Madlik Podcast – Disruptive Torah Thoughts on Judaism

Geoffrey Stern
  • 5.0 (15)
  • Judaism
  • Updated Weekly

The Malcolm Gladwell of the Torah -- That's how listeners describe Madlik™ – where sharp insight meets sacred text. With the curiosity of a cultural critic and the soul of a yeshiva bochur, Madlik ignites Jewish thought from a post-orthodox perspective. Each weekly episode explores the Torah with fresh eyes — drawing unexpected connections, challenging assumptions, and offering a heterodox yet deeply rooted take on halachic and philosophical questions. Born of a lifelong love for Jewish texts and a refusal to let tradition become static, Madlik keeps the flame of Judaism burning — not by preserving the embers, but by lighting new fires. In Hebrew, מדליק (Madlik) means to ignite. But in modern slang, it simply means cool. We aim to be both.

  1. 1d ago

    The Barren Woman's Song

    Isaiah didn't just offer passive comfort to a broken nation—he hijacked the oldest stories in the Book of Genesis to force them to survive. What do you do when there is no reason to sing? Isaiah answers with a startling command: Rani akarah lo yaladah—"Sing, O barren woman who has not given birth." Sing before the child is born. Sing before the promise is fulfilled. Sing while the future still appears impossible. Key Takeaways Isaiah reads—and rewrites—Genesis. He brings Abraham and Sarah, Eden and Noah into his own moment, transforming Israel's foundational stories into a language of renewal for a people recovering from catastrophe. Rosh Hashanah begins with creation, not the Exodus. Noah's covenant embraces every living creature, helping prepare us for a universal holiday on which all humanity and creation stand before God. Sometimes we sing before redemption arrives. Isaiah commands the barren woman to sing while she is still barren. Hope is not merely a response to change; sometimes it is the first act that makes change imaginable. Timestamps [00:00] Sing Before Redemption [00:48] Genesis Echoes in Isaiah [01:38] Rosh Hashanah Universal Lens [02:11] Show Intro and Roadmap [03:09] Reading Rani Akarah [06:03] Mei Noach Covenant Promise [08:28] Isaiah as Scriptural Reader [10:49] Sponsor Break [11:47] Scholarship on Isaiah and Genesis [15:11] Perspective and Repurposing [17:14] Seven Haftarot Rising Joy [22:46] Pesikta Seven Barren Women [24:23] Wordplay Peace Uprooted Ikar [27:01] Wrapping Up Toward Rosh Hashanah Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Sefaria Source Sheet: https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/743514 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

  2. Aug 13

    Shake Off the Dust and Dance

    We usually associate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur with judgment and fear, but a closer look at the texts reveals a completely different, shocking command: rejoice.   Wake up. Shake off the dust. Put on your finest clothes—and rejoice! The haftarah for Parshat Shoftim delivers an urgent wake-up call to a defeated and demoralized people: Hit'oreri, hit'oreri—Awaken, awaken! Uri, uri—Wake up, wake up! Isaiah calls upon Zion to rise from the dust, cast off the identity of a captive, dress herself in garments of splendor, and reclaim her place as God's beloved. Key Takeaways Consolation demands action - Isaiah does not tell Zion simply to feel better. He commands her to awaken, shake off the dust, change her clothes, and reclaim her identity. Lecha Dodi turns prophecy into practice - Every Friday night, Isaiah's distant promise of redemption becomes a present experience: we welcome the Sabbath bride with "exceedingly great joy" and rehearse the possibility of beginning again. The High Holidays are not only about fear - Nehemiah commands the people to rejoice on Rosh Hashanah, while the Mishnah calls Yom Kippur one of Israel's most joyous days. God's kingship brings awe—but also confidence, consolation, and radical delight. Timestamps [00:00] Wake Up Call [01:08] From Shabbat to High Holidays [01:30] Welcome to Madlik [02:22] Haftarah Calendar Context [04:34] Isaiah Readings [10:07] Repetition and Urgency [15:07] Lecha Dodi Origins [20:37] Simcha and Transformation [21:27] Sponsor Break [22:35] Marriage and New Garments [27:43] Unetaneh Tokef to Nehemiah [30:50] Confidence and Joy [32:38] Wrap Up and Challenge Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Sefaria Source Sheet: https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/742586 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

