The Stoic Jew

Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss
  • 5.0 (12)
  • JUDAISM

My name is Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss. I am, first and foremost, an Orthodox Jew. I am also a student of the Stoic masters: Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. This podcast is dedicated to exploring the relationship between  Judaism and Stoicism - where they overlap, where they differ, and how they complement each other. I also use this podcast to think out loud about how to apply the principles of Judaism and Stoicism to my own life, with all its ups and downs.

  1. 10/01/2025

    Life as a Seudah ha'Mafsekes

    Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 5 minutes 30 seconds Synopsis: This short, unplanned, off-the-cuff Erev Yom ha'Kippurim episode has been brought to you by my less-than-stellar seudah ha'mafsekes, and the insights it led to. Gmar chasimah tovah to us all! Sources (will find later) ----- The Torah Content for this week is sponsored by Rifka Kaplan-Peck in memory of Shira Malka (a”h) "who taught me that seeking knowledge of God is the greatest gift." ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you. If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ YU Torah: yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Matt-Schneeweiss Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel Support the show

    6 min

  2. 09/02/2025

    1500 Days of Gratitude, Gam Zeh Yaavor, and How Not to Lose the Only Thing You Have (Aurelius - Meditations 2.14)

    Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 29 minutes 7 seconds Synopsis: After yet another unintended hiatus, we're back for another Gratitude Journal milestone! In this episode we reflect on gratitude, slowing down time, being present, illusions about the future, mezuzah vs. cheap Amazon trinkets, and tapping into what's eternal. I know I've said this in the past, but THIS time I have a plan for relaunching a more regular frequency of TSJ content. I'm optimistic that it'll work, בג"ה. Sources - folk saying; source unknown - Abraham Lincoln, Address Before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society (September 30, 1859) - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2:14 (trans. Waterfield) - Rambam: Mishneh Torah, Sefer Ahavah: Hilchos Tefilin, u'Mezuzah, v'Sefer Torah 6:13 ----- The Torah Content for the month of September is sponsored by Meir Areman in loving memory of his grandmother, Esther Chasha bas Meir Gedalya, who recently passed away on the 25th of Av. Tehei nishmasah tzerurah b’tzror ha’chayim. My Zoom account has been sponsored for the entire year by Isaac and Aviva Lichter, with hakaras ha’tov to Hashem in honor of Navonah’s first birthday: “We couldn’t have known how much joy and wonder she’d bring into our lives. רבות מחשבות בלב איש, ועצת ה' היא תקום." ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you. If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ YU Torah: yutorah.org/teachers/Rabbi-Matt-Schneeweiss Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel Support the show

    29 min

  3. 04/01/2025

    1350 Days of Gratitude, Rabbi Sacks on Pesach Storytelling, and Meditation as Foundation (Seneca - Letter #13)

    Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 29 minutes 25 seconds Synopsis: AND WE'RE BACK! This episode is brought to you by the letter "I"—for insomnia. In a spontaneous decision to return to my old practice, I turned a sleepless night into a new installment of TSJ. If you're looking to up your gratitude game, this one's for you. We start with a recap of my gratitude journal practice, explore an idea in Modim and the Jewish approach to gratitude, then dive into an excerpt from a Seneca letter, using it as a springboard to discuss Rabbi Jonathan Sacks's understanding of Pesach storytelling—and how all of this ties into one of the key benefits of meditation. As always, if you have feedback, I'd love to hear it! Sources - Abudarham - Commentary on Modim - Rambam: Mishneh Torah, Sefer Ahavah: Hilchos Tefilah u'Birkas Kohanim 7:14; Hilchos Berachos 1:1-4 - Seneca: Letter #13 - Pesachim 10:4 - Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks: The Jonathan Sacks Haggada - Collected Essays on Pesach, Begin with Shame, End with Praise Other Resources Mentioned - Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder, "Gematria Refigured: A New Look At How The Torah Conveys Ideas Through Numbers" - Sam Harris: the "Waking Up" app ----- The Torah content from now until Erev Pesach has been sponsored by Yehudis Korn l'zecher nishmas Moshe ben Yeshayahu Yehuda. ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you. If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel Support the show

    30 min

  4. 09/15/2024

    My Oura Ring Was Stolen! ... But Only In My Mind (Epictetus - Discourses 2.18-30)

    Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 21 minutes 25 seconds Synopsis: There's nothing like a real-world example to showcase Stoic principles. This incident that happened to me a couple of weeks ago illustrates one of the core ideas in Epictetus's teachings: the use of "impressions." Not only that, but it also exemplifies one of the chief benefits of tefilah. Sources: - Epictetus, Discourses 2:18-30 ----- The Torah content for the first month of the new school year has been sponsored by the Brevique BrewLid. The BrewLid integrates coffee directly into the lid, offering a cleaner, more convenient, and eco-friendly coffee experience. By eliminating the need for machine contact, it reduces contamination risk, minimizes steps, cuts down on waste, and keeps the aroma around longer while delivering every last drop of flavor. If you love coffee and want to get in on the ground floor of BrewLid, check out the Kickstarter! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you. If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel Support the show

    22 min

  5. 09/03/2024

    Don't Be Shocked By Evil (Aurelius - Meditations 7:1)

    Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 14 minutes 6 seconds Synopsis: In an effort to jumpstart weekly TSJ episodes, I've decided to start from the beginning of Meditations Book 7 and work my way through. Chapter 1 is very reminiscent of Koheles ... or is it? You can be the judge of that. Sources: - Aurelius, Meditations 7:1 - Koheles 1:9-11 ----- The Torah content for the first month of the new school year has been sponsored by the Brevique BrewLid. The BrewLid integrates coffee directly into the lid, offering a cleaner, more convenient, and eco-friendly coffee experience. By eliminating the need for machine contact, it reduces contamination risk, minimizes steps, cuts down on waste, and keeps the aroma around longer while delivering every last drop of flavor. If you love coffee and want to get in on the ground floor of BrewLid, check out the Kickstarter! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you. If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel Support the show

