October 7th Reflection (and a Personal Update)

Special edition: Over Shabbos, Rav Itamar Schwartz zt"l, author of Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh, passed away at 50. This episode opens with a short hesped from Ben Hoffer, who flew to Eretz Yisrael to join the shiva.Then, the full interview. Ben Hoffer is a general counsel, a community builder in Springfield, NJ, and a member of the Jewish Agency's board of governors. He has two goals: Dveikus BaShem and Achdus Klal Yisrael. Here he explains why they're really one goal, and what it looks like to chase both with a full-time job.We talk about:- Why an Ohev Hashem can't exist without an Ohev Yisrael- Kineh Chaver after yeshiva, and why a Rebbe and a chevra matter more once life gets busy- Anchoring your week around Shabbos- In-house vs. big law, and what work-life balance actually takes- Sitting at the Jewish Agency's unity table as an Orthodox Jew- Having the spine to be different- The Asher Yatzar story with his coworker- Lightning round: Friday night, a favorite sefer, and an alternate careerTimestamps00:00 Cold open00:53 Special Edition: Remembering Rav Itamar Schwartz zt"l07:29 A story from the shiva09:29 Main interview: Ben's two goals10:12 Bayonne, Springfield, and a family that grew together15:23 Yeshiva and Kineh Chaver18:34 Building a chevra when life gets busy22:44 Becoming a lawyer27:25 A day in Ben's schedule30:54 Dveikus, Achdus, and the Jewish Agency38:57 The spine to be different43:39 The Asher Yatzar story45:44 Lightning roundShtark Tank is a podcast for the challenges and opportunities of being a mentor in the workforce. Subscribe on Substack for more: shtarktank.org

Do you ever feel anxious and exhausted?Simon Baum used to feel that way all the time. He returns to Shtark Tank for a follow-up on one of our most popular episodes.Simo is an attorney, a maggid shiur, and a Ramat Beit Shemesh dad. This time we skip the symptoms and go after the causes. Simon shares what he learned the hard way during the years he was commuting to London every week while his family was building a new life in Israel.We cover:Why Torah and “real life” shouldn’t live in two separate bucketsVe’ahavta lere’acha kamocha as three relationships (Hashem, others, yourself), and why a crack in one shows up in the other twoPerfectionism as a defense mechanism, and how it turns avodas Hashem into all or nothingThe gap between yeshiva and the real world, and what gets missed when you learn as a single guyFeeling unfulfilled at work, and why the coworker who triggers you might be your personal avodaHishtadlus and bitachon: the forward looking test and the backward looking testA 30 second grounding tool you can use before a stressful meeting or before you walk into your houseYour phone as a solution to a problem, not the problem itselfWhy a water bottle delivered to a kid at school might have been the best thing Simon did all dayTimestamps02:40 Simon’s story and why he’s back06:13 Stress: symptoms vs. causes15:07 Yeshiva, perfectionism, and the three relationships26:32 Building yourself vs. showing up for others31:31 When work feels meaningless37:18 Hishtadlus, bitachon, and staying calm45:17 Phones, numbing, and the ten minutes of “my time”50:46 The summaryMentioned: The God of My Understanding by Rabbi Shais TaubIf this one hit home, subscribe and leave a five star review. It’s the best way to help Shtark Tank reach more professionals trying to make Torah and work fit together.

What do you think was the most common question Rabbi Sacks got? It was not about Israel, halacha, or politics. It was “Do you remember me?”As we approach Rabbi Sacks’s Yartzeit, Sivan Rahav-Meir joins Shtark Tank to talk about the Rabbi Sacks she came to know. It started with a phone call during COVID, a live Zoom event with Yishai Ribo, and the realization that you are never stuck. Sivan is a seventh-generation Israeli, a longtime journalist, and a baalat teshuva. She shares what Rabbi Sacks taught her about being a shaliach, wherever you are and whatever you do.We talk about:Why Rabbi Sacks’s real legacy might be the families who sent their kids to Jewish schools because of himHow being a baalat teshuva can keep Torah feeling like fire instead of habitFinding balance with technology, WhatsApp, and the pull of always being “there”Work, family, and why your own simcha is worth protectingStaying connected across Israel’s divides without compromising halachaThe Jewish response to October 7th: more Shabbat, more Torah, more simchaTimestamps:00:00 Intro01:37 Welcome and Sivan’s background04:45 How Sivan first connected with Rabbi Sacks08:08 Torah in media, politics, and culture10:53 Torah that lights up your day15:10 Technology, balance, and “Do you remember me?”20:52 Work, family, and renewal25:33 Unity and breaking boundaries28:55 Responding to October 7th30:24 ClosingAbout SivanSivan Rahav-Meir is a media personality and lecturer. She was voted by Globes newspaper as most popular female media personality in Israel and by the Jerusalem Post as one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world. She is Married to Yedidya, mother of five, lives in Jerusalem. To get her daily content search for "the daily thought".If you like Sivan's content, subscribe here- https://did.li/TN7CN to receive the daily thought by WhatsApp.For the book 'Shabat' [Hebrew] https://ybook.co.il/products/3627564

