Dear Rabbi Podcast By Menachem Lehrfield cover art

Dear Rabbi

Dear Rabbi

By: Menachem Lehrfield
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 Concise weekly answers to your questions about Judaism. If you are a wondering Jew, visit www.joidenver.com/dearrabbi to submit your own questions.Copyright Rabbi Menachem Lehrfield Judaism Spirituality
Episodes
  • Why Jews don't eat cheeseburger Part 7

    Why Jews don't eat cheeseburger Part 7
    Jul 9 2025
    In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I conclude the analysis of Ellen Gilad's interpretation of the meat and milk prohibition by demonstrating how clear biblical verses help us understand ambiguous ones. While acknowledging that the verses in Exodus might be unclear about whether they refer to cooking or ripening, I explain how the crystal-clear verse in Deuteronomy, which appears among dietary laws, definitively establishes that "bashel" means "to cook" rather than "to ripen." I use the principle that when faced with both clear and ambiguous biblical passages on the same topic, we should interpret the ambiguous ones through the lens of the clear ones. Even if we were to accept the alternative interpretation of the Exodus verses, the Deuteronomy verse alone would still prohibit mixing meat and milk. I conclude with a practical analogy about choosing the safer path when in doubt, emphasizing that those who genuinely care about following divine instruction would avoid questionable practices. This episode reinforces that the prohibition against mixing meat and milk is biblical law transmitted through an unbroken oral tradition, not merely rabbinic interpretation.


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    6 mins
  • Why Jews don't eat cheeseburger Part 6

    Why Jews don't eat cheeseburger Part 6
    Jul 2 2025
    In this episode of Dear Rabbi, I examine Ellen Gilad's argument that the Hebrew word "bashel" (translated as "seethe") might mean "ripen" or "mature" rather than "cook," potentially changing our understanding of the biblical prohibition against mixing meat and milk. I acknowledge that this interpretation has precedent with fruits maturing and was even considered by the classical commentator Bechor Shor as an intellectual exercise. However, I explain why this alternative translation doesn't change Jewish law or practice. I delve into why the Torah repeats this commandment three times - "do not seethe a kid in its mother's milk" - showing how traditional Jewish interpretation understands this repetition as establishing three distinct prohibitions: cooking meat and milk together, eating them together, and benefiting from their mixture. I emphasize the crucial role of the Oral Torah in understanding the written text, explaining how the Jewish people received both the written and oral traditions simultaneously at Mount Sinai, making the prohibition against mixing meat and milk a divinely transmitted law rather than a rabbinic interpretation.


    Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
    Email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

    Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
    Follow us for more:
    Website - https://www.joidenver.com
    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
    Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
    YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
    Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

    Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

    Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
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    4 mins
  • Why Jews don't eat cheeseburger Part 5

    Why Jews don't eat cheeseburger Part 5
    Jun 18 2025
    In this episode of my ongoing response to Elon Gilad's viral video, I explain why Judaism requires both written and oral Torah components. I address the fundamental question of why the Torah wasn't simply written down completely, exploring how the Oral Torah serves as an essential living tradition that cannot be contained in text alone. Drawing on analogies from medical training and modern communication, I illustrate why Torah study necessitates real-world experience, teacher-student relationships, and authentic transmission. I also examine how the Oral Torah protects against manipulation and provides crucial context that prevents misinterpretation. Unlike historical groups like the Sadducees, who consistently rejected oral tradition (even sitting in darkness on Shabbat), I show how selective rejection of the Oral Torah is intellectually dishonest. Through examples such as Shabbat practices and the tradition of eating hot cholent, I illustrate how our unbroken chain of transmission from Mount Sinai ensures an authentic understanding of Torah commandments across all Jewish communities worldwide.


    Keep the questions coming! If you have a burning question about Judaism,
    Email us at Dearrabbi@Joidenver.com📧

    Tune in to Dear Rabbi and uncover the wisdom behind Jewish customs and laws. 🎙️🌟
    Follow us for more:
    Website - https://www.joidenver.com
    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joidenver
    Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JOIdenver
    YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/JOIdenver
    Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/jewishdiy

    Subscribe to "JOI to the World" to access all our podcasts, including Yada Yada Yiddish, Kids Say the Deepest Things, Reconnect, and Dear Rabbi.

    Join us as we uncover the treasures in our backyard and explore what makes the Jewish people extraordinary! 🕎📚🎙️
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    8 mins
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