Shows
Fountainhead ForumFF-125: Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro on Zionism vs. JudaismFollow the channel on Twitter. Go to:https://x.com/FountainheadFmBuy my novel Escape from the Village from major booksellers online. Go to:http://escapevillage.comSubscribe to the Substack. Go to:https://fountainhworeadforum.substack.com/Support the forum. Go to:https://buymeacoffee.com/fountainheadforum------------------------------------------------------------This was originally recorded on 27 October 2023.Yaakov Shapiro is a retired rabbi with over 30 years of experience. He has a page here:https://www.icmes.net/board-of-directors/rabbi-yaakov-shapiroHe is on Linktree here:2025-06-2654 min
Calmversationss07e75 | Judaism and Zionism, with Rabbi Yaakov ShapiroRabbi Yaakov Shapiro and I speak about the theological principles of Judaism, and the political dimensions of Zionism.https://www.youtube.com/@RabbiYaakovhttps://x.com/yaakov_shapirohttps://www.amazon.com/Empty-Wagon-Zionisms-journey-identity/dp/1642555541Support this channel:https://www.paypal.me/benjaminboycehttps://cash.app/$benjaminaboycehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/benjaminaboyce2025-06-042h 04
Parallax Views w/ J.G. MichaelWhy Orthodox Jews Protested Itamar Ben-Gvir's U.S. Visit w/ Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro
On this edition of Parallax Views, Orthodox Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro — author of The Empty Wagon: Zionism’s Journey from Identity Crisis to Identity Theft — returns to unpack the theological foundations of Jewish anti-Zionism and non-Zionism. Fresh off his participation in a protest against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's recent U.S. visit, Rabbi Shapiro explains why he believes Zionism is not only a political nationalist ideology distinct from Judaism, but one that misrepresents the Jewish people on the global stage.
We explore the historical opposition of traditional Orthodox communities to Zionist projects, tracing the evolut...2025-05-101h 09
The Katie Halper ShowRabbi Yaakov Shapiro DESTROYS Ben Gvir, Historian Greg Grandin DEBUNKS Imperialist HistoryFind the full interview with Yaakov Shapiro here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/patreon-full-127784040
Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro talks about his protest against Ben Gvir in front of the Israeli Consulate in New York and why he sees Zionism as the enemy of Judaism.
Jennifer Koonings shares what she observed attending a Ben Gvir protest where a woman was physically attacked and bloodied by Ben Gvir supporters.
But first historian Greg Grandin talks about the Pope, immigration, imperialism and his excellent new book America "America, América: A New History of the New World"
Greg Grandin is Professor of History at Y...2025-05-022h 05
Savage MindsYaakov ShapiroRabbi Yaakov Shapiro, a pulpit rabbi, author of The Empty Wagon: Zionism's Journey From Identity Crisis to Identity Theft (2020), and host of the Committing High Reason podcast, discusses Zionism and its relationship to current conflicts the state of Israel. Covering the birth of Zionism that responded to European’s stereotype of the “the Jew as bad,” “disgusting” and “retrogade,” Zionism offered up “the opposite of a Jew…in personality and character” where this stereotype, attempting to remodel Jewish identity that was based, created quite paradoxically, an anti-Semitic Jewish identity. Noting the anti-Jewish notes of Zionism, Shapiro highlights how religious Jews—orthodox and no...2024-01-182h 07
The Katie Halper ShowDebunking Zionist LIES With Noura Erakat & Rabbi Yaakov ShapiroTo hear the rest, join us on Patreon at - https://www.patreon.com/posts/patreon-rabbi-96556126
Human rights lawyer Noura Erakat debunks the Biden Admin's claim Israel isn't engaging in genocide. Then Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro explains why Zionism is antisemitic.
Noura Erakat is a human rights attorney, Assoc. Professor of Africana Studies & the Program of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. She recently completed a non-resident fellowship of the Religious Literacy Project at Harvard Divinity School & was a Mahmoud Darwish Visiting Professor in Palestinian Studies at Brown University.