  3. Aug 5

    Becoming Good

    What if Judaism has been misunderstood all along, and the real reward for doing good isn't what you get, but who you become? Is Judaism really about reward and punishment—or is it about becoming? Parshat Re'eh begins with a tiny grammatical anomaly. Instead of saying, "if you obey," the Torah says "that you obey." Could one unexpected Hebrew word change the way we understand blessing, virtue, and even human nature? In this episode of Madlik, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz follow that question from the Bible through the Rabbis, Maimonides, the Sefer HaChinuch, Aristotle, and contemporary philosophy. Along the way they uncover a radical Jewish insight: the reward of a mitzvah isn't a prize—it's the person we become. Can a single act of kindness change your character? Is blessing something we receive, or something we cultivate? And what if the Torah's deepest teaching isn't about earning rewards, but about forming a life of virtue? Join us as we explore why "the reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah" may be one of Judaism's most profound—and surprisingly modern—ideas. Key Takeaways The Torah's smallest words often contain its biggest ideas. Parshat Re'eh doesn't say, "if you obey" (אִם) but "that you obey" (אֲשֶׁר). That subtle shift invites us to read blessing not merely as a future reward but as something woven into the very act of living a good life. Judaism is less about reward than about transformation. From Ben Azzai's teaching that "the reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah," to the Sefer HaChinuch's insight that "a person is shaped by his actions," Judaism teaches that our deeds don't just determine what happens to us—they determine who we become. Character is created through practice. Long before modern psychology and virtue ethics, the Torah and the rabbis understood that goodness is cultivated. Every good deed forms a disposition toward another good deed. We don't become good and then do good; we become good by repeatedly doing good. Timestamps 00:00 The Tiny Hebrew Word That Changes Everything 02:17 Why "That You Obey" Isn't the Same as "If You Obey" 07:53 The Reward of a Mitzvah Is Another Mitzvah 10:01 Should We Do Good Without Expecting a Reward? 13:15 Maimonides on Free Will and Becoming Virtuous 18:52 Why Small Actions Can Change the World 21:47 The Sefer HaChinukh's Radical Insight About Human Nature 27:05 Modern Philosophy Meets Ancient Torah 31:01 Is Love an Action or an Emotion? 33:12 The Real Meaning of Becoming Good Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Sefaria Source Sheet: https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/741847 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

  4. Jul 30

    The Torah's Theory of History

    We've all heard the old cliché that "history repeats itself," but the Torah actually reveals a massive flaw in that idea. The Greeks believed history repeats itself. Enlightenment thinkers believed history marches relentlessly forward. The Torah suggests they're both missing something. In this episode, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz begin with a single Hebrew word—eikev—and uncover a uniquely Jewish philosophy of history. Through the insights of Ramban, Giambattista Vico, Johann Gottfried Herder, Isaiah Berlin, and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, they discover a vision of history that is neither an endless cycle nor a straight line of inevitable progress, but a sometimes crooked, yet ultimately purposeful journey in which the past continually echoes into the present. Along the way, they explore Vico's revolutionary claim that history—and indeed all of the human sciences—is fundamentally different from the physical sciences. Nature may be governed by universal laws, mathematical formulas, and today's algorithms, but history is lived, remembered, recorded, and thereby created by human beings. It can therefore be understood only by entering the language, imagination, memory, and lived experience of a people. From Herder they learn that every nation and culture possesses its own authentic voice, and from the Torah that every generation must reinterpret its inherited story without abandoning it. Discover why Jewish history doesn't simply repeat itself—it rhymes. Key Takeaways History Doesn't Repeat. It Rhymes - The Torah rejects both the Greek idea that history endlessly repeats itself and the Enlightenment belief in inevitable progress. Jewish history moves toward redemption, but along the way the same moral challenges return, inviting each generation to respond anew. Eikev Is More Than a Word - The opening word of the parsha—eikev—means "because," "heel," and "crooked path." Through Ramban, we discover that Jewish history is purposeful without always being direct. God's covenant unfolds through the winding paths of human choices rather than along a straight line. History Is Made by People, Not Formulas - Vico, Herder, Isaiah Berlin, and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks help us appreciate what the Torah has always assumed: unlike the physical sciences, history cannot be reduced to universal laws or algorithms. It is created by people, cultures, language, and memory—and can only be understood by entering their lived experience. Timestamps [00:00] Does History Rhyme [01:21] Eikev Opens the Parsha [02:05] Quid Pro Quo and Chalipin [04:49] Rashi and the Heel [08:07] Ramban on Endings [11:22] Crooked Paths Straightened [16:40] Jewish History Repeats [20:37] Sacks on Covenantal Time [23:28] Vico and Spiral History [24:55] Berlin Herder and Meaning [30:09] Closing Challenge to Viewers Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Safaria Source Sheet: https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/740924 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

