Zero Percent

You can find written versions of this in written form and other talks at https://joidenver.com/passover As we gather around the Passover Seder this year amidst the backdrop of war in Israel, the heart-wrenching reality of hostages still in captivity, and the rise of antisemitism around the world, I’ve been asked by so many people: How can we alter our Seder to reflect these dire circumstances? My answer: you don’t need to change a thing, since the Passover Haggadah, written so long ago, speaks directly to our current reality and remains as relevant today as ever. Its sacred texts and rituals, passed down through generations, carry an important message of hope and resilience. The Jewish people are an Exodus-obsessed People. This obsession with the Exodus from Egypt is vividly displayed in our daily remembrances of it and the special rituals such as Kiddush, recited on Shabbat and other holidays, where we reaffirm our liberation from bondage. Each week and each holiday we repeat again and again how all of this is in remembrance of the exodus from Egypt. The significance of the Exodus is so profound that during the Sinai revelation—the only instance in history when God revealed Himself to a mass of people—He chose to introduce Himself not as the Creator of the world or even the God who was revealing Himself at that moment in time, but as the God who liberated the Jews from Egypt. The reason for this, is that the slavery and subsequent exodus from Egypt was our training ground for us to become what Ken Spiro calls “The God Squad.” We focus on it daily and on special occasions but most profoundly on the holiday of Passover at our Seder. The Seder is more than a recounting of the Exodus from Egypt; it is a profound dialogue between the past and the present, a guide for navigating through darkness towards the light. Within its structure—meticulously ordered to facilitate remembrance and reflection—lies the essence of our enduring spirit. This year, as we recite the ancient words, "In every generation, they rise up against us to destroy us, but the Holy One, blessed be He, saves us from their hands," we are reminded of the cyclical nature of our struggles. Yet, it is precisely this acknowledgement that strengthens our resolve and deepens our faith. The story of Passover is a testament to the belief that even in the midst of despair, there is a plan, a reason for hope. It teaches that liberation from suffering is not only a possibility but a promise. When you say, "Next year in Jerusalem," you do not merely envision a physical location but yearn for a rebuilt Jerusalem, a symbol of peace and divine redemption. This aspiration encapsulates the collective yearning for a world transformed, where the sorrows of today give way to the joys of a brighter tomorrow. This perspective is mirrored in the teaching of Rabban Gamliel, who explains that the main parts of the Seder are Pesach (The Pascal offering), matzah, and marror (the bitter herb). Pesach reminds us of the offering that was brought on the verge of our birth as a People while still in Egypt. The matzah reminds us that we left in such haste we didn't have time for the dough to rise properly. The bitter herb reminds us of the bitterness of slavery. Isn’t this list out of order? Since we first experienced the bitterness, shouldn't that be mentioned first? This sequence is deliberate. The Hebrew word for pain (tzar) shares the root of the word narrow (also tzar) because when you are in pain, you feel stuck, constricted. You cannot process the pain while you’re still immersed in it. You can’t see the label when you are inside the jar. Only once you’ve made it to safety and freedom can you understand how the challenges you’ve faced have made you who you are. While I was studying and teaching at Aish in the Old City of Jerusalem, there was a woman who was working on a huge painting. For weeks, every morning she would come set up a massive canvas by the steps overlooking the...

It's hard to put into words the profound devastation witnessed at Kibbutz Be'eri. Even months after the tragedy, the acrid scent of fire lingers as the homes where innocent people were burned alive still remain in destruction. Join us as we delve into the aftermath of this heartbreaking event with the woman who first saw the terrorists infilitrating the kibbutz. Click here to view the video footage capturing the raw emotions and wreckage from this episode on youtube.

This is recording from the first trip I took in November from the communnity of Shlomit when they first got to their temporary living location at the cramim hotel. You can see the full talks with video on instagram here. During the second trip at the end of February, the community returned to their home in Shlomit. We celebrated with them before their return, you can see that clip here. You can see their heartfealt return to their home here and here.

Help protect those who are protecting us. Click here to support Unit 5, Div 162. Visit joidenver.com or reach out at mlehrfield@joidenver.com for other opportunities to help.

Help protect those who are protecting us. Click here to support Unit 5, Div 162 Visit joidenver.com or reach out at mlehrfield@joidenver.com for other opportunities to help.

