on our head or the walking distance to the nearest city. To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at…
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241. A Tisket, A Tasket, An Unspecified Basket
Mishnah five! Discussing becoming a Nazir equivalent to the capacity of a basket gets us a little more philosophical, and makes us wonder what the hell we or the Rabbis get out of any of this. Sign up for Deny, Defend, D'Rabbanan here: http://bit.ly/denydefend To ask us questions, text or leaves…
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240. Hair Today, Nazirite Tomorrow
Mishnah four is here! What if you vow to be a Nazirite like the hairs on your head? What if you're a Nazirite forever but not like, a Nazirite Forever? Sign up for Deny, Defend, D'Rabbanan here: http://bit.ly/denydefend To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at...
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239. Nazir: From Here to Forever
Mishnah gimel is here! What is the default length of being a Nazirite and can it be eternal? Also, halakha created by magical math and is it possible the Rabbis are just silly goofs? To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at...
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238. Samson, Sams-off
Time for mishnah bet of our Nazir journey and this time it's all about the archetypical Nazirites, Samson and Absalom. Also featured: misogyny, angels, tired wives, names of the unknowable and fatal haircuts. Catch Shel Maala in England here: http://bit.ly/sadehsleepless To ask us questions, text...
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237. If You're Reading This, You're a Nazirite
The beginning of a new dawn for the pod! We're starting our journey through Mishnah Nazir together with substitutions, nicknames, fabulous hair and revisiting our favorite vain youth of the Talmud. Catch Shel Maala in England here: http://bit.ly/sadehsleepless To ask us questions, text or leaves…
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236. Settling Down
It’s Xava’s first post wedding episode! Michael brings texts about how we absolutely really definitely should stay in one place…unless of course we should move. Should I pray or should I go now? Find out in this episode. Sign up for Sefaria Super Sleuths at http://bit.ly/sefariasleuths To ask us...
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235. Pleasure Reading
Xava's got a listener question about what we're allowed to read on Shabbat. Is it only fun stuff, only serious stuff? Or a secret third thing? Tell you this it is NOT menus. Check out Shel Maala at Sadeh at http://bit.ly/sadehsleepless To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the...
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234. What's in a name?
Michael brings some wisdom from Aryeh Kaplan about the ineffable name, charity, the gift of existence and kabbalah! Check out Shel Maala's New York tour here: https://bit.ly/shelmaalanyc To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at...
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233. To the Point of Distraction
Xava brings some sugyes about intention and prayer that connect back to episode 228, plus why you should never hold bread and pray! Check out Torah from the Inside Out Here: http://bit.ly/torahinsideout Check out Laasok here: http://bit.ly/laasok To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail...
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232. Squashing the Opposition
Michael brings us a Purim-relevant sugye on reasoning and rhetoric, full of gourds and goodies! Sign up for Torah from the Inside Out here: http://bit.ly/torahinsideout To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us at [email protected]....
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231. Rich Torah, Poor Torah
Xava brings a sugye on the things that can "distract" us from Torah study, which leads to a discussion on how the hell we're supposed to relate to Torah when it's being used for wicked ends. Register for Torah from the Inside Out here: http://bit.ly/torahinsideout To ask us questions, text or...
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230. Public Affairs
What does Jewish law look like on a group scale? How do we deal with harm to the public? How do you do teshuva for the commons? Find out on this episode! Sign up for Shel Maala in Seattle at http://bit.ly/shelmaalaseattle To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at...
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229. Can you un-Jew yourself?
Michael brings a bevy of texts to help answer the question: can you ever become un-Jewish? We’re looking at thoughts and answers from throughout history, plus one extra special Jewish monk! Sign up for Sabbatean Heresy here: https://bit.ly/sabbateanheresy Sign up for Shel Maala in Seattle here:...
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228. Intention vs Structure
Xava brings a buffet of texts exploring intention and structure, mitzvahs, prayer, baby birds and being force fed matza. Sign up for In Every Tongue with Ada Morse here: https://bit.ly/ineverytongue To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email…
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227. Cannibalism, Vegetarianism, and Origin of Morality
Michael brings us texts that connect Yellowjackets, moral norms, aesthetic values, cannibalism and vegetarianism. Check out Shel Maala in New Haven here: https://bit.ly/beyondrepairNH and in Baltimore/DC here: https://bit.ly/ShelMaalaDMV To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the...
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226. The Secret Jewish History of the Etrog
In today's episode, Xava brings some sugyes and history about the etrog (aka the citron aka the Persian apple aka the thing that Rabbis look at with intense love and delight), and how it made its way into our sukkot ritual! Check out Shel Maala's East Coast Tour here:...
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225. Brand Loyalty
This time Michael is bringing us a weird, challenging little sugye about business ethics, land deals gone wrong, breakfast food preferences and going above the letter of the law. Sign up to learn with Shel Maala in Western Mass here: https://bit.ly/shelmaalamass To ask us questions, text or…
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224. Get Off My Lawn
Xava's got a sugye about keeping your side of the street clean, zoning ordinance, Rabbinic humility and home improvement. Sign up for Shel Maala in Western Mass at https://bit.ly/shelmaalamass ! To ask us questions, text or leaves us a voicemail at the Talmud Hotline at 401-484-1619 or email us…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Queer Jews Michael Sokolovsky and Rabbi Xava De Cordova play with the multi-millennial dialectic that is the Talmud. Join them as they throw drash, seek prophetic insight and uncover the rabbinic smuttiness inherent in the system.
HOSTED BY
Michael Sokolovsky and Xava De Cordova
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Xai, how are you? have?
Xai, how are you? currently has 276 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Xai, how are you? about?
Queer Jews Michael Sokolovsky and Rabbi Xava De Cordova play with the multi-millennial dialectic that is the Talmud. Join them as they throw drash, seek prophetic insight and uncover the rabbinic smuttiness inherent in the system.
How often does Xai, how are you? release new episodes?
Xai, how are you? publishes regularly with 276 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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You can listen to Xai, how are you? on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Xai, how are you??
Xai, how are you? is created and hosted by Michael Sokolovsky and Xava De Cordova.
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