  5. Jul 23

    From Moses to Modern Populism

    If you think your flaws and failures automatically make you a better, more "authentic" leader, you've completely misunderstood the lesson of Moses. Most civilizations turned their founders into saints. The Hebrew Bible does the opposite. Abraham falters. Jacob deceives. David sins. Moses—the greatest prophet in Judaism—is denied entry into the Promised Land. This isn't a bug in the Torah. It's one of its most revolutionary ideas. In this episode of Madlik, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz explore why Judaism insists that greatness and imperfection can coexist—but never confuses failure with virtue. Along the way they examine the Torah's portrait of Moses, the Beatitudes, Isaiah, Jonathan Sacks, Nahum Sarna, David Flusser, Martin Luther, Bret Stephens, and the surprising connection between biblical leadership and today's culture of authenticity, victimhood, and populism. Can a society acknowledge human weakness without celebrating it? That question may be as relevant today as it was in the wilderness. Key Takeaways The Torah Tells the Truth About Greatness - Unlike most ancient cultures, the Hebrew Bible doesn't turn its heroes into flawless saints. Moses, Abraham, Jacob, and David are remembered in all their greatness—and all their humanity. Their failures don't diminish them; they make their greatness credible. Flaws Are Lessons, Not Credentials - Judaism teaches us to acknowledge weakness, learn from it, and overcome it. There is a profound difference between recognizing imperfection and celebrating it. The Torah preserves failure to cultivate humility—not to make failure itself a virtue. Leadership Is Measured by Character, Not Victimhood Moses never reaches the Promised Land, yet he remains Judaism's greatest leader because of his faithfulness, courage, and willingness to serve a mission larger than himself. In an age that often confuses authenticity with virtue and grievance with authority, the Torah reminds us that true leadership is earned by responsibility, not by imperfection alone. Timestamps [00:00] Flawed Heroes Thesis [01:14] Parsha Setup and Welcome [02:07] Moses Pleads to Enter [04:37] Rav Lachem Midrash [06:49] Vetchanan and Human Limits [07:43] Mythic Moses Rejected [11:02] Sacks on Mortality and Mistakes [18:31] Flaws Versus Virtue [19:11] Beatitudes and Isaiah [25:58] Essenes and Poverty Ideal [31:09] Modern Populism and Privilege [32:58] Closing Shabbat Shalom Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Sefaria Source Sheet: https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/739882 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

