Xai, how are you?

Episoder

• 265. Dough D'Oh 26.05.2026 27min

  When you're a hardworking woman making your own dough, but you end up designating animals for a sacrifice that will never happen, hijinks are bound to ensue. Chuck some money into the Dead Sea and take a listen. Check our The Torah is a Tiara here: http://bit.ly/torah-tiara To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 264. Rebellious Lashes 25.05.2026 25min

  Want glamorous, long lasting lashes? Try breaking your Nazirite vow by going to a wine tasting after your husband has nullified it. Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's Nazarene. Check catch Shel Maala in the UK here: http://bit.ly/torah-in-exile To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 263. Wife Guy 04.05.2026 19min

  Sometimes you can be SUCH a wife guy that you agree to her nazirite vow and later regret it. What happens then? Sign up for Xava and Binya in the UK here: http://bit.ly/torah-in-exile To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 262. Mutually Assured Naziriteship 29.04.2026 22min

  What has a never ending paradoxical chain of interlinking vows, women's rights, the Church of England and ordinary halakha? That's right, it's our mishnah! Sign up for Alef Beysics at Shel Maala here: http://bit.ly/alef-beysics To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 261. Nazirite Tattletales 15.04.2026 19min

  What happens when you vow, and then someone comes into court and gives testimony about your vow? But then what if another guy comes in and says something different and then two other guys say something different than that? Thank GOODNESS our Rabbis thought to explain this. Find out about Nazirite vows and legal testimony. To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 260. Queen Helene Sets the Scene 09.04.2026 25min

  A mishnah about a woman with a name and her own agenda! Now that's a rare treat. Sign up for The Three Oaths here: https://bit.ly/threeoaths To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 259. Impurity? In My Cemetery? 17.03.2026 26min

  It's more likely than you think! What if you take a Nazirite vow in a spot that is fundamentally incompatible with Naziriteship? Thank GOODNESS the Rabbis thought about this. Catch Liz Furman at Shel Maala: https://bit.ly/sm-sfas To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 258. (100) Days of Naziriteship 15.03.2026 34min

  After a long ramble about modesty, Xava's upcoming paper, and motivation in Judaism, we get around to a nifty little mishnah about that slippery, weird, in-between day of Naziriteship we call day 30. To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 257. Terms and Condiments 24.02.2026 21min

  Finally, you all may learn our take on hot dog vs. hamburger and the mundanity of free will. Also, a mishnah in which when you try to be a little too specific, you really get bitten in the butt by corpse impurity. Check out Shel Maala’s PNW tour here: http://bit.ly/ShelMaalaPNW To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 256. Fiddle Leaf Figs on the Roof 19.02.2026 25min

  Mishnah 2 of chapter 3! What if there was a light-year long bridge of dough would that be messed up or what? Check out Shel Maala's PNW Tour here: https://bit.ly/ShelMaalaPNW To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 255. Going Both Ways 09.02.2026 19min

  A new chapter of Mishnah begins! Is there such a thing as a day of Naziriteship which can apply to two separate terms, and count for each? Find out if the rabbis are biphobic or not with this one simple mishnah. Check out the Shel Maala PNW Tour here: Check out Shel Maala's PNW tour here: http://bit.ly/PNWInterest To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 254. Russian (Nazirite) Doll 05.02.2026 24min

  The tension between the magic of vows and the legal folderol of the Rabbis heightens in this Mishnah about vows within vows. Check out Shel Maala's PNW tour here: http://bit.ly/PNWInterest To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 253. Nazirite, Interrupted 21.01.2026 21min

  After a long break (Michael was sick, sorry!) We're back to talk about Nazirite's taking breaks. What if you go on a paternity leave Naziriteship in the middle of your day job Naziriteship? Thank goodness, our Rabbis thought of this problem. To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 252. Schrödinger’s Naziriteship 24.12.2025 29min

  And you thought we had unspecified Nazirites before! This week, conditionals within conditionals, hedging our bets, and being embarrassed for our inadequate feelings. Sign up for In the Shadows here: http://bit.ly/shelmaalashadows To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 251. Born to be a Nazirite, Forced to be Podcaster 16.12.2025 23min

  What if you swore a Nazirite vow on the birth of your son, but the numinous indescribable horror of gender said "No."? Find out in this episode! Also we'll talk about some Rabbinic misogyny, transphobia, and why we're still interested in this mishnah anyway. Sign up for Shel Maala's Terms of Service here: http://bit.ly/torahTOS To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 250. Heroes with a Half Shave 06.12.2025 26min

  The shaving saga continues! Rabbi Meir's iconoclastic hot takes return to the pod, along with the mythical half-Nazirite. Do two halves make a whole? Let's find out. To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 249. Bros Shaving Bros 12.11.2025 18min

  What happens when two totally normal bros vow to shave each other? The Rabbis knew and had rules about it, which they put in this mishnah. Catch Shel Maala's East Coast Tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 248. Exceptional 05.11.2025 23min

  Sometimes people make vows claiming or assuming they’ll be the exception to normal Nazirite stuff. The Rabbis say (mostly) no way! Check out Shel Maala’s East Coast Tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 247. Drinking Problems 27.10.2025 20min

  Mishnah 3 of chapter 2 is here! What happens when you get a guy to leave you alone at the bar by saying you’re a Nazirite? Let’s find out. Check out Shel Maala’s East Coast Tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.
• 246. Xai Judaism, How Unbound Are You? -- Mishnah Nazir 14.10.2025 58min

  Lex Rofeberg and Rena Yehuda Newman of Judaism Unbound join us for a big crossover episode about Nazirite philosophy, Rabbinic agendas, Kol Nidre and the metaphysical importance of vows! The Judaism Unbound podcast is a show released every Friday, pushing the boundaries of how we might understand the Jewish past, present, and future. You can subscribe via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any of your other favorite podcast apps, so go give them a listen! Also, check out the Shel Maala East Coast tour here: http://bit.ly/eastcoast-5786 To ask us questions, email us at xaihowareyou@gmail.com. Support us on patreon at patreon.com/xaihowareyou. Music by Ben Schreiber.