Noura is the author of Justice for Some: Law & the Question...2023-11-281h 29
Probably Cancelled PodcastZionist Onslaught on Judaism w/ Rabbi Yaakov ShapiroAnti-Zionist Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro joins to talk about the many myths regarding zionism and uncovering some of it's hidden history. Please check out Rabbi Shapiro's latest authored work, The Empty Wagon: Zionism's journey from identity crisis to identity theft Support Probably Cancelled on Patreon to get early access to episodes or submit your questions to the new PC Pod advice column! Subscribe to PC Pod on Rumble & Telegram Follow on IG @probably.cancelled.pod & Twitter @CancellledPod2023-10-261h 22
Parallax Views w/ J.G. MichaelThe Empty Wagon: Zionism’s Journey from Identity Crisis to Identity Theft w/ Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro
On this edition of Parallax Views, scholar, international speaker, and Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro, host of the Committing High Reason podcast, joins us to discuss his book The Empty Wagon: Zionism's Journey from Identity Crisis to Identity. Rabbi Shapiro is an opponent of Zionism from an Orthodox Jewish perspective. From his purview, Zionism represents a hijacking of Jewish identity or, as he puts it, a theft of the that identity that is not in line with his religion.
The conversation begins with Rabbi Shapiro explaining the Orthodox perspective on Judaism. In this regards he d...2023-01-221h 24
Divrei TorahQA: Making a Bas Ayin Seudah2023-01-0606 minDivrei TorahQA: Can Askanim Mislead Gedolim?2023-01-0320 minDivrei TorahQA: Is one allowed to say Yemach Shemo on a Yid?2023-01-0105 minDivrei TorahQA: How to get a child to understand what he is told2023-01-0112 min
Committing High ReasonFascist Influences on Zionism2022-11-0840 minDivrei TorahWhat's Wrong with Zionism? A Talk for 12th grade Yeshiva Boys2022-09-161h 42
The Yaakov M ShowBen Shapiro says Trump will hurt GOP in November. Angry Biden calls MAGA followers violent extremists. Zeldin and Hochul dead-heat.Ben Shapiro says that Trump is a liability who can hurt the Republicans in Novmber. Angry Joe Biden the 'unifier' gave a fiery, divisive speech in which he blasted Trump supporters. Former Trump AG William Barr says that Trump either mishandled classified documents or did something worse. In New York, vicious antisemites carry out violent attacks, and they either get released without bail, or often do not get arrested.2022-09-0738 min
Committing High ReasonBen Gurion's Betrayal of American Jewry: The Jacob Blaustein StoryAt this week's gala WZO 125th Anniversary soiree in Basel, Switzerland, Israel's "Minister of Diaspora Affairs" made mentioned a "deal" between Ben Gurion and Jacob Blaustein regarding the relationship between American Jewry and Israel. He called for a renewed such "agreement" to be made today. But the way the story was described is fiction. American Jews complained to Ben Gurion that Israel was putting American Jews in danger. Ben Gurion promised to change Israel's presentation of itself as the Jewish state, but he betrayed his promise, as did Zionist leaders, repeatedly. In this podcast, the real story of Israel's...2022-09-0230 minDivrei TorahBen Gurion's Betrayal of American Jewry: The Jacob Blaustein StoryAt this week's gala WZO 125th Anniversary soiree in Basel, Switzerland, Israel's "Minister of Diaspora Affairs" made mentioned a "deal" between Ben Gurion and Jacob Blaustein regarding the relationship between American Jewry and Israel. He called for a renewed such "agreement" to be made today. But the way the story was described is fiction. American Jews complained to Ben Gurion that Israel was putting American Jews in danger. Ben Gurion promised to change Israel's presentation of itself as the Jewish state, but he betrayed his promise, as did Zionist leaders, repeatedly. In this podcast, the real story of Israel's...2022-09-0230 min