  6. Jul 16

    The Lost Art of Paying Attention

    What if the greatest cure for our distracted, scroll-addicted minds was written over 3,000 years ago? Deuteronomy isn't just repeating the Torah. It's teaching us how to pay attention. The fifth book of the Torah—Deuteronomy (Mishneh Torah)—is often dismissed as simply a review of what came before. But what if Moses' final retelling wasn't repetition at all, but one of the Torah's deepest lessons about how human beings learn, remember, and grow? In this episode of Madlik, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz explore how the Torah transforms review into a transforming discipline. From Ben Bag Bag's famous teaching, "Turn it over and turn it over, for everything is in it," to the Talmud's praise of the student who reviews a lesson 101 times, Judaism offers a timeless antidote to our modern epidemic of distraction. Along the way, we compare Moses' retelling of the story of the spies with its original telling in Numbers, discovering how each retelling reveals new truths. We explore why detectives, trial lawyers, and cognitive scientists know that repetition uncovers what first impressions often miss. And we meet an unexpected companion on the journey—the Roman philosopher Seneca—whose warnings about information overload sound uncannily like a critique of today's endless scrolling. Drawing on Moses, the Rabbis, the Stoic philosopher Seneca, and contemporary cognitive science, this conversation uncovers timeless practices for overcoming distraction, deepening attention, strengthening memory, enriching relationships, and living a more meaningful and connected life. If our greatest challenge today is not a lack of information but an inability to focus on what truly matters, perhaps the Bible's great book of reflection contains one of the newest and most necessary lessons. Join us as we discover why the path to wisdom isn't always found by chasing something new, but by returning to timeless ideas with fresh eyes—and renewed attention. Key Takeaways Repetition Isn't Redundancy—It's Revelation  -Deuteronomy doesn't simply repeat the Torah; it reinterprets it. Moses teaches that every return to a familiar story can reveal a deeper truth. As Ben Bag Bag taught, "Turn it over and turn it over, for everything is in it." Attention Is a Transforming Discipline - From the rabbis' praise of reviewing a lesson 101 times to Seneca's warning against skimming too many scrolls, wisdom grows not from consuming more information but from dwelling deeply with what truly matters. The antidote to distraction is not novelty—it's sustained attention. Growth Comes from Returning - Whether studying Torah, reflecting on our own lives, or listening to another person's story, every retelling changes us. The Torah reminds us that meaning isn't found by constantly moving on, but by returning with fresh eyes, a deeper perspective, and an open heart. Timestamps [00:00] Why does Deuteronomy repeat the Torah? [02:08] Chazarah: The forgotten Jewish art of repetition [07:18] The spies story changes. Why does Moses retell it differently? [11:06] Ben Bag Bag: "Turn it over and turn it over" [13:36] Why reviewing something 101 times changes everything [16:05] Deep learning vs information overload [19:12] What police interrogations teach us about memory and truth [23:10] Seneca's ancient warning about distraction [26:33] The secret to remembering what you read [29:18] Why repetition keeps Judaism and wisdom alive Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Sefaria Source Sheet: https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/738767?lang=bi Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

  7. Jul 9

    Yehoshua Pfeffer and the Haredi

    From the ancient words of the Torah to the modern frontlines, a hidden shift is taking place that will redefine what it means to be an Israeli. Is the Haredi draft crisis really about military service—or about the future of the Jewish people? As Israel struggles with one of its most divisive public debates, Geoffrey Stern sits down with Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer—founder of the Iyun Institute, editor of Tzarich Iyun, and one of the leading intellectual voices emerging from within the Haredi community—for a thoughtful and surprisingly hopeful conversation. Key Takeaways Brotherhood Before Politics Moses doesn't ask, "Who should be drafted?" He asks, "Shall your brothers go to war while you remain here?" The Torah frames the issue not as one of politics or legal rights, but of achdut—brotherhood, shared destiny, and mutual responsibility. A Quiet Revolution Is Already Underway Behind the headlines, profound changes are taking place within Haredi society. Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer argues that a new generation is rediscovering Tanach, engaging questions of citizenship and public responsibility, and seeking ways to integrate Torah values with participation in the life and defense of the Jewish State. Judaism Is Ultimately a Religion of Hope Despite the tensions surrounding the draft, Rabbi Pfeffer remains remarkably optimistic. Like the tribes of Reuben and Gad, both Israeli society and the Haredi community are still evolving. The future will not be shaped by slogans or coercion, but by honest conversation, mutual respect, and a renewed commitment to seeing one another as brothers. Timestamps [00:00] Meet Rabbi Pfeffer [01:32] Parsha Sets the Stage [02:40] Draft Law Update [05:53] Achichem in War [07:20] Meraglim and Courage [09:38] Incubation and Tension [15:44] Sponsor Break [16:47] Israel and Haredim Evolve [23:39] Back to Tanakh [29:02] Brotherhood After Oct 7 [36:08] What Tzorich Iyun Does [40:45] Hope and Closing Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Sefaria Source Sheet: https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/737810 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/ Yehoshua Pfesser Website: https://iyun.org.il/en/

