The Seven Ways Podcast

“This is the true story … of five families … picked to live in a hospital ... with their therapists … to find out what happens ... .”

What use is Abraham's kindness if the recipients are not human?

How can we observe people in their natural habitat, do make better plans to help them?

#abraham #bereishis #sarah #genesis #chumash #genesis #bereishit

In this episode we explore how society needs to be fixed in a particular order, as outlined by Sefer Shoftim. I also connect each shofet's middah with the parallel middah in the 7 Roim/Ushpizin.

Osniel ben Kenaz: strong, albeit temporary, leaders can give hope for change. 

Ehud: be rid of relativistic reality/postmodernism; establish goal of objective reality.

Shamgar: eliminate division, connect people to each other.

Devorah: take back control of the media and the messaging. Emphasis on filtering for morality and reality.

Gidon: introduce and teach about morality, verbally and socially fighting for justice and morality.

Tolah: increase personal, emotional care for others. 

Yair: increase innovation and confidence in economic gain and individual entrepreneurship. 

 Yiftach: introduce strong leaders who keep groups united, show strength to foreign leaders, but are reflective of the population.

 Ibtzan, Alon, Avdan: make sure peoples’ healthy visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and ego faculties displace their jealousy, physical desires, desire for honor, and arrogance. 

Shimshon: Bring together disparate leader ship and root out infiltrators to the country, be them spiritual, external, or negative influence.

(Samson, Deborah, Gideon, sefirot, sefiros, shoftim, judges).

Shmuel HaNavi's message and achievements shed light on the only solution to the Shoftim Problem: Netzach as unabashed religious adherence. 

(Netzach, shoftim, judges, Shmuel, Samuel, philistines, plishtim.)

Society further breaks down on micro and macro levels. As Jewish Law wanes and idolatry waxes upon entry into Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel), Bnai Israel (People of Israel) expect to feel free and to follow the whims of their heart; unfortunately, lawlessness turns to aggression, as always.   What caused the Levite's concubine to run away from him? Why does his father-in-law placate him for so many days? Why does he leaves the man's home so late in the day? Why does Bnai Yisrael feel so compelled to respond to the atrocity by attacking all of Benjamin, and so strongly at that?  (Pilegesh, concubine, Levi, Yehudah, Ephraim, Efraim, Levite, fathers, husband marriage, Benjamin, Binyamin).

What led Micha to cause one of the worst creations and incidences on Biblical record? Why would a Levi act as a Cohen? Why are these men called both "Ish" and "Na'ar"? 

Societies break down on both macro and micro levels. The 'Idol of Micha' incident teaches us where to look to solve these problems on a familial level.

(Yesod, Gevurah, Ephraim, Mensashe, Dan, Micha, Mikah, Michah, Michayahu, idol, molten idols, teraphim, Shoftim, healthy masculinity, male-female, male, female.).

Why does Shimshon have a weakness when it comes to women? What are we supposed to learn from his action-oriented achievements? What is the message behind Shimshon using a donkey's jaw? Buckle your seatbelts as we study the rest of Shimshon's dramatic story and extract its lessons to use to solve the world's problems.

(Middos,  Plishtim, Philistines, Samson, Shimshon, Delila, Delilah, Lilith, Lilit, Lilis, yesod, gevurah, malchus, gayva).

What is Shimshon's achievement vis-a-vis Shoftim & Malchus? What is his personality and why does he need to be a Nazir Shimshon? Where does his strength come from? Understand why Shimshon can be seen as the epitomal Shofet/Judge, as the hero who may be out of line (sometimes), but he is right. (Middos, keter, kesser, binah, chochma, daas, daat, Plishtim, Philistines, Samson, Shimshon, kinah, tayva, kavod, gayva).

(Re-edited 11/7/2021 to add more inspiration, clarity, and ideas). Yiftach is crowned as a temporary "chief", bringing fortunate victories, but, along with his boldness, tragedy arrives. Understand how leaders who lack knowledge and are full of hubris negatively impact our lives, and why we should demand more.

See how Yiftach, Ibtzan, Elon, and Avdon bring us flashes of potent middos, Keser, Chochma, Bina, and Daas, and temporary salvation for Bnai Yisrael (Jewish People). 

Shevet Ephraim and Yiftach bring powerful messages about when to speak up in life, how to carry a 'chip on one's shoulder' for motivation, and not accepting stifling or unideal relationships.

(Middos, keter, kesser, binah, chochma, daas, daat, Jephthah, Hillel, kinah, tayva, kavod, gayva). 

In the face of fear-inducing Avoda Zara (idolatrous) messages, the Shofet Tola brings soothing, care, and hope. The Shofet Yair brings work ethic, entrepreneurship, and hope for his family and all of Israel. Direct lessons for not being fearful in our times; rather, to have hope and keep our faith, innovation, and work ethic.

(Torah, Book of Judges, Sefer Shoftim, Hod, Yesod, Aharon, Aaron, Yosef, Joseph, fear, anxiety, business, family, entrepreneurship).

Gidon demonstrates that true Torah values cannot be preserved or spread solely through study and prayer; rather, one must go out and fight for them, as he did in his time.

“Piecemeal style” podcast, going through each section in each perek to show ongoing themes and new insights.

