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PODCAST

The Kotzk Podcast

Rabbi Gavin Michal

Join Rabbi Gavin Michal for a look at some of the lesser-known events, books, and people in Jewish history. New episodes weekly based on articles from the Kotzk Blog, www.kotzkblog.com. This podcast was originated as conversations between Rabbi Gavin Michal and Dr Jordan Wosnick.

religion & spirituality judaism

All Episodes

01:00:04

Kotzk Podcast 061: Messianic Immunity - The Perfect...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/07/20

Messianic Immunity—The Perfect Storm: The case of R. This episode—based extensively on the research by Professor Abraham Ofir Shemesh(1) examines an extreme case of messianic immunity. In the sixteenth century, a medical doctor, haRofeh, under the influence of the *Sabbatian* messianic movement of Shabbatai Tzvi, felt he could administer harmful drugs to non-Jews in order to kill them. Because he believed he was living in the stirrings of the messianic era, he also believed he could do so with

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00:45:02

Kotzk Podcast 060: A historical context to Midrashim

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/07/20

A historical context to Midrashim (Kotzk blog 517)This episode—based extensively on the research by Professor Gary Porton [1](https://d.docs.live.net/cf7c519617ad128d/Documents/KOTZK%20BLOG%20517.docx#_ftn1) — investigates the historical conditions that may have fostered the complex and often elusive evolution of *Midrash*. *Midrashim* are the creative and often fanciful interpretations of the biblical text that dramatically expand its plain meaning. While some adopt a literal approach to the

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01:06:53

Kotzk Podcast 059: When Midrash is too much for the...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/07/20

When Midrash is too much for the Midrash (Kotzk blog 516)This episode—based extensively on the research by Rabbi Dr Zvi Ron—examines various Midrashim that have been rejected by an unofficial form of collective rabbinic consensus. These include Midrashim from lesser known sources as well as, surprisingly, those from classical Midrashic sources such as Mechilta, Sifra, Sifri, Midrash Raba and Midrash Tanchuma

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00:52:02

Kotzk Podcast 058: Missing in Manuscript:the...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/07/20

Missing in Manuscript: The additional biblical verses added to the Mishna (Kotzk blog 515) This episode—based extensively on the research by Professor Jason Kalman—examines the question of additional biblical verses, cited as proof texts added to our versions of the Mishna. Based on comparisons between our Mishna texts and their earlier manuscripts and printings, in almost twenty per cent of the cases, these scriptural citations are missing in the earlier and more original versions. This means that

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01:05:11

Kotzk Podcast 057: Kabbalah: From Obscurity to the...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/07/20

Kabbalah: From Obscurity to the Defining Essence of Judaism (Kotzk blog 514) This episode—based extensively on the research by Professor David Malkiel—explores the thirteenth-century rise of Kabbalah in Spain and its subsequent peaking in sixteenth-century Safed. Since the Safed period, Kabbalah has come to be widely regarded as embodying the very essence and greatest depths of Judaism in the popular imagination. How did this transformation take place? Some would suggest that this is a natural

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01:17:48

Kotzk Podcast 056: Secret Mystical and Chassidic...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/07/20

Secret Mystical and Chassidic societies (Kotzk blog 513)This Episode—based extensively on the research by Rabbi Dr Zvi Leshem—examines several secret mystical societies from biblical times to pre-war Europe, with a particular focus on the secretive group established by R. Kalonymus Kalmish (Kalman) Shapira of Piasecnzo (Piasetzna) (1889-1943). Secret mystical circles and societies are not well-known in Judaism, but they have always existed.

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01:10:21

Kotzk Podcast 055: Managing theological differences:...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/05/25

This podcast - based extensively on the research by Professor Bernard Dov Cooperman[1]—explores how the Italian rabbinic world dealt with their dynamic differences in theological expression during the early Modern period (Kotzk blog 512)

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01:08:11

Kotzk Podcast 054: The Zoharic notion of healing a...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/05/25

This podcast—based extensively on the research by Dr Assaf Tamari[1]—examines the Zohar’s unusual depiction of the exiled Shechina (the feminine aspect of the Godhead) as a patient requiring urgent treatment. (Kotzk blog 511)

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00:50:18

Kotzk Podcast 053: "Tikla", bringing about the...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/05/25

According to the Zohar, several deviant sexual activities were necessary for the Davidic messianic dynasty to emerge. This is known as ‘redemption through sin’ and is connected to the Aramaic word Tikla used by the Zohar which refers to a spinning wheel in the sky. Kotzk Blog: 371) ‘Tikla’ and the zoharic concept that sin can bring redemption

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01:08:03

Kotzk Podcast 052: When authority becomes the...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/05/09

This podcast —based extensively on the research by Professor Eitan Fishbane[1]—examines the rabbinic notion of the authenticity of a teaching or text being reliant on the perceived authority of its transmitter or originator. In other words, the greater the rabbi the more authentic the teaching, regardless of the independent status, nature and validity of the actual teaching itself. (Kotzk Blog 509)

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01:27:40

Kotzk Podcast 051: The rise of contemporary...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/04/07

The rise of contemporary Religious-Zionism (Kotzk Blog 507)This article—based extensively on the research by Professor Yoav Peled[1]—examines the rise of the Religious Zionist movement from relative non-dominance in 1948 to a position of unquestionable hegemony in the last decades.