  8. Jul 1

    From Moses to Hamilton

    What if the Founding Fathers didn't invent American democracy, but actually lifted its most crucial laws directly from the Torah? Did the Founding Fathers borrow from the Torah? As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Madlik explores one of the Bible's most remarkable constitutional moments. Before Israel enters the Promised Land, the Torah conducts a census—not simply to count people, but to constitute a nation of tribes, clans, families, and citizens. Then, five extraordinary sisters—the daughters of Zelophehad—step forward and successfully challenge the law itself. Their case becomes the Torah's first great constitutional amendment. In this episode: 🇺🇸 The Torah's original "constitutional convention" The revolutionary daughters of Zelophehad Daniel Elazar on covenant and federalism The Hebrew Republic and America's Founding Fathers Why unity doesn't require uniformity What Independence Day can teach us about covenant, citizenship, and the enduring power of constitutional ideals Key Takeaways The Torah's first constitutional convention took place on the Plains of Moab. Before a single acre of the Promised Land was distributed, the Torah painstakingly counted every tribe, clan, and family—not merely to conduct a census, but to constitute a nation. Numbers 26 is less about demographics than about creating a covenantal federation of distinct communities preparing to inherit a common future. 2. The daughters of Zelophehad proved that covenant belongs to every citizen. Five sisters—daughters of a man remembered as a public sinner—stood before Moses and challenged the law. Their successful petition didn't overthrow the constitutional order; it perfected it. By naming them repeatedly and preserving their case for generations, the Torah teaches that a covenantal society is strengthened when even its most vulnerable members can help shape its laws. 3. America's founders weren't just inspired by Greece and Rome—they also looked to the Hebrew Republic. Daniel Elazar argued that the ancient Israelite federation of tribes offered a model of covenantal federalism: independent communities united by a shared moral commitment. Revolutionary-era ministers and statesmen explicitly compared the thirteen American states to the tribes of Israel. As America marks its 250th anniversary, Parashat Pinchas reminds us that true unity isn't achieved by erasing differences, but by renewing a covenant that binds diverse people together in a common purpose. Timestamps [00:00] 1776 Meets Moab [02:24] Census After the Plague [08:28] Fair Land Division by Lot [11:48] Why Count the Levites [13:21] Five Sisters Challenge the Law [17:16] Names, Sins, and Identity [19:19] Sponsor Break [20:22] Tu B'Av and Evolving Tribal Lines [21:50] Covenantal Federalism Explained [24:38] Founders and the Hebrew Republic [28:54] Pledge, Covenant, and Renewal [31:45] Closing Question and Farewell Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Sefaria Source Sheet: https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/

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About

The Malcolm Gladwell of the Torah -- That's how listeners describe Madlik™ – where sharp insight meets sacred text. With the curiosity of a cultural critic and the soul of a yeshiva bochur, Madlik ignites Jewish thought from a post-orthodox perspective. Each weekly episode explores the Torah with fresh eyes — drawing unexpected connections, challenging assumptions, and offering a heterodox yet deeply rooted take on halachic and philosophical questions. Born of a lifelong love for Jewish texts and a refusal to let tradition become static, Madlik keeps the flame of Judaism burning — not by preserving the embers, but by lighting new fires. In Hebrew, מדליק (Madlik) means to ignite. But in modern slang, it simply means cool. We aim to be both.

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