December 18, 2024
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 70 - Torah Smash Jr.

There are some stories in Jewish tradition and history that put the children at the center of it all. Jacob and Esau as well as Joseph teach us some valuable lessons as adults. But aren’t children just meant to be sidekicks? And how old are the children of the Torah anyway? Let’s just hope that as they grow up, they’ve learned from the mistakes of their parents.

00:01:00 Jacob and Esau the adult children
00:03:13 Joseph the tattletale
00:06:35 Child character focused stories
00:12:11 Favorite child centered stories
00:17:43 Does having children in the story change the message?
00:19:19 Does younger age warrant more sympathy
00:24:05 Children are sidekicks, not heroes
00:26:47 In the Torah, age isn’t just a number
00:28:11 Replace an adult character with a child character
00:31:52 Carrying the sins of our parents
00:34:47 Closing thoughts on what we didn’t talk about

Share this episode with a friend: https://www.torahsmash.com/post/episode-70-torah-smash-jr

Connect with us online, purchase swag, support us with a donation, and more at www.torahsmash.com.

December 4, 2024
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 69 - Die Hard is a Chanukah Movie …With Special Guest Arnon Shorr

Chanukah falls on Christmas Day this year, so what better way to celebrate this overlap than debating if the classic action film, Die Hard, is a Christmas movie or a Chanukkah movie? We review what makes a movie holiday specific, the subtle Chanukkah plotline, and the movie’s Jewish characters… one which may surprise you! Make sure that you cuddle on the couch with some latkes and gelt in the warm glow of your menorah, and say yippee-chai-yay to this (possibly) Chanukkah classic.

00:02:16 Popular Debate: Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?
00:06:34 New Debate: Is Die Hard a Chanukah Movie?
00:06:55 What’s the right way to spell Hannukkahhh?
00:09:03 What does a film need in order to be a Chanukah movie?
00:13:52 Tha Chanukah Plot of Die Hard
00:17:04 The Jewish calendar of Die Hard
00:18:24 Challenging the premise of the holiday connection
00:28:18 Character and Actor connections
00:30:32 Die Hard’s Jewish Dad helps us get grounded
00:33:41 A critique of Christmas or culture?
00:37:50 Sergeant Al Powell’s Fan Theory
00:38:45 Final Chanukah notes
00:39:30 Other “Chanukah” movies

Share this episode with a friend: https://www.torahsmash.com/post/episode-69-die-hard-is-a-chanukah-movie

Connect with us online, purchase swag, support us with a donation, and more at www.torahsmash.com.

November 20, 2024
Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews
Episode 68 - Super Mitzvot Bros. …with Special Guest Sparkle Peters

The Nintendo video game company has been filling our homes with fun and excitement for many years. Some even say that the best video game of all time was Super Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. Twitch streamer and podcaster, Sparkle Peters, joins us to discuss the innovation around the tutorial levels in video games, save skimming, and sometimes just throwing the instructions out all together. Plus, did you know that you’re remembering Rainbow Road wrong?!

00:02:09 Super Mario Bros, World 1-1
00:05:02 Teaching as you do, especially the act of mitzvot
00:07:58 Learning right from wrong in real time.
00:09:52 Video game tutorial levels… or not.
00:15:46 Enjoyable puzzle games
00:20:17 Getting gaming help
00:24:45 Just doing, not being taught
00:28:21 That’s enough rules, let’s just play the board game
00:30:20 The E.T. Video Game
00:32:04 Experiential educator playgrounds
00:34:49 Does save scumming teach us?
00:37:38 Mario Kart’s mandela effect
00:40:05 Learning little by little

Share this episode with a friend: https://www.torahsmash.com/post/episode-68-super-mitzvot-bros

Connect with us online, purchase swag, support us with a donation, and more at www.torahsmash.com.