In the Valley of Giants

In the Valley of Giants
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In the Valley of Giants is a podcast for serious conversation in an age of noise—where Torah, philosophy, psychology, art, technology, and modern life meet in deep, long-form dialogue. Hosted by Rabbi Yonatan Dorfman, each episode features conversations with this generation’s giants: thinkers, creators, and leaders exploring meaning, truth, faith, and creativity through the lens of ancient wisdom and contemporary life.

  1. 3d ago

    Can Sages And Prophets Make Mistakes? | Rabbi Tovia Singer | ITVOG #53

    Rabbi Dorfman and Rabbi Tovia Singer on Zionism and redemption, Ezekiel 38-39, rising antisemitism, and why Tanakh education matters. They also look at Hezekiah and the Satmar Rebbe as lessons in how God's plan unfolds, and ask what the Messiah really asks of each of us.Timestamps0:00 Cold open: why parts of the yeshiva world resist this view 0:30 Welcome, Rabbi Tovia Singer 1:01 Is the secular Zionist movement part of the rebirth?1:23 The roots of Zionism: the Vilna Gaon, Herzl and Jabotinsky3:08 Ezekiel 38-39: the nations go to war and Israel responds5:39 Is the writing on the wall for Jews outside Israel?7:21 Rising antisemitism, Aliyah and "so far, so good"8:25 "I will bless those who bless you": the middle has fallen out10:28 Why Tanakh education is the answer12:13 Religious Zionism and the yeshiva world14:24 Hezekiah and the mystery of God's plans17:52 The Satmar Rebbe, the Kastner train and Menasha18:41 Who is the Messiah?20:09 David, Jesse and what makes a leader22:14 Closing thoughtsSupport us here: https://buymeacoffee.com/itvogpod#RabbiToviaSinger, #RabbiDorfman, #Zionism, #JewishRedemption, #Mashiach, #MessianicProphecy, #Ezekiel38, #Ezekiel39, #Antisemitism, #Tanakh, #JewishHistory, #SatmarRebbe, #Hezekiah, #JewishTheology, #BiblicalProphecy, #ReturnToZion, #JewishEducation, #Geulah, #Israel, #ITVOG

  2. 6d ago

    Our Death In The West | Hillel Fuld | ITVOG #52

    Business Mogul and Jewish Geo-political warrior Hillel Fuld says the quiet part out loud: the West is repeating the oldest script in history, and Jews who keep waiting for the world to get better may be missing the window to come home. He makes the case that anti-Semitism is not a problem to "solve" with better optics, but a recurring response to morality, power, and empire - and he does not hold back on what that means for Jewish life in America, Europe, and beyond. He breaks down why he believes the "genocide" accusation, the anti-Israel narrative, and the current wave of public hostility are all part of a much bigger pattern. From there, the conversation gets even sharper: Hillel explains why he thinks appeasement fails, why the middle matters more than the extremists, and why data, not denial, should drive the Aliyah conversation. Timestamps 0:00 – Cold-open teaser: the Gaza "pile of dead kids" exchange, pulled from later in the interview 0:27 – Host's welcome and introduction of Hillel 0:52 – The question: why are the Jewish optics so bad? 1:41 – Hillel: anti-Semitism has no logical explanation, so the question itself is flawed 2:42 – Hillel's "empire script": empires reject morality, then turn on the Jews 4:18 – Hillel's prediction that the West is on its last legs 4:49 – Host: there is always a reason, and optics can be fixed 5:42 – Hillel pushes back on the premise: "we can't appease them" 6:32 – Host: your online work does change minds 7:09 – Hillel's three audiences: the moral, the crazies, the persuadable middle 8:34 – "The genocide lie": the 200,000 tons of bombs vs. 70,000 deaths math 10:11 – Host: what are we doing wrong for the middle group? (This is where the teaser originally came from.) 10:41 – Argument over whether to address civilian deaths at all (the double-standard and WWII point) 11:14 – Host on morality and holding Jews to a higher standard 12:24 – Should you answer "dumb" arguments? Hillel's "dead kids in Germany too" response 13:28 – Hillel: the numbers don't matter, and he won't give it legitimacy 14:25 – Host asks whether he'd address a sincere "genocide" question; Hillel's late brother Ari 15:31 – Hillel: is it theology or logic? He says the world is "upside down" 16:41 – Hillel flips each accusation (apartheid, ethnic cleansing, genocide) 17:35 – Closing tangent: Rabbi Leo D's new book Support us here: https://buymeacoffee.com/itvogpod#HillelFuld #Aliyah #Israel #Antisemitism #JewishIdentity #JewishDiaspora #JewishHistory #ProIsrael #Zionism #JewishCommunity #AmYisraelChai #MovingToIsrael #MakeAliyah #IsraelPodcast #JewishPodcast #AntiIsrael #JewishFuture #JewishWorld #ITVOG #InTheValleyOfGiants #Genocide #Gaza #israel #palestine #iran #middleeast