Committing High ReasonWhy Israel Has So Many ElectionsSInce 1996, Israel has had elections more often than any democratic country in the world, according to a report by the Israel Democracy Institute. What is ti about the state of Israel that makes its government so unstable?Episode Photo by Laliv g - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=778878842022-07-2952 min
Committing High ReasonAmb. Chas Freeman Talks About Hasbara and Zionist Propaganda2022-05-2037 min
Divrei TorahWhat *Exactly* Did R. Akiva's Talmidim Do To Each Other?2022-05-1518 min
Committing High ReasonTerror Attack in Israel: What the Zionists Need to DoWhy the terrorists will not win, and how Zionism prevents Israelis from stopping it.Links:Officials expect terror wave to last all yearKilling Sinwar is not a solution2022-05-1152 min
Committing High ReasonAmbassador Chas Freeman Discusses The Disinformation Wars"It's worse than the McCarthy era".Veteran Ambassador Chas Freeman discusses the astounding and unprecedented level of disinformation and propaganda produced today by our politicians and the media, especially as it relates to what he learned in his many years as a US diplomat. 2022-04-2742 minDivrei TorahAnswer to a stirah: In What Zechus Yetzias Mitzrayim?מקשה ומתרץ סתירה באיזה זכות זכו כלל ישראל להגאל בו יבואר יסוד החילוק בין ישראל לאומות בהנהגת עוה"ז ב' בחינות ביציא"מ: יציאת מעבדות ויצירת כלל ישראל ולפי"ז יתורץ הסתירה2022-04-1228 minDivrei TorahHow A Choson Loses His Aveiros Even Without Teshuva: דרוש לשבע ברכותקטע מדרוש לשבע ברכות של הרב יעקב אהרן קרנספעלד נר"ו, לבת ידידי מו"ר יונתן אוגעל נר"ובו יבואר מה שחתן מוחלין לו כל עוונותיו אפילו בלא תשובהלנעוץ סוף התורה לתחילתהישוב לקו' החת"ס על מימרא דר' יצחק למה התחיל התורה בבראשית וכו'ביאור בדברי הפחד יצחק בטעם דבמקום שבעלי תשובה עומדים אין צדיקים גמורים יכולים לעמודביאור בדברי חז"ל שאלו לתורה חוטא מה יעשה וכו' דלכאורה איך יתכן שהקב"ה יכחיש עצת התורה2022-04-0314 min
Committing High ReasonJewish USAF Airman is asked: "Why Aren't You in the IDF?"Boruch Mordechai was an Orthodox Jewish USAF airman who was constantly asked why he is serving in his own country's military and not Israel's. That is, until he served in Qatar.2022-03-2555 minDivrei TorahPurim: Ad Delo Yada Fixes the Chet Eitz Hadaasליישב מה שמובא בספה"ק דמצות על דלא ידע היא תיקון לחטא עץ הדעתיבואר מש"כ בריש ס' מורה הנבוכים גבי החילוק בין ידיעת אמת ושקר וידיעת טוב ורע2022-03-1815 min
Committing High ReasonIs Israel a Pseudo-Theocracy?Journalist Lee Stranahan posted this on Twitter: Dear @yaakov_shapiro Do you think it's fair to call the state of Israel a "Psuedo theocracy?"It seems to use The APPEARANCE of being a religious government, but in reality it only has all the authoritarian bigotry and none of the actual reverence of religion.Great question, Lee. The answer is no. Here's why.2022-02-1728 minDivrei TorahBeshalach - Explaining 4 Medrashei Pliah al pi Derech HaPshatבו יבואר ע"פ דרך פשט:המדרש: הים ראה וינס מה ראה ברייתא דר' ישמעל ראההמדרש: הים ראה וינס מה ראה ארונו של יוסף ראההמדרש: הים ראה וינס מה ראה ישראל באים ורכוש מצרים בידםהמדרש: ה' ימלוך לעולם ועד למה כי בא סוס פרעה2022-01-1415 min