As Rabbi Sacks’ yahrzeit approaches, we’re finally releasing the full 2024 interview recorded for our documentary series. Gilles Gade, founder and CEO of Cross River Bank, and Dr. Erica Brown, Vice Provost for Values and Leadership at Yeshiva University and Director of the Sacks-Herenstein Center, share how Rabbi Sacks shaped their lives and work.Erica was Rabbi Sacks’ student and thesis advisee in London. Gilles never met him, but calls him his rebbe after 15 years of reading Covenant and Conversation. Together they get into how his Torah plays out in a boardroom, a bank, and a home.In this episode:Why influence outlasts power, and what Avraham teaches us about sellingMultipliers, diminishers, and why a bad boss is “graduate school”Simcha vs. sasson, and why consumerism can’t deliver salvationShmita as an economic reset, and how Gilles applies it to consumer lendingRabbi Sacks’ weekly class for philanthropistsWork and family: quality over quantity, and the hidden cost of mission-driven careersTzedakah as tzedek, justice rather than charityPrioritizing mental health and healthcare after October 7Hope vs. optimismTimestamps:03:08 How Gilles and Erica found Rabbi Sacks10:01 Power vs. influence19:31 Consumerism, joy, and the American dream22:41 Banking, credit, and shmita31:02 Rabbi Sacks and the business world33:52 Balancing work and family44:08 Tzedakah as justice52:03 Prioritizing after October 755:44 Closing thoughts on hopeGuests:Gilles Gade is the founder and CEO of Cross River Bank.Dr. Erica Brown is Vice Provost for Values and Leadership at Yeshiva University and Director of the Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center.Make sure to check out our newsletter at ShtarkTank.org

What's harder, being the tzaddik of an entire generation, or being a good father? A short idea on this week's parshaMake sure to subscribe to our newsletter at Shtarktank.org

A Rabbi in rehab after being wounded on October 7th shared a Dvar Torah with me on why the angel quit fighting Yaakov Avinu. I also shared some personal news that means a lighter schedule for the show.

Let's get ready for sukkot, with three Divrei Torah from Bnei Torah in the workforce. We cover daled minim, sitting in the sukka, shemini atzeret and more!Our guests: Rav Zecharia Rosenthal, Betzalel Cohn, Ephraim GoldsteinMake sure to subscribe to our newsletter, where I share unfiltered thoughts on Torah, Work, Family and more. ShtarkTank.orgFor more of Betzalel's Corporate Divrei Torah, click here Key TopicsThe connection between Sukkah and mezuzah as a reminder of impermanenceThe concept of Diras Keva and its relation to mezuzah and SukkahThe idea of transition times in life, such as after Yom Kippur and Shemini YatzeretThe role of humility and acknowledgment of limitations in fulfilling mitzvotThe importance of mindfulness and intentionality in everyday transitionsThe impact of Torah and mitzvot on personal and communal securityThe analogy of the Etrog and the concept of Hadar in mitzvah performanceThe significance of Shemini Yatzeret as a day to pause and reflectThe parallels between military transition rituals and spiritual transition in lifeChapters00:00 Intro00:53 Rabbi Zechariah Rosenthal - Temporary or Permanent?12:58 Betzalel Cohen - Beautiful or Messy?25:01 Ephraim Goldstein - One More Day