  3. Oct 22

    The End Of Days Is Here | Rabbi Tovia Singer | ITVOG #51

    Rabbi Tovia Singer on Mashiach, Isaiah 11, and the Messianic AgeRabbi Tovia Singer joins Rabbi Dorfman for a text-driven conversation about the Jewish understanding of Mashiach, the role of Tanakh, and why the messianic hope is less about reward and more about the revelation of God’s glory. They also explore Isaiah 11, the Rambam and the Rivid, the rebuilding of the Temple, and how current events fit into a literal reading of prophecy.They discuss why the Messiah matters in Jewish thought, how to read prophetic language, and why education, worldview, and returning to original sources shape how one sees the present moment.Timestamps00:00 - Welcome back and setting up the Mashiach question01:34 - How many messianic passages Tanakh really has03:26 - Mashiach as Davidic teacher, not miracle worker04:52 - Why messianic reward is less about incentives and more about truth08:31 - Isaiah 11 and the natural description of Mashiach09:28 - Rambam vs. Rivid on whether Mashiach has supernatural abilities10:44 - Reading Isaiah’s language through the text itself17:22 - Ruach, breath, and the spiritual source of wisdom21:49 - Will the Third Temple fall from heaven or be built by hand?26:06 - Why medieval sources should not override the plain reading27:58 - Prophecy unfolding in order through current world events33:15 - Why messianic prophecy must be plain, not esoteric36:34 - The failure to study Navi and historical Ketuvim39:53 - Ezra and the first return to Zion as a model for today41:21 - Why people may simply not want to move to Israel47:27 - Ezra, Nechemia, and the role of non-observant Jews in redemption51:57 - The Zionist movement, religious and secular, as part of the process54:16 - Anti-Semitism as a trigger in Tanakh’s messianic pattern58:14 - The polarization of the world on Israel and the Jews61:45 - “Read Tanakh” as the answer to doubt64:42 - Why a central role for Israel means some old assumptions were wrong66:00 - Hezekiah, hidden outcomes, and not engaging the mysteries of God70:36 - Who is Mashiach? Why it may be you71:26 - How Isaiah, Samuel, and David point to unexpected leadership75:03 - Living in a time of daily miracles and becoming used to them77:27 - What to tell family members who still live outside Israel79:16 - Why fighting anti-Semitism is only part of the larger picture80:29 - Facts on the ground, Ben Gurion, and what really changes historySupport us here: https://buymeacoffee.com/itvogpod#JewishTheology #BiblicalProphecy #ProphecyExplained #JewishHistory #Navi #BookOfIsaiah #DavidicKingdom #RuachHashem #RambamVsRaavad #Rivid #EzraAndNehemiah #ReturnToZion #MessianicProphecy #JewishEducation #StudyTanakh #TempleMount #ThirdBeitHamikdash #Geulah #AmYisrael #Zionism