    14 min

  6. 08/26/2024

    The Car Repair Saga of Summer 2024 (Epictetus - Enchiridion 1:1)

    Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 14 minutes 9 seconds Synopsis: On July 19th, while I was in Seattle for the summer, my car - which I had been renting to a talmid - was rear-ended. What followed was a rollercoaster of bureaucratic insurance annoyances accompanied by anxiety from afar. The saga ended on August 23rd, this past Erev Shabbos, when they finally finished repairing my car 15 minutes before the shop closed. I arrived home and immediately recorded this episode while the emotions were fresh in my mind. Sources: - Epictetus, Enchiridion (The Handbook) 1:1 ----- The Torah content for the first month of the new school year has been sponsored by the Brevique BrewLid. The BrewLid integrates coffee directly into the lid, offering a cleaner, more convenient, and eco-friendly coffee experience. By eliminating the need for machine contact, it reduces contamination risk, minimizes steps, cuts down on waste, and keeps the aroma around longer while delivering every last drop of flavor. If you love coffee and want to get in on the ground floor of BrewLid, check out the Kickstarter! ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you. If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel Support the show

    14 min

  7. 08/08/2024

    The Stoic Jew Shiur #07: Existential Procrastination (Meditations 2:4)

    Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 59 minutes Synopsis: This evening (8/7/24), in our final Stoic Jew Shiur of this summer, we learned the fourth entry in Marcus Aurelius's journal. This, too, is a self-reminder to keep his principles at the forefront of his mind - but this is the first time in the Meditations that Marcus explicitly mentions his own mortality. As we've found in nearly every one of these shiurim, there is tremendous overlap between these Stoic teachings and the teachings of Judaism! ----- מקורות: Aurelius - Meditations 2:4 (trans. Long, Farquharson, Waterfield) רמב"ם - משנה תורה: ספר המדע, הלכות תשובה ז:א-ב משלי י:ה ----- The Torah Content for the first two weeks of August has been sponsored by Avital, "in gratitude for all the incredible brachah in my life right now and Mishlei and Stoicism for helping me handle it. Thank you Rabbi!" ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you. If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel Support the show

    59 min

  8. 08/01/2024

    The Stoic Jew Shiur #06: How Stoics and Jews React to the Deaths of the Wicked (Meditations 2.1)

    Have any questions, insights, or feedback? Send me a text! Length: 1 hour 28 minutes Synopsis: This evening (7/31/24), in our Stoic Jew Shiur, we deviated from our sequential learn-through of Meditations and took up a timely question: What do Stoicism and Judaism have to say about the double-assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr? The specific questions we examined were: (1) What should or shouldn't we feel about the deaths of evildoers in general? (2) What should or shouldn't we feel in this case, given the uncertainty of the ramifications? It ended up being an enjoyable and insightful analysis which (I hope) yielded some practical clarity on these current events.    ----- מקורות: Rabbi Scott Khan - Death of a Moderate Aurelius - Meditations 2:3 (trans. Long, Farquharson, Waterfield) Tefilas Neilah Mishlei 11:10; 24:17-18 Rabbeinu Yonah - Avos 4:19 Rabbeinu Yonah - Mishlei 11:10 Mishnah Berachos 9:2,3,5 Rambam - Commentary on the Mishnah Berachos 9:3,5 Moed Kattan 16b ----- The Torah Content for the remainder of July has been sponsored by the Lichters in honor of Jonny Schneeweiss, just "for being Jonny." ----- If you've gained from what you've learned here, please consider contributing to my Patreon at www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss. Alternatively, if you would like to make a direct contribution to the "Rabbi Schneeweiss Torah Content Fund," my Venmo is @Matt-Schneeweiss, and my Zelle and PayPal are mattschneeweiss at gmail. Even a small contribution goes a long way to covering the costs of my podcasts, and will provide me with the financial freedom to produce even more Torah content for you. If you would like to sponsor a day's or a week's worth of content, or if you are interested in enlisting my services as a teacher or tutor, you can reach me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail. Thank you to my listeners for listening, thank you to my readers for reading, and thank you to my supporters for supporting my efforts to make Torah ideas available and accessible to everyone. ----- Substack: rabbischneeweiss.substack.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss YouTube Channel: youtube.com/rabbischneeweiss Instagram: instagram.com/rabbischneeweiss/ "The Stoic Jew" Podcast: thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com "Machshavah Lab" Podcast: machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com "The Mishlei Podcast": mishlei.buzzsprout.com "Rambam Bekius" Podcast: rambambekius.buzzsprout.com "The Tefilah Podcast": tefilah.buzzsprout.com Old Blog: kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/ WhatsApp Content Hub (where I post all my content and announce my public classes): https://chat.whatsapp.com/GEB1EPIAarsELfHWuI2k0H Amazon Wishlist: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/Y72CSP86S24W?ref_=wl_sharel Support the show

    1h 29m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

My name is Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss. I am, first and foremost, an Orthodox Jew. I am also a student of the Stoic masters: Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. This podcast is dedicated to exploring the relationship between  Judaism and Stoicism - where they overlap, where they differ, and how they complement each other. I also use this podcast to think out loud about how to apply the principles of Judaism and Stoicism to my own life, with all its ups and downs.

Information

  • Creator
    Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    332
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Stoic Jew
  • Show Website
    The Stoic Jew