Yosef Guedalia escaped his burning jeep, and ran straight at the terrorists position.For the third year running, we mark the Aseret Yemei Teshuva with Yizkor 10.7, honoring the heroes of October 7th. This years episode is about Yosef Guedalia Hy"d, who fell defending Kfar Azza. We are joined by David Guedalia, Yosef's father.We spoke about:- Yosef's packed Friday routine, the quiet happiness, the instinct to care for other.- The heroic battle in Kfar Azza: the RPG that hit Yosef's jeep, the rescues under fire, and the charge through the gate that broke the terrorists' momentum and stopped the kidnappings.- Torah perspectives on grief, loss, and fatherhood. We examine the Akeida, the famous story of the 4 who entered the Pardes, and a drasha that went very wrong.To support the Mechina in Kfar Azza click hereFor videos about Yosef click hereChapters00:00 — Intro06:09 — Yosef’s Life: Joy, Discipline, and Service34:23 — October 7: The Battle at Kfar Aza59:28 — Grief, Trauma, and Finding Meaning78:47 — Peoplehood, Connection, and Carrying Yosef’s Legacy Forward

For Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we wanted to do something special. Eight voices from around the world, eight perspectives on the Yamim Noraim. Here's the lineup:Ezra Meyer — car salesman and global chazzan, on how he prepares to lead tefilla on the Yamim NoraimDr. Herman Weiss — OBGYN and baal tokeah, on his path to becoming a baal tokeah and one of his most memorable mistakesRabbi Yossi Katz — Rav in Linden, NJ and partner in a recruiting firm, on Akeidat Yitzchak and how Avraham Avinu reframes how we approach being Bnei Torah in the workforceRav Tzvi Sinensky — director of the Lamm Legacy, sharing a Rosh Hashana drasha Rav Lamm gave his kehilla on integrating business success with religious successRav David Aron — co-Rosh Yeshiva of Orayta and founder of Isralight, on the proper attitude toward Yom HaDinRav Mitch Berger — computer programmer and author on Rav Shimon Shkop's hashkafa in his hakdama to Shaarei YosherYitzi Lowe — combat soldier in the IDF, on Yodei TeruaBonus: Yaakov Wolff on Headlines — audio from an interview on the Headlines podcast, hosted by Rav Ari Wasserman, on the phrase "Shivti B'veis Hashem"A lot of work went into this one. Special thanks to Shlomo Price for extra editing help.If you haven't already, subscribe, and if you're so inclined, leave a 5-star review. It helps the show reach more people.Resources Mentioned:Bshir Yaron, website for ChazzanimThe Revelation of Man, Drasha by Rav Norman Lamm'Widen Your Tent' by Rav Micha Berger Chapter list:0:00 — Intro2:26 — Ezra Meyer: Preparing to Lead the High Holiday Prayers21:49 — Dr. Herman Weiss: The Responsibility of Blowing the Shofar35:21 — Rabbi Yossi Katz: Avraham Avinu and Finding Meaning in the Journey45:00 — Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky: Rabbi Norman Lamm on Potential and Purpose58:01 — Rabbi David Aaron: Rethinking Judgment on Rosh Hashanah1:09:57 — Rav Micha Berger: Rav Shimon Shkop’s Vision of Responsibility1:29:15 — Yitzy Loew: The Shofar’s Call to Enlist1:45:29 — Headlines Appearance: Building a Torah-Centered Life in the Workforce

Jeremy Rovinsky is a full time United States immigration judge, an associate justice for multiple Native American courts of appeals, a law professor at Crest Point University, and Dean of Teachers for the Tikvah Foundation's Millstone Scholars Program. He's also a baal teshuva who took his judicial oath on the Chovos HaLevavos.Jeremy spends his days behind the bench. This week he brings that lens to the Yamim Noraim: what din really means, why teshuva is recalibration and not erasure, and what it's like to approach Hakadosh Baruch Hu as the ultimate judge when you know exactly what it feels like to sit in the chair.In this episode:Going from philosophy major to talmid of Rav Gershenfeld at Machon ShlomoWhy his Rebbe told him to stay in law, not switch to kiruvThe Zohar's read on Lech Lecha: bring your past with you, don't leave it behindWhy the Sanhedrin required judges to have children (and what that teaches about rachmanus)Justice as love, not just din, and why that changed how he saw his own docketWhat Jeremy says to the God of Israel these days, now that he's not the prosecutor anymoreSubscribe, leave a five star review, and check out the newsletter at shtarktank.org for more unfiltered thoughts on Torah, family, and life.