Jews Did it First

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The main thrust of this podcast is to shed light on a phenomenon that I’ve noticed over the course of the last decade or so. Very often I come across something in Jewish literature that is clearly an antecedent of some modern day cultural, legal or religious concept. The second will be counter-miss…

Rabbi Yossi Madvig

  • Jan 12, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
  • monthly NEW EPISODES
  • 21m AVG DURATION
  • 45 EPISODES


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Latest episodes from Jews Did it First

Eastern Religions Pt. 3 - Yoga

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2021 32:59


What is the connection between Judaism and Yoga?

Fetal Development

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2020 28:40


Did the Talmudic sages have special insight into the womb beyond medical science? And what does the last day of Chanukah teach us?

Baptism and Confirmation

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2020 20:11


Are baptism and confirmation actually Jewish ideas? And what is Chanukah really about?

Loch Ness

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2020 20:56


Is the Loch Ness monster Jewish? And why does Jacob go around kissing people in the Bible?

Eastern Mysticism Pt. 2

Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2020 37:08


More fascinating signs that the mysteries so often associated with the East and the occult are really rooted in Jewish philosophy.Also, lessons from Coronavirus!

Rip Van Winkle

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2020 29:52


What are the true origins of Rip Van Winkle and what can Purim teach us about the coronavirus?

Eenie Meenie Minie Mo

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2020 24:36


Eenie Meenie Minie Mo: Jews Did it First

Kill Them With Kindness

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2019 26:35


Is "Kill Them With Kindness" Jewish? And what's special about this month?

Unicorns

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2019 26:51


Where do unicorns come from and what's the Jewish holiday coming up this weekend?

Tying the Knot

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2019 17:20


Why do we tie knots to remember things? And why are we so darn happy?

Revolutionary War

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2018 28:41


Does the American revolution have roots in the events of Chanukah? And what does Chanukah teach us in 2018?

Pilgrims

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2018 20:59


Who were the first pilgrims? And how do we respond to tragedy like we saw in Pittsburgh?

Ogres

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2018 19:41


Fee Fie Fo Fum! Where do ogres come from? Let's find out.

Werewolf

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2018 16:22


Who was the first werewolf? Let’s find out.

Frankenstein

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2018 24:27


Where did Mary Shelley really get the idea for her famous Frankenstein novel? And now that the Jewish holidays are over, what do we do now?

Onus & Onanism

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2018 23:52


Ever wonder where certain words come from? Some of them have surprising origins. Let's explore some.

Moderation

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2018 13:51


"Everything in moderation ... including moderation"

Midnight Mass

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2018 18:20


Did Jews start midnight mass? And can a curse be a sign of love?

Army Regulations

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2018 11:55


What does Judaism and the army have in common?

Pentacost

Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2018 20:20


Do Jews speak in tongues? And is the Torah for everyone?

#MeToo Pt. 2

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2018 32:54


Let's wrap up the discussion of women's rights with a few legal documents that secure the rights of women in a highly patriarchal society. Plus a lesson in education!

#MeToo

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2018 32:51


Were Jews ahead of their time in the treatment of women? And how holy is too holy?

Taxes

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2018 20:08


Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “…in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” And will the messiah have leprosy? We’ll take a quick look at how different levels of interpretation work.

Spring Cleaning

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2018 18:25


How old is spring cleaning and why do we do it? Also, introspection and true respect!

Lent and Easter Eggs

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2018 26:02


Do Lent and Easter egg hunts have Jewish origins? Let’s find out!

Mardi Gras

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2018 20:52


What do Mardi Gras and Holloween have in common? Hint, it's a Jewish holiday!

Olympic Torch

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2018 22:01


Valentine's Day

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2018 28:11


Is there a secret Jewish history behind Valentine’s Day? Is a pierced G-d/Messiah figure mentioned in the prophets? And is your body really a Temple? Sorry for the strange voice, I'm a bit under the weather this week :-(

Eastern Mysticism

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2018 25:12


Is Judaism the source of Eastern mystical religions? Will the Messiah replace the law? And is G-d’s law supposed to make sense?

Multiculturalism

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2018 28:03


It’s black history month, so let’s talk about black Jews and multiculturalism. Plus the countown to the messianic age and a closer look at the 10 commandments.

Halley's Comet

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2018 22:43


Who really discovered Halley’s comet? Does Isaiah discus the birth of the messiah and claim him to be G-d, Himself? And why did the sea split for the Jews?

Pangea

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2018 20:43


Does the Torah talk about what science considers prehistoric geology? Why don't Jews have a king nowadays? And ... locusts?

Star Count

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2018 25:20


Were ancient Jews the first to accurately determine the amount of stars in the universe? Is the trinity mentioned in the Jewish Bible? And what can we learn about the 10 plagues.

Caduceus

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2018 21:02


Were the Jews the first PR firm for physicians? Have Jews been unable to atone for their sins in the last 2000 years? And how to be both in and out of this world!

New Year's Resolutions

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2017 20:45


Where and when do New Year's resolutions originate? Did King David predict the crucifixion almost 1000 before it happened? And what can our forefather Jacob teach us about living a happy life?

The Messiah

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2017 16:01


Are Jews responsible for the holiday season? Will the Messiah be born on in the West Bank? And what's the best way to speak truth to power?

Inventions

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2017 17:41


Happy Chanukah! We'll take a look at some inventions by Jews as well as missionaries :-P Plus, a lesson from the oil of Chanukah.

Don't Judge

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2017 11:45


Is there a moral flaw in the criminal justice system? Plus we'll look at another bogus messianic prophecy. Finallly, we'll talk about loooooooooovvvvveeee.

Thanksgiving

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2017 12:27


Did Jews invent Thanksgiving? Maybe missionaries are right about something and a Jewish take on getting hitched!

No Pain, No Gain

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2017 14:21


We discuss the Jewish source of two everyday phrases and well as delve into the meaning of one of Christian missionary's favorite "proof texts".

Hercules

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2017 14:41


We'll see what the Jewish source is for one of the most popular Greek gods (and Disney character :-P). In addition we'll wrap up our discussion of Isaiah 53 with an interesting thought experiment. Plus, the beauty of having guests!

Excalibur

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2017 15:35


I'll take you through a journey through time and we'll learn about an obscure Jewish text that will absolutely amaze you. Plus, we'll get technical with Isaiah 53 and learn how to do the right thing!

Intro and disclaimers

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2017 11:02


Who am I? Why did I make this podcast and what purpose does it serve? Find out before you listen to the other episodes to help you get some context.

The Golden Rule

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2017 18:17


We'll explore the earliest recorded findings of the age old golden rule and find out where it originates ... and where it doesn't! Also, we'll delve into the king of all missionary texts, Isaiah 53.

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