(Gidon, Gideon, netzach, spirituality, physicality, fatherhood, fathers, parents, tradition, faith, Judges, Book of Judges, Bible, morality, assertiveness,).

When idolatrous invaders plunder Israel, iconoclast Judge Gideon demonstrates that victory must be achieved through spiritual means. Salvation and kingship can come only through a grassroots movement and adherence to tradition. 

(Gidon, Gideon, netzach, spirituality, physicality, fatherhood, fathers, parents, tradition).

When a female is the de facto leader & sage of a generation, how does the military general Barak navigate working together to vanquish evil? Understand how Devorah the Neviah and Shofetes (prophetess and judge) --and her non-Jewish counterpart Yael-- rise to the occasion by learning how to navigate male-female relationships. 

Included is: "taking initiative"; "building up our partner, not cutting them down"; compromise; "give and take" and "the cycle of giving"; the differences between men and women; and the difference between typological personality and gender personality, and how that can lead to increased flash points in marriage.

(Male-female relationships, male female, Devorah, Barak, Deborah, chesed, gevurah, hod, Netzach; tiferes tiferet).

Lockdowns. Stay-at-home orders. Emergency directives. 2020 brought the world something that was never new--these practices have been going on for centuries. The infamous Plishtim, the Philistines, engaged in this 'destruction by subtraction' thousands of years ago. In this episode, I break down the divisive Gevurah roots of the Plishtim and the only solution: Shamgar and his proper use of Gevurah power.

"Downstream from Religion" series.

In this episode I give a speedy, condensed version of my Intro 2 to Shoftim, explaining why someone would worship idols. I love our chemistry and Sol's questions and ideas. It may have been a little too speedy...so feel free to listen on .5 or .75 speed 🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻, 👍🏽👍🏽, 🤚🏿.

"Downstream from Religion" series.

In this episode, I explain how Sefer Shoftim (Book of Judges) begins to unfold, dealing with the differences in the shevatim/tribes, why inanimate statues lead to their downfall, and the importance of proper heroes and superheroes. Add some ugly goats, analogies of terrorists and mafia bosses, and self-confidence talk to make a fun podcast recipe.

The Seven Ways of Nach series. 

King David, government, patriotism vs propaganda, and the importance asserting ourselves. 

Episode 7 of Counting the Omer Series: What the 49 combinations mean to us; Malchus-Chesed through Malchus-Malchus (43-49).

David. Kingship, King, Kingliness. Feminine. Israel.

Leah, Mashiach ben David.

"Tikkun of 'smashing the vessels' and connecting peratim." Relationships & connection.

Episode 6 of Counting the Omer Series: What the 49 combinations mean to us; Yesod-Chesed through Yesod-Malchus (36-42).

Yosef, Joseph, Yosef HaTzadik. Bris, Egypt, secular, Mashiach ben Yosef. Rachel.

Episode 5 of Counting the Omer Series: what the 49 combinations mean to us; Hod-Chesed through Hod-Malchus (29-35).

Aharon HaCohen. Glory, kindness, care, Aron, Cohanim, Levi, Leviim. Individual rights. 

For what reason did Moshe have to show the kosher and non-kosher animals to the Jewish People? Podcast on Vayikra Rabbah 13:3-4

Episode 4 of Counting the Omer Series: what the 49 combinations mean to us; Netzach-Chesed through Netzach-Malchus (22-28). Using clear explanations of the 7 sefiros.

The Seven Ways method: Innovative ideas based on Jewish tradition and contemporary psychology.

Sefiros, sefirot. Chesed, Omer, Sefirat HaOmer, Sefiras HaOmer, sefirah. Netzach, eternity, victory. Values. Moshe, Moses. Moshe Rabbenu.

Addendum to episode #1, in which I briefly add messages and ideas for action for each day.

Episode 3 of Counting the Omer Series: what the 49 combinations mean to us; Tiferes-Chesed through Tiferes-Malchus (15-21). Using clear explanations of the 7 sefiros.

The Seven Ways method: Innovative ideas based on Jewish tradition and contemporary psychology.

Sefiros, sefirot. Chesed, Omer, Sefirat HaOmer, Sefiras HaOmer, sefirah. Kindness, expanse, Gevurah. Din Judgement. Tiferes, tiferet, splendor, symbolism, glory. Jacob, Yaakov, Yakov, Ya'akov. 

Episode 2 of Counting the Omer Series: what the 49 combinations mean to us; Gevurah-Chesed through Gevurah-Malchus (8-14). Using clear explanations of the 7 sefiros.

The Seven Ways method: Innovative ideas based on Jewish tradition and contemporary psychology.

Sefiros, sefirot. Chesed, Omer, Sefirat HaOmer, Sefiras HaOmer, sefirah. Kindness, expanse, Gevurah. Din Judgement. Abraham Avraham, Isaac, Yitzchak. Yishak.

Episode 1 of Counting the Omer Series: what the 49 combinations mean to us; Chesed-Chesed through Chesed-Malchus (1-7). Using clear explanations of the 7 sefiros. 

The Seven Ways method: Innovative ideas based on Jewish tradition and contemporary psychology.

Sefiros, sefirot. Chesed, Omer, Sefirat HaOmer, Sefiras HaOmer, sefirah. Kindness, expanse, Gevurah. Din Judgement. Abraham Avraham, Isaac, Yitzchak. Yishak.