September 10, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 89 - Fantastic Four: First Tests

Finally, there was pretty strong Jewish representation in a Marvel movie!

In this episode, we venture through Marvel’s newest movie, Fantastic Four: First Steps, with a look at this tale of sacrifice, testing, and trust. From cosmic children with unimaginable power to the silence of those around them, we explore how stories can sometimes wrestle with what it means to be called to give up what matters most.

00:01:34 Fantastic Four: First Steps Recap

00:02:36 Akedah - The binding of Isaac

00:07:21 Responding to the call for a sacrifice

00:10:49 An absolutely fantastic movie

00:11:24 Let’s look at who’s not talking now

00:13:57 Not Nathaniel, but Franklin, is all powerful

00:15:34 Silver Surfer as a Herald

00:17:43 Tests and Choices

00:20:13 Marvel’s Movie Judaism

00:31:06 Other movie nods

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August 27, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 88 - The Game Over People

In video games, a “game over” isn’t the end, it’s just another chance to start again. In this episode, we explore how failing, restarting, and building resilience are just as much a part of Jewish life as they are of gaming culture. From gratitude and kindness to perseverance and play, we unpack what it means to keep going even after listing a level (or three). After all, sometimes the best prize of winning is the fun we had along the way.

00:00:58 Hiring Video Gamers

00:04:11 Game over levels of Jewish stories

00:08:11 Resilience is gratitude and kindness

00:12:31 The book of Ruth

00:15:38 Other video game qualities

00:24:04 Other game over moments

00:31:48 Win or Lose or Have Fun

00:35:07 Pass the Parcel

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August 13, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 87 - Clone Force Kilayim

Let’s talk genetics. Yes, let’s talk genetics. Is there an echo in here? Yes, there is now.

In this episode, we take a closer look at Kilayim, the Torah’s prohibition against mixing species. We inspect it and how it shows up in a tale from a long, long time ago, of a squad of soldiers unlike any other. What does Jewish tradition say about rewriting the building blocks of life? What happens when fictional characters are made in a way they didn’t choose? What about real people? And how do asian pears fit into all of this?

00:01:32 Kilayim

00:05:03 Star Wars The Bad Batch

00:07:05 Human Cloning and Gene Editing

00:10:27 Perspective - Gift or a Defect

00:14:54 Genetic Engineering

00:21:25 The grey line

00:33:20 Science Fiction and Genetics

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July 30, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 86 - Pirkei Avigilante

Time to suit up as we take a daring dive into Pirkei Avot 1:10. From the streets to the courtroom, we unpack some of the tensions between working within the system or outside of it. We also discuss a certain red vigilante’s path and how it sometimes struggles when faced by its towering opposing force. If this topic gets too heated, it may be time you left the streets of the kitchen.

00:01:46 Pirkei Avot 1:10

00:05:42 Daredevil: Born Again

00:14:02 A little too real

00:21:17 Out of Character Arc

00:25:15 Season Two Predictions

00:30:36 The System or the Leader

00:34:30 Barak’s biggest issue with the ending

00:38:47 Pirkei Avot 1:11

00:44:27 The Safe Streets Initiative

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July 16, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 85 - Worse Than Leprosy

This week, we look at what may possibly be the least favorite torah portion: parsha metzorah. It’s tedious, it’s a bit gross, and spoiler alert - it’s not even about leprosy! We clean up our act and take a look at why the portion has such a bad rap. What other Jewish texts are disliked? Can we discover why this bad writing has survived so long into today’s world? We all know stories that we don’t like, but we’d honestly just rather forget they exist. At least, meesuh thinks so.

00:00:42 The Torah portion with the worst reputation

00:02:24 Inspired by a stretch of “meh” movies

00:09:28 It’s not even leprosy

00:11:55 Other least favorite Jewish texts

00:14:40 Let’s just get rid of the bad stories

00:17:03 Dealing with bad stories

00:21:41 Our favorite worst movies

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July 2, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 84 - Pixar’s Paradigm Shift

In this episode, we explore the theory that suggests that all Pixar films exist within a single shared universe. Or perhaps they don’t and they’re just individually made entertaining movies. Or maybe the director once knew someone named Andy and liked the way he treated his toys. We’ll discuss how literal or interpretive we believe the Pixar universe to be and we dig into some other pop culture conspiracy theories. We’ll learn that Pixar may not just be about talking toys, but about a mystical cycle of life, technology, and evolution… Oh wait, my power is low... let me just quickly grab some new Buy N Large batteries…

00:00:38 The Pixar Theory

00:02:52 P.A.R.D.E.S.

00:06:34 Our interpretation of Jewish texts

00:10:02 Explaining the Pixar Theory

00:16:44 Pixar gets the Pardes treatment

00:24:51 Other pop-culture conspiracy theories

00:31:03 An original romantic conspiracy theory

00:32:50 Favorite Pixar Movies

00:35:46 Pixar Purist

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June 18, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 83 - Monsters and Angels

Remember the story in the Tanakh about flaming serpents? What about the one about unicorns?

This week, the mystical co-hosts of Wayward Children: Jewish Monsters, Magic, and the Stories We Tell help us summon the wild, weird, and fantastical creatures hiding in the pages of Torah. We explore the line between monsters and angels. Honestly, we didn’t know we could fit this many Jewish creatures into one episode. We also learn if Falcor has Jewish origins.

00:04:58 Numbers 21:6-8 Flaming, Flying Snakes

00:09:52 D&D converted me a Judaism

00:10:56 Finding mystical and mythological creatures in Jewish lore

00:14:27 The seraph - flaming snakes or flying angels?

00:19:12 Unicorns

00:23:24 Monster angels, cherub angels, and messenger angels

00:33:21 Too many monsters, too little time

00:39:07 Favorite monster or creature from the Torah

Share this episode with a friend: https://www.torahsmash.com/post/episode-83-monsters-and-angels

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Listen to John and Jack on their podcast - Wayward Children:Jewish Monsters, Magic, and the Stories We Tell

https://waywardchildren.buzzsprout.com/

Collectible Jewish Monsters and Magic Cards - https://madnessheart.press/product/collectable-jewish-monsters-and-magic-cards/?v=0b3b97fa6688

Treif Magic - https://madnessheart.press/product/treif-magic/?v=0b3b97fa6688

Dybbuk in the Doorway - https://www.amazon.com/Dybbuk-Doorway-John-Baltisberger/dp/B0F7XVKBRQ

June 4, 2025

Torah Smash! The Podcast for Nerdy Jews

Episode 82 - This Andor That

In this episode, Ethan guides us on a conversation to a galaxy far, far away to explore the rich themes and surprising Jewish connections within Andor, the newest series in the Star Wars universe. We dive into the blurred lines between science fiction and our own realities, we explore the sacrifices made in the name of hope, and we ask the question no one else dares: Is Syril’s mom Jewish? Put on your nicest Ghorman threads and tune in as we unpack this story of resistance, sacrifice, and hope.

00:00:41 I have friends everywhere

00:02:42 Erev Andor

00:04:11 Pulling on all the threads (of Ghorman?)

00:05:48 Almost to the Promised Land

00:11:43 Sacrifice for loss or gain

00:16:02 The robot that made us happy

00:16:38 Next year…

00:19:16 The fictional reality of science fiction

00:27:01 What kind of mother?

00:32:20 Cinta and Vel

00:33:48 Fate and Force

00:39:35 The greatest thing Star Wars has ever done?

Share this episode with a friend: https://www.torahsmash.com/post/episode-82-this-andor-that

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