Dear Yoetzet

In this episode, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews renowned clinical and sex therapist Dr. Shy Krug. Together they address how couples can navigate rebuilding their relationship when they feel they have drifted apart and are leading parallel lives without much connection.

In this episode, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews her own teacher, Nishmat Miriam Glaubach Center Senior Lecturer, Rabbi Gedalyah Berger. Together they discuss different halachic issues with different types of birth control as well as how to approach a situation in which you feel like you've exhausted all the options.

In this episode, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus and guest Dr. Aimee Baron discuss the challenges of pregnancy loss, including how that impacts going to the Mikveh. In their conversation, they emphasize that if you are experiencing this, you are not alone and they share some tips for approaching this challenge.    

In this episode Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus and Shoshannah Olshin discuss what we can do to keep the spark alive in our marriages and intimate lives when we feel pulled in many directions including raising children, careers, and household responsibilities.

In this episode of Dear Yoetzet, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews OBGYN Dr. Elana Kastner to discuss some of the common causes of bleeding during early pregnancy and what the halachic and medical implications are of different diagnoses.

So many of us are taught that adjusting to marriage takes time and effort. Is it normal to worry that you made a big mistake? Is it common to think about divorce during the first year of marriage? Have you ever had those thoughts and worried that something is wrong? In this episode Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews therapist Elisheva Liss, LMFT to discuss these questions and troubleshoot common issues that come up in early marriage. No matter what your age or stage,  you will find value in this episode as Lisa and Elisheva tackle issues that are important in every relationship.

Sometimes the halachot regarding beginning a sexual relationship might feel difficult emotionally. How do we work to enable the halachot to work in tandem with how a particular couple feels as they begin their sexual relationship? How do we handle situations where things feel at odds? In this episode, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews therapist Talli Rosenbaum and together they address these questions.  

What happens if you discover the guy you are dating has watched, or currently watches, pornography? Are there red flags- when can it be worked on, and are there times where you might need to break it off? In this episode of Dear Yoetzet, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews Dr. Binyamin Tepfer on this challenging issue, more prevalent in our community than we might want to think.  

In this episode Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews Yoetzet Halacha Yaffa Setton. Together they explore the possibilities of how to handle mikveh on Seder night from a halachic perspective and share some practical advice as well.

Peri-menopause and menopause can be confusing stages of the life cycle, and they don't always get too much airtime or attention. In this episode of Dear Yoetzet, in which Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews menopause expert Dr. Avigayil Rapp, you will certainly learn something new about menopause and about how Taharat Hamishpacha observance interplays with the changes women experience during this stage.

In traditional Kallah classes, it is often emphasized that bathing is a crucial part of preparing for the Mikveh. However, certain situations, such as the unavailability of a bath or external circumstances like the Covid pandemic and specific conditions in Israel, can make bathing at the Mikveh challenging or unsafe. These scenarios raise important questions about the essential nature of the pre-Mikveh bath. In this episode, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus, alongside Rebbetzin Abby Lerner, veteran kallah teacher and educator, delve into the halakhic aspects of this issue. They also discuss women's personal experiences and the most effective teaching practices surrounding this important aspect of Mikveh preparation.

We know that while right now, we as a nation are very focused on the war in Israel, individuals and couples are still experiencing normal struggles of life, sometimes even exacerbated by the current situation. In that light, we share this episode, in which Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus interviews Rabbi Yosef Blau, discussing some very real challenges that couples may experience in navigating their relationship with each other as each spouse navigates his or her own relationship with Taharat Hamishpacha and mikveh.

As the war in Israel rages on, questions Yoatzot are receiving range from the relatively mundane and typical niddah questions to extremely weighty ones. But, even when answering the seemingly more mundane and typical questions, there is so much beneath the surface. Join Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus as she interviews Yoetzet Halacha Michal Roness, who answers questions on Nishmat's Golda Koschitzky Halachic Hotline, about what women's questions during this time reflect about their experiences during war.

Have you wondered if it's ok from a halachic perspective to skip your period using hormonal IUDs or OCPs? What about a hashkafic perspective? What if you experience light staining every month, but don't get a full period—does that put you into niddah? Join Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus as she and guest Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh, Rosh Yeshiva at RIETS and teacher of Yoatzot Halacha in Israel, discuss these questions and more.

Join Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus as she and guest Yoetzet Halacha Shayna Goldberg discuss navigating complicated parenting issues and conversations, particularly around intimate touch and relationships.

It can be stressful when you're trying to conceive and you think you may be ovulating before mikvah. But, one thing that can definitely help is being knowledgeable and empowered to turn to the right people with the right questions. Join  Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus in conversation with guest Dr. Elissa Hellman, of The Confident Kallah, about how to know if and when you're ovulating, and what and medical questions to ask as well as what halachic questions to explore if you do suspect you are ovulating before getting to the mikveh.  

You may know that Halacha requires that a couple refrain from any physical relationship once a woman becomes teme'ah during childbirth. For some, this is difficult to navigate. Join Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus in conversation with guest Chanie Fingerer, RN, @yoledetacademy, about exactly when and how these halachot apply and about how to receive the support you need during labor and delivery.

You may know that a couple has to separate after consummating their marriage whether the woman bleeds or not. But, did you know that sometimes, there could be questions after the second time? Join Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus in conversation with guest Yoetzet Halacha Nechama Price about navigating these early marriage questions, as well as for a review of the universally applicable laws of staining.

What are the challenges when two people of different backgrounds get married?  Should they integrate halachic practice and customs from both of their communities into the home you build together? What does halacha have to say about this? How can you navigate discussing this with each other with respect and admiration? Our letter writer asks these questions and more. Join Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus in conversation with guest Rabbi Joseph Dweck about differences in minhagim between Sephardim and Ashkenazim, whose minhagim should be followed when there's an “intermarriage” and how to approach talking about these issues in your own relationship.

How do you know when you're with the right person? How important are attraction and physical chemistry, and how do you measure them in a relationship without touch? What can we learn from Torah's rules around Niddah and Negiah? And who can we trust as we figure this all out?  Our letter writer asks all of these and other important questions. Join Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus and her guest, Rachel Hercman, LCSW for a conversation about navigating dating in the religious community, learning to trust ourselves, and giving advice.

Complex people deserve multi-faceted answers. In each episode of Dear Yoetzet, Yoetzet Halacha Lisa Septimus and her expert guests address a complicated question in the areas of women's reproductive health and halacha. They approach it from halachic, social, psychological, medical and spiritual perspectives, in order to provide answers that are deeply rooted in Jewish law, grounded in medical knowledge, and sensitive to the specific needs of the individual asking the question.