  4. Oct 20

    The Israeli Political Revolution: Tzibur Hachareidi | Ziva Glanz | ITVOG #50

    .The first new Haredi party in Israeli politics is forcing a question most people avoid: who really speaks for the community, the rabbis, the politicians, or the power brokers in between? Ziva Glanz lays out why thousands of Haredi voters feel underrepresented, why the old model is no longer working, and how her party is trying to bring the Haredi ציבור into the center of Israeli life without abandoning Torah values.Rabbi Dorfman presses into the toughest issue at the heart of the movement - whether the legacy parties are still faithfully conveying the guidance of the gadolim, or whether a different model of leadership is needed. Zeva explains why she does not see this as a battle against rabbanim at all, but as a push for a more effective, more responsive structure that actually gets results. Timestamps 0:00 — Cold open: the stakes of military exemption and service0:21 — Introduction to Ziva Glanz and the new Haredi political party1:01 — Why create a new party? Representation, political intermediaries, and legacy parties7:09 — Rabbinic leadership and how the party makes decisions14:32 — Relationship with established Haredi parties15:34 — Foreign policy, security, and support for Israel’s right-wing bloc18:21 — Military service, Torah study, and who should contribute23:41 — Accommodating Haredi soldiers and protecting religious values in service25:23 — Exemptions, Haredi service models, and the secular public’s concerns29:13 — Jewish government, redemption, and the party’s broader vision33:07 — Electoral concerns, representation, and serving working Haredi communities36:02 — Outro and mention of the members-only discussion on women in politicsSupport us here: https://buymeacoffee.com/itvogpod#ITVOG #InTheValleyOfGiants #ZivaGlanz #Haredi #HarediPolitics #HarediCommunity #HarediJews #UltraOrthodox #UltraOrthodoxJews #JewishPolitics #IsraeliPolitics #IsraelPolitics #PoliticsInIsrael #Israel #IsraeliSociety #JewishCommunity #JewishLife #JewishIdentity #Judaism #OrthodoxJudaism #ReligiousZionism #Torah #TorahJudaism #RabbinicLeadership #Rabbis #Ask an im #Askanim #Shas #PoliticalRepresentation #HarediRepresentation #JewishLeadership #IsraeliGovernment #Knesset #IsraeliSociety #JewishNews #IsraelNews #IsraelDiscussion #JewishPerspectives #JewishVoices #CommunityLeadership #PoliticalParties #PoliticalDiscussion #IsraelPodcast #JewishPodcast #OrthodoxJewish #HarediWorld #JewishWorld #CurrentAffairs #MiddleEastPolitics #IsraelDebate #JewishConversations #PodcastClips #Podcast #YouTubePodcast #ITVOGPodcast #בחירות #כנסת

  5. Oct 18

    The Messiah Is NOT Who You Think He Is | Rabbi Tovia Singer | ITVOG #49

    The Messiah debate everyone thinks is about miracles is actually about something much bigger—and much more immediate. Rabbi Tovia Singer makes the case that if you read Tanakh on its own terms, the messianic age is not fantasy, but the unfolding of a very literal, very public process already in motion.Rabbi Dorfman opens with a provocative claim about having “seen the Messiah,” then presses into the real question: why does Mashiach matter at all if the Ramban suggests the reward is actually greater before he comes? From there, the conversation moves fast and deep, testing the boundaries between Isaiah 11, the Rambam, the Rivid, and the Bavli. Are messianic signs supposed to be natural or miraculous? Is the Messiah a wonder-worker, or a Davidic leader filled with the spirit of God? And what do we do with rabbinic sources that seem to point in different directions?  @ToviaSinger1  Support us here: https://buymeacoffee.com/itvogpod #Mashiach #Messiah #RabbiToviaSinger #Judaism #Torah #Tanakh #JewishProphecy #BibleProphecy #Rambam #JewishHistory #Israel #LandOfIsrael #EndTimes #JewishTheology #DavidicKing #MessianicAge #JewishPeople #BibleStudy #JewishPodcast #ITVOG Used in accordance with Israel's Copyright Law 5768-2007 section 27a.

  6. Oct 15

    Judaism vs. Catholicism: What Do Jews and Christians Believe? | Jamie O'Brian | ITVOG #48