Click here to support our soldiers! I had the incredible privilege of traveling to Israel with Aish amidst a war, accompanied by a group of over 60 volunteers from across the US. It undeniably stands as the most profound experience of my life. Since then, I have grappled with attempting to articulate my journey to those who inquire, "So, how was Israel?" Describing it proves nearly impossible as I am tasked with translating emotions into words. I have endeavored to share my experiences in these podcast episodes, aspiring to inspire others as I have been inspired. I perceive this opportunity not merely as a personal encounter but as a responsibility to disseminate what I witnessed and learned to as many individuals as possible. I've also included this recording broken down into smaller episodes (Episodes 2-5) We are in early talks of putting together another journey and we have ongoing campaigns to support the people and places we visited during this mission. Many of the people and units we visited still have real needs that we can help with. If you are interested in getting involved, please feel free to reach out to me at mlehrfield@joidenver.com. You can find ways to get involved with helping the people of Israel at joidenver.com

I had the incredible privilege of traveling to Israel with Aish amidst a war, accompanied by a group of over 60 volunteers from across the US. It undeniably stands as the most profound experience of my life. Since then, I have grappled with attempting to articulate my journey to those who inquire, "So, how was Israel?" Describing it proves nearly impossible as I am tasked with translating emotions into words. I have endeavored to share my experiences in these podcast episodes, aspiring to inspire others as I have been inspired. I perceive this opportunity not merely as a personal encounter but as a responsibility to disseminate what I witnessed and learned to as many individuals as possible. This is episode 2 of 4. I also have all the parts combined together in one long episode as episode #6 We are in early talks of putting together another journey and we have ongoing campaigns to support the people and places we visited during this mission. Many of the people and units we visited still have real needs that we can help with. If you are interested in getting involved, please feel free to reach out to me at mlehrfield@joidenver.com. You can find ways to get involved with helping the people of Israel at joidenver.com

I had the incredible privilege of traveling to Israel with Aish amidst a war, accompanied by a group of over 60 volunteers from across the US. It undeniably stands as the most profound experience of my life. Since then, I have grappled with attempting to articulate my journey to those who inquire, "So, how was Israel?" Describing it proves nearly impossible as I am tasked with translating emotions into words. I have endeavored to share my experiences in these podcast episodes, aspiring to inspire others as I have been inspired. I perceive this opportunity not merely as a personal encounter but as a responsibility to disseminate what I witnessed and learned to as many individuals as possible. This is episode 4 of 4. I also have all the parts combined together in one long episode as episode #6 We are in early talks of putting together another journey and we have ongoing campaigns to support the people and places we visited during this mission. Many of the people and units we visited still have real needs that we can help with. If you are interested in getting involved, please feel free to reach out to me at mlehrfield@joidenver.com. You can find ways to get involved with helping the people of Israel at joidenver.com

6I had the incredible privilege of traveling to Israel with Aish amidst a war, accompanied by a group of over 60 volunteers from across the US. It undeniably stands as the most profound experience of my life. Since then, I have grappled with attempting to articulate my journey to those who inquire, "So, how was Israel?" Describing it proves nearly impossible as I am tasked with translating emotions into words. I have endeavored to share my experiences in these podcast episodes, aspiring to inspire others as I have been inspired. I perceive this opportunity not merely as a personal encounter but as a responsibility to disseminate what I witnessed and learned to as many individuals as possible. This is episode 3 of 4. I also have all the parts combined together in one long episode as episode # 6 We are in early talks of putting together another journey and we have ongoing campaigns to support the people and places we visited during this mission. Many of the people and units we visited still have real needs that we can help with. If you are interested in getting involved, please feel free to reach out to me at mlehrfield@joidenver.com. You can find ways to get involved with helping the people of Israel at joidenver.com

Click here to support our troops! I had the incredible privilege of traveling to Israel with Aish amidst a war, accompanied by a group of over 60 volunteers from across the US. It undeniably stands as the most profound experience of my life. Since then, I have grappled with attempting to articulate my journey to those who inquire, "So, how was Israel?" Describing it proves nearly impossible as I am tasked with translating emotions into words. I have endeavored to share my experiences in these podcast episodes, aspiring to inspire others as I have been inspired. I perceive this opportunity not merely as a personal encounter but as a responsibility to disseminate what I witnessed and learned to as many individuals as possible. This is episode 1 of 4. I also have all the parts combined together in one long episode as episode #6 We are in early talks of putting together another journey and we have ongoing campaigns to support the people and places we visited during this mission. Many of the people and units we visited still have real needs that we can help with. If you are interested in getting involved, please feel free to reach out to me at mlehrfield@joidenver.com. You can find ways to get involved with helping the people of Israel at joidenver.com

Terrorists murdered 1,400 Jews in cold blood while recording their massacre on their GoPros. Over 200 people were taken hostage, including women, children, babies, and the elderly, some of whom were Holocaust survivors. "Never again" is now. While the Nazis tried to conceal their crimes against humanity, Hamas is live-streaming them. The world's silence is deafening, as some "enlightened" individuals from prestigious institutions are celebrating and supporting terrorism either openly or through their silence. The world appears to be growing darker. How can we bring light to this very dark world and help our brothers and sisters in Israel from so far away?

Goodbye... for now? If you're interested in a season 2 please reach out and let me know - zeropercent@joidenver.com

In this episode, Rabbi Lehrfield speaks about the holiday of Lag B'Omer.

In this episode, Rabbi Lehrfield talks about the time between Passover and Shavuot: The Counting of the Omer.