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01:00:00

Kotzk Podcast 050: Reading the biblical word אות...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/04/07

Reading the biblical word אות (‘sign’) in its earlier context (Kotzk Blog 506)This episode—based extensively on the research by Professors Idan Dershowitz and Na’ama Pat-El[1]—examines possible lost meanings of the Hebrew word אות (‘ot’) which is usually simply translated and commonly understood as a ‘sign.’

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01:19:46

Kotzk Podcast 049: The ‘Three Oaths’: Theologies of...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/03/16

The ‘Three Oaths’: Theologies of Cancellation and Resurrection (Kotzk Blog 504)This episode– based extensively but not exclusively on the research by Professor Reuven Firestone[1] ꟷ examines the Talmudic concept ofשלוש השבועות or Three Oaths. It focuses on the theological tension between the Three Oaths, which prohibit a return to the Land of Israel until the Messiah arrives, and the desire to settle in the Land. The Three Oaths were designed to engender a non-militaristic and exilic ethos within

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01:12:51

Kotzk Podcast 048: Sebastianism: Crossover messianism...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/03/16

Sebastianism: Crossover messianism that predated Sabbatianism (Kotzk Blog 503)This Episode ꟷ based extensively on the research by Professor Matt Goldish[1] ꟷ examines the unusual notion of messianic crossover between Jews, Christians and Muslims that developed around the sixteenth century. What is even more unusual, from a Jewish perspective, is that the rabbis who participated in such enterprises were always Kabbalists and often respected Halachists as well.

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01:07:31

Kotzk Podcast 047: Moshe haGoleh of Kiev: a critical...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/02/23

Kotzk Podcast 047: Moshe haGoleh of Kiev: a critical devotee of Avraham Ibn Ezra (Kotzk Blog 502)This episode ꟷ based extensively on the research by Professor Eric Lawee[1] ꟷ examines a little-known and somewhat neglected exegete and commentator, R. Moshe ben Yakov (1448-1520) who compiled a supper-commentary (i.e., a commentary on a commentary) based on R. Avraham Ibn Ezra (1089-1164) who had preceded him by almost four centuries. Moshe ben Yakov is also known as Moshe haGoleh (the ‘exile’)

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01:18:35

Kotzk Podcast 046: Were some early Spanish Kabbalists...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/02/23

Kotzk Podcast 046: Were some early Spanish Kabbalists defending a Maimonidean position? (Kotzk Blog 501)This episode ꟷ based extensively on the research by Professor Tzahi Weiss[1] ꟷ examines an interesting and unusual approach to understanding how thirteenth-century Kabbalah suddenly emerged in Provence (southern France) and Catalonia (northeastern Spain). With this emergence, there was now a rapid interest in, and wide reception of, the notion of Sefirot (Divine emanations). Although the term

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01:02:39

Kotzk Podcast 045: Mining Chassidic stories for...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/02/23

Kotzk Podcast 045: Mining Chassidic stories for kernels of historicity (Kotzk Blog 500)This episode ꟷ based extensively on the research by Professor Glynn Dynner[1] ꟷ examines a possible methodology to extract aspects of historical truths from the often exaggerated and venerating style of Chassidic storytelling.

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01:36:32

Kotzk Podcast 044: The debate over the authenticity...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/01/27

This episode examines various versions of the provenance of the iconic picture of the Alter Rebbe, the first Rebbe of Chabad. It offers a critical analysis as well as a possible defence of the authenticity of the portrait. Ultimately, though, the question is left open-ended (Kotzk Blog 499)

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01:16:12

Kotzk Podcast 043: Did the Babylonian Talmud create...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/01/19

Did the Babylonian Talmud create the authoritative rabbi and the passive Jew? (Kotzk Blog 498)This episode – based extensively on the research by Rabbi Dr Amir Mashiach[1] − explores the emergence of the rabbinic class after the failed Jewish revolts against the Romans during the first two centuries CE. Up to that point, the rabbis did not feature in leadership positions. On assuming power immediately after the failed military campaigns and revolts, the rabbis (and the Babylonian rabbis

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01:07:49

Kotzk Podcast 042: Language as incubators of...

The Kotzk Podcast ·

2025/01/19

Language as incubators of theological ideas (Kotzk Blog 497) This Episode – based extensively on the research by Professor Edward Ullendorff (1920 -2011) – examines languages as distinct incubators of theological ideas. In other words, we are going to see to what extent “different languages reflect different realities” (Ullendorff 1966:273) which, in turn, reflect different theologies; and how translations, in this case from the Hebrew of the Torah into English, can project different meanings

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