    When a Rabbi and a Catholic communicator sit down to talk about faith, the surprising question is not what they disagree on - it's how much they discover they share. Jamie O'Brien opens up about the Catholic Church's hidden social impact, the real meaning of forgiveness, and why faith cannot survive as a purely online experience.This conversation goes far beyond polite interfaith dialogue. It gets into the moments that usually make people uncomfortable: why Catholics don't see Jews as having "made a mistake," how forgiveness works when you've been deeply hurt, and why scripture, tradition, and lived experience all matter when you're trying to understand what God asks of you. Jamie also shares what most people miss about the Church today - from homelessness and domestic violence outreach to the rich body of Catholic teaching on sexuality, family, and the dignity of human life.You'll discover:Why the Catholic faith is more active in daily life than most people realizeHow Jamie thinks about forgiveness as something practiced, not performedWhat outreach looks like when it means knocking on doors, hosting public prayer, and meeting people face to faceThe episode also explores deeper questions about sexuality, holiness, and vocation, including why celibacy in the priesthood does not mean sexuality is rejected, but instead understood through a different calling. Jamie reflects on raising seven children, losing a child, and relying on prayer, discernment, and the teachings of the Church to make sense of suffering and responsibility.If you're interested in interfaith dialogue, Catholic teaching, evangelization, or the future of faith in a distracted digital world, this is essential listening. It is thoughtful, candid, and unexpectedly moving - the kind of conversation that leaves you seeing both your own tradition and someone else's with new eyes.Jamie O'Brien is a Catholic editor and communicator in Perth, Western Australia, known for his work promoting Church teaching, public faith, and social outreach across the diocese. He shares how those roles have shaped his understanding of forgiveness, community, and the Church's mission in modern life.Timestamps:00:00 Cold open: Jewish responsibility for Jesus’s death00:31 Introduction01:37 Learning across faiths02:40 Misconceptions about the Catholic Church06:54 Jesus, Jews, and forgiveness10:24 Forgiveness as a Catholic practice14:48 Yom Kippur and atonement16:29 Church charity and helping people in need17:39 Catholic teaching and papal writings20:24 Older and newer religious teachings23:11 Jewish and Catholic perspectives on sexuality25:55 Marriage, celibacy, and religious vocation35:26 Jesus in art and shared Jewish roots39:58 Outreach and faith education45:16 Door-to-door outreach and Jamie’s personal story48:39 Public faith, youth events, and community50:50 Spiritual success and lifelong growth54:06 Jewish reflections on purpose and striving56:27 Social media, music, and modern outreach59:54 Faith as a lived community experience1:03:45 Can video games lead people toward faith?1:07:21 Entertainment, heavy music, and faith1:10:49 A childhood game and moral storytelling1:12:38 Stories, children, and memorable faith lessons1:15:06 Challenges of sharing faith today1:16:48 Vulnerability and personal testimony1:18:27 Family, work, and protecting children online1:21:10 Community and the sign of peace1:24:29 The meaning of the Shema1:26:46 Farewell Support us here: https://buymeacoffee.com/itvogpod#Faith #InterfaithDialogue #Catholicism #Judaism #FaithAndCulture #ReligiousDialogue #Forgiveness #Spirituality #Christianity #JewishWisdom #FaithInAction #MeaningfulConversations #Community #Evangelization #PodcastClips #Faith #Catholic #Judaism #InterfaithDialogue #Christianity #Rabbi #Forgiveness #God #Spirituality #Bible #FaithJourney #Jesus #Podcast #Inspiration #viral