Committing High ReasonHow Herzl Lied About The Dreyfus AffairZionist lore says Herzl became a Zionist after witnessing the Dreyfus Affair and hearing the crowd chant "Kill the Jews." But historical evidence shows that's not what made Herzl into a Zionist, (and also the crowd did not chant "Death to the Jews").Links to Sources CitedThe Jews' state, Theodor Herzl; translated, and with an introduction by Henk OverbergThe Diaries of Theodor Herzl, Edited by Marvin LowenthalHerzl's Vision: Theodor Herzl and the Foundation of the Jewish State by Shlomo AvineriCohn, Henry J. “Theodor Herzl’s Conversion to Zionism.” Jewish Social Studies 32, no. 2 (1970): 101–10. Photo o...2022-01-0925 minDivrei TorahHow Zionism Infiltrated Yeshivos: chaburah given in Lakewood, NJ2021-12-081h 08Divrei TorahChanukah: How Zmiros Create a Seudas Mitzvahבו יבואר מש"כ הרמ"א דע"י שירות ותשבחות נתהפך סעודת רשות לסעודת מצוהלבאר המח' לבוש וט"ז גבי גדול המחטיאו יותר מן ההורגו2021-12-0222 minDivrei TorahThe Rambam on Yediah and Bechirah ליישב קושיית הראב"ד על הרמב"ם פ"ה מהל' תשובה בענין ידיעה ובחירה לבאר כוונת הרמב"ם במש"כ "רוב גולמי ישראל וטפשי אוה"ע" דמאי שנא טיפש מגולם ולמה בישראל שייך דוקא גולם ובאוה"ע טיפש לבאר מש"כ "אבל צריך אתה לידע ולהבין בדבר זה שאני אומר" שאין לו שום ביאור לכאורה2021-10-261h 00
Committing High ReasonThe Bias in Academic Judaic StudiesMany Judaic Studies instructors have been found to harbor a disdain for ultra-Orthodox Jews, which skews their academic portrayals of them and their ideology. Prof. Norton Mezvinsky explains.Episode photo: In the 18th century, as interest in the "curiosities" of the Jewish religion rose, some non-Jews had models of synagogues erected, furnished with a full array of Jewish books and ceremonial objects, and accessible to a broad public, constituting the world's first "Jewish museums." This title page is from a book by Moritz Wilhelm Christiani, which describes such a replica, owned by Georg Serpilius, a Christian Hebraist...2021-09-0937 min
Committing High ReasonSamuel Heilman’s “Who Will Lead Us” is Fake News (I Should Know, It Was My Wedding)In denigrating the Rebitzen of the ultra-Orthodox Satmar chasidim, a professor writes of a story involving a wedding that took place 40 years ago. That was Rabbi Shapiro's wedding. In this podcast, he sets the record straight.https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-time-seem-to-speed-up-with-age/2021-09-0330 minDivrei TorahShiur for Bochurim in Camp on Zionism2021-08-071h 07Divrei TorahBalak's Mistake: He didn't know the Reb Chaimלבאר כמה ענינים קשים בפרשת בלק2021-06-2122 min
Committing High ReasonIs Israel Telling the Truth About the Iron Dome?One of the country's foremost experts on missile defense systems evaluates the Iron DOme's capabilities against the claims of the Israeli government. The results are surprising.2021-06-1853 minDivrei TorahR. Yaakov Kamenetsky on the Myth of the Miracle of the 6-Day WarRabbi Binyamin Kaplan tells us a story involving a conversation between R. Yaakov Kamenetsky ZTL, and his grandfather, R. Yisroel Chaim Kaplan ZTL, who was the son-in-law of R. Yeruchem Levovitz of Mir and a Magid Shiur in Brisk in the days of the Brisker Rav, and later a Mashgiach in Bais Medrash Elyon, regarding the myth of the miracle of the 6-day war. Also, an explanation of why despite the facts, some people refuