Dec 17, 2018
On this episode* we answer a listener question about women’s hair covering, changing norms, and the connection between hair and “erva” (nakedness). Then we talk about sexuality in Kabbalah with Dr. Sharon Faye Koren, author of Forsaken: The Menstruant in Medieval Jewish Mysticism, who discusses why sex plays...
Nov 15, 2018
In what could be the first parent-child sex talk on record, Rav Hisda gives his daughters advice about how to increase their husband’s desire during sex. Or is it the benefits of being modest? We discuss the different interpretations of this cryptic text and the continued relevance of its lessons.
The post Rav...
Oct 26, 2018
Welcome back to The Joy of Text! We’re kicking off Season 4 with a fact or fiction quickfire round: Is sex really a “double mitzvah” on Shabbat? Is daytime sex verboten? And what is up with the “hole in the sheet?” We clear up these and other common myths and misconceptions — or are they? […]
Jun 21, 2018
On the Season 3 Finale we interview a Jewish woman who made the decision to be a surrogate and carry a child for someone else, with the support of her husband and their three young children. Carrie and Jamie Bornstein share personally and poignantly about what it means to help another couple become parents, and...
Jun 4, 2018
Words, words, words. In this mini text episode, our hosts discuss a curious Talmudic passage (Nedarim 91a & b) about when a woman’s admission of adultery is believed, or not, emphasizing the power of words to create legal realities with real-world consequences.