Rephonic
Artwork for The Oral Talmud
Talmud
Judaism
Torah
Svara
Pikuach Nefesh
Yom Kippur
Rabbinic Judaism
Divorce
Rabban Gamliel
The Law Of the Wayward and Rebellious Son
Halakha
Covenant
Daf Yomi
Yavne
Mount Sinai
Purim
Tradition
Education
Rabbi Meir
Judaism Unbound

An exploration of the Talmud through the “traditionally radical” lens pioneered by Benay Lappe. Whether you are a beginner to Talmud study or a long-time learner, by listening in on Benay Lappe’s study partnership with Dan Libenson as they explore foundational stories and material from the Talmud, you will discover the how-to manual that the ancient Rabbis left behind for future generations to hel... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes52Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Religion & SpiritualityJudaism

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Oral Talmud

Latest Episodes

“You're not going to be judged on how much Torah you know. You're not going to be judged on other elements like how smart you were. You're going to be judged on did you make this a priority? What you're going to be judged on is, did you actually work... more

“ People often take rites and rituals and they miss the point. It would be like if your doctor wrote you a prescription if you were sick, and then instead of taking the medicine, you take the prescription and you put it on your altar, you bow down, y... more

YouTube

“ We have a Constitution that's almost impossible to amend but it must change to preserve the constant. And the mechanism for change is that we reinterpret it to keep it true, that it reflects our deepest values and highest aspirations. If we did not... more

YouTube

“This story raises the questions of who's in our community, who can be in our community, and who’s svara should we be listening to? The answer is much broader on all of those questions than we typically think. She changed the entire tradition. She ch... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Judaism Unbound
Judaism UnboundInstitute for the Next Jewish Future
On the Nose
On the NoseJewish Currents
Identity/Crisis
Identity/CrisisShalom Hartman Institute

Recent Guests

Richard Primus
Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan Law School
Episode: Episode 48: The Myth of Interpretation with Richard Primus
Menachem Fisch
Joseph and Ceil Mazer Professor of History and Philosophy of Science, Emeritus and Director of the Center for Religious and Interreligious Studies at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Episode: Episode 44: When Tradition Fights Back with Menachem Fisch
Ilana Kurshan
Author of the award-winning memoir If All the Seas Were Ink.
Episode: Episode 21: Dissecting Daf Yomi with Ilana Kurshan
Jane Kanarek
Rabbi, Associate Professor of Rabbinics at Hebrew College Rabbinical School, and author of Biblical Narrative and the Formation of Rabbinic Law.
Hebrew College Rabbinical School
Episode: Episode 20: Transforming Story into Law with Jane Kanarek
Shai Secunda
Jacob Neusner Professor in the History and Theology of Judaism at Bard College
Bard College
Episode: Episode 17: The Iranian Talmud with Shai Secunda
Daniel Boyarin
A prominent Talmud scholar and author of several works on Talmudic culture
University of California at Berkeley
Episode: Episode 16: The Greatest Voices Are Anonymous with Daniel Boyarin
Ruth Calderon
Talmudist author and social political leader, founder of Alma
Alma
Episode: Episode 13: Using Tradition to Overturn Tradition
Barry Wimpfheimer
Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Northwestern University.
Northwestern University
Episode: Episode 6: Narrating the Law with Barry Wimpfheimer
David Kraemer
Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics and the Joseph J and Dora Abbell Librarian at the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Jewish Theological Seminary
Episode: Episode 4: Retelling the History with David Kraemer

Hosts

Dan Libenson
Co-host of The Oral Talmud; often guides study partnerships and textual discussion.
Benay Lappe
Co-host and study partner in The Oral Talmud; emphasizes reimagining Judaism through the SVARA and broader radical-yeshiva lens.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 23 ratings
  • Thought provoking and accessible to Talmud newbies

    The hosts do a great job of presenting Talmud in a thoughtful, engaging way that’s accessible to newcomers to the text.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    foodwriter36
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Thought-provoking and accessible to Talmud newbies.
Guests and hosts are seen as rigorous but approachable, with a focus on moral nuance and reform-minded Judaism.
Listeners praise thoughtful, engaging explanations that connect ancient texts to modern life.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 48: The Myth of Interpretation with Richard Primus
Q: How do you see the relation between time-zero original meaning and the evolving understanding of constitutional values?
The constitutional constant is that the Constitution must reflect our deepest values as they evolve; the content changes over time to preserve that alignment, and reinterpretation is how we maintain fidelity to the constant while accommodating new realities.
Episode 20: Transforming Story into Law with Jane Kanarek
Q: What is your goal for your students in teaching Talmud?
To empower them to develop their own voices while understanding technical skills and making meaning from text.
Episode 20: Transforming Story into Law with Jane Kanarek
Q: How did the rabbis relate to the Torah?
They believed that you have to read the Torah in a mediated way, recognizing the layers of interpretation and narrative involved.
Episode 17: The Iranian Talmud with Shai Secunda
Q: What was the geopolitical landscape at the time of the Babylonian Talmud's formation?
The Talmud's formation occurred in a politically and culturally Persian context, specifically within the Sasanian Empire, despite the geographical location being in what is now Iraq. This influences both the rabbinic community in Babylon and their interactions with surrounding cultures.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Oral Talmud

What is The Oral Talmud about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program explores Talmudic texts through a lens described as traditionally radical, focusing on how ancient discussions can be reinterpreted to address modern ethics, social justice, and community life. Across episodes, hosts examine difficult topics—law, gender, punishment, and life-preserving principles—through careful analysis of sources and real-world implications, often tying insights to current events and contemporary Jewish practice. A standout thread is the commitment to reimagining tradition with compassion and relevance, making complex rabbinic debates accessible to a broad audience, including newcomers.

Listeners can expect thoughtful, dialog-driven exploration that treats text as a living process, not a fixed doctrine. Note... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Oral Talmud?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Oral Talmud. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Oral Talmud and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Oral Talmud get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Oral Talmud, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Oral Talmud?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Oral Talmud, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Oral Talmud have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Oral Talmud has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Oral Talmud?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Oral Talmud:

1. Judaism Unbound
2. On the Nose
3. Identity/Crisis
4. Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam
5. The Promised Podcast

How many episodes of The Oral Talmud are there?

The Oral Talmud launched a year ago and published 52 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Oral Talmud?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Oral Talmud?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Oral Talmud from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Oral Talmud?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Oral Talmud. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Oral Talmud?

Recent guests on The Oral Talmud include:

1. Richard Primus
2. Menachem Fisch
3. Ilana Kurshan
4. Jane Kanarek
5. Shai Secunda
6. Daniel Boyarin
7. Ruth Calderon
8. Barry Wimpfheimer

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days