Tag: Rabbinic Literature

Compulsive Libationers of the Talmud?, featuring Prof. Sacha Stern [ep. 135 of The Jewish Drinking Show]

Introduction Having discussed gentiles and libations previously on The Jewish Drinking Show, I was fascinated to have come across Professor Sacha Stern’s “Compulsive Libationers: Non-Jews and Wine in Early Rabbinic Sources”, Journal of Jewish Studies 64.1 (2013): 19-44. As such, I am very excited to welcome him to the show’s 135th episode to share his research. Biography […]

Talmudic Parables of Wine with Looks, featuring Dr. Elana Stein Hain [The Jewish Drinking Show episode 113]

Torah is discussed as being compared to wine in the Talmud (Ta’anit 7a), which then causes an intriguing story to emerge involving a parable of wine and how looks are involved. To discuss these Talmudic texts and more, the 113th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show features Dr. Elana Stein Hain. Dr. Stein Hain is […]

The Term חבורה (havurah) in Tannaitic Literature, featuring Dr. Orit Malka [Episode 112 Of The Jewish Drinking Show]

A term that doesn’t seem to have any obvious connection with drinking חבורה (havurah) – yet, it comes up not infrequently within a drinking context in early rabbinic (tannaitic) literature. As such, the 112th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show is dedicated to exploring this connection featuring Dr. Orit Malka. Dr. Malka is a researcher […]

The Ammonite Wine Midrash, featuring Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein

There is a midrash (rabbinic narrative expansion) involving something known as “Ammonite wine”, which expands upon the incident in Numbers 25:1-3. To discuss this midrash, which can be found in various rabbinic texts, The Jewish Drinking Show welcomes first-time guest Rabbi Reuven Chaim Klein. Rabbi Klein has published Lashon HaKodesh: History, Holiness, & Hebrew, as well as the article […]

Psalms 104:15 in the Babylonian Talmud featuring Professor AJ Berkovitz

Intro An intriguing verse appears in the book of Psalms: “וְיַ֤יִן ׀ יְשַׂמַּ֬ח לְֽבַב־אֱנ֗וֹשׁ wine cheers the hearts of men” (Psalm 104:15), which is a felicitous Biblical expression, although how do the rabbis of the Babylonian Talmud use it? For the 73rd episode of The Jewish Drinking Show, Professor AJ Berkovitz joins the show to discuss […]

Gentile Libation Wine (יין נסך) in the Mishnah and Tosefta

Intro A topic that has significantly affected the discourse concerning gentile wine in Judaism from antiquity and up through the present day is that of יין נסך – gentile libation wine. It receives significant treatment in early rabbinic literature, such as the Mishnah and Tosefta of Avodah Zarah. To discuss this issue for the 71st episode […]

Why Four Cups in Rabbinic Literature?

Episode Introduction Why did the rabbis institute a minimum of four cups of wine at the Passover Seder? In the 62nd episode of The Jewish Drinking Show, Rabbi David Polsky and Rabbi Drew Kaplan discuss what the rabbis in the Mishnah and both Talmuds have to say about why we have this minimum. Guest Bio Rabbi […]

Praying Under the Influence (& Providing Halakhic Guidance) featuring Rabbi David Polsky [Episode #56 of The Jewish Drinking Show Episode]

First time guest Rabbi David Polsky joins the 56th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show to discuss both providing halakhic guidance as well as praying under the influence of alcohol in Rabbinic literature. The episode is available both in video and in podcast forms. Here is the video episode: Here is the podcast episode:

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