  7. Oct 7

    Is the MESSIAH already HERE? | Rabbi David Bar-Haim | ITVOG #47

    **Is the Messianic age already beginning—and what would a true Messiah actually look like?** In this wide-ranging and candid conversation, Rabbi David Bar-Haim and Rabbi Yonatan Dorfman explore some of Judaism’s most consequential questions: **What is Moshiach? How does redemption actually begin? Who has the authority to lead the Jewish people? And what role should Jews play in bringing about the Geulah?**Drawing on the **Rambam, Ramban, Rashi, the Kuzari, the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds, Bar Kokhba, and Rabbi Akiva**, the discussion examines the tension between spiritual scholarship and national leadership—and between waiting for redemption and actively participating in it.Rabbi Bar-Haim presents a vision of Judaism rooted in **national responsibility, Jewish sovereignty, and practical action**, while the conversation probes the theological and halachic questions that follow from that vision.Together, they explore whether the Third Temple must descend from Heaven or be built by human hands; whether Moshiach must be a Torah scholar, king, military leader—or some combination of these; what Bar Kokhba and Rabbi Akiva teach us about failed redemption; and what Jewish responsibility looks like in the modern State of Israel. In this episode: What the Rambam actually teaches about identifying Moshiach* Bar Kokhba, Rabbi Akiva, and the question of miracles* Why the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds may present different perspectives on redemption* Is Moshiach a rabbi, a king, a military leader—or all three?* Must the Third Temple come from Heaven, or can Jews build it themselves?* Waiting for redemption vs. actively bringing redemption about* Exile-minded Judaism vs. redemption-minded Judaism* Jewish sovereignty, leadership, and responsibility in Israel* The role of Torah scholarship in shaping the Jewish future* Timestamps (00:00) Opening the question of who the Messiah is (02:29) Isaiah 11 and the first framework for identifying Mashiach (04:51) Why the Messiah is a national leader, not necessarily a rabbi (09:14) Rambam’s list of messianic qualifications in the laws of kings and wars (12:52) Why a Torah teacher is not automatically a candidate for Mashiach (16:49) Is the Jewish people’s unity today enough to matter messianically? (19:57) The shift from rabbinic community leadership to national leadership (22:25) Why Galut mode Judaism is not the ideal model (25:15) The secular founding of the State of Israel and the split it created (29:36) Why rabbis alone cannot direct the Jewish state (33:23) Bar Kokhba as the test case for messianic leadership (36:36) Did the sages demand miracles from Bar Kokhba? (38:54) Bavli versus Yerushalmi as two different Jewish outlooks (40:13) Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl and the problem of a state before Mashiach (47:13) Rambam, Ra’avad, and the disagreement over supernatural expectations (50:10) The shalosh shavuot and whether Zionism violated them (52:19) The army debate and the clash between halakhah and state practice (61:15) Chanukah as a military and national miracle, not only an oil miracle (69:45) Why the Temple and Jewish sovereignty must be built by people (78:01) A new historical moment for the Jewish people after 2,000 years (83:05) The Supreme Court, coalition politics, and Torah power in the state (87:30) Why Zionist success came from organized vision, not numbers alone (95:24) Why waiting is not a Jewish strategy (99:10) Rabbi Yehuda Halevi and the failure of the Second Temple period (101:01) “A kingdom of priests” and why a nation needs sovereignty (106:33) What Rabbi בר-חיים says the Torah people should do now( 140:09) Final answer: build a redemption movement and change the national vision #Moshiach #Messiah #MessianicAge #Judaism #JewishPodcast #Torah #Rambam #Maimonides #Ramban #Rashi #Kuzari #Talmud #BarKokhba #RabbiAkiva #ThirdTemple #BeitHamikdash #EretzYisrael #Israel #JewishSovereignty #Zionism #ReligiousZionism #OrthodoxJudaism ##JewishThought #Machonshilo #Rabbibarhaim

  8. Oct 5

    Ask Rabbi Dorfman #3: on location at the Southern Temple wall

    Join us for a special Torah Q&A from Jerusalem’s Old City, near the walls of the Temple Mount. We explore the Jewish mission to bring meaning and morality into the world, the responsibility to live with intention, and the role of Noahide teachings.The conversation also examines what it means to be a light unto the nations, the significance of saying “next year in Jerusalem,” and the spiritual and practical case for connection to the land of Israel. Later, we discuss questions around Christianity and Paul, the story of Jonah, prayer, hardship, and how to live with deeper purpose.Timestamps00:00 — Q&A from Jerusalem’s Old City01:04 — The Jewish mission and moral responsibility03:11 — Living intentionally instead of “droning”03:44 — Being a light unto the nations06:31 — Teaching and supporting Noahides09:17 — “Next year in Jerusalem” and the land of Israel12:00 — Reasons for living outside Israel14:37 — Faith, Jewish unity, and security16:49 — Paul, Christianity, and difficult moral questions19:36 — Jonah and the changing fish21:46 — What God is waiting forSupport us here: https://buymeacoffee.com/itvogpod#TorahQandA #Jerusalem #OldCityJerusalem #Torah #JewishWisdom #NoahideLaws #LightUntoTheNations #Israel #JewishMission #JewishIdentity #NextYearInJerusalem #BiblicalWisdom #Jonah #Prayer #Purpose

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About

In the Valley of Giants is a podcast for serious conversation in an age of noise—where Torah, philosophy, psychology, art, technology, and modern life meet in deep, long-form dialogue. Hosted by Rabbi Yonatan Dorfman, each episode features conversations with this generation’s giants: thinkers, creators, and leaders exploring meaning, truth, faith, and creativity through the lens of ancient wisdom and contemporary life.

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  • Creator
    In the Valley of Giants
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    56
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © In the Valley of Giants
  • Show Website
    In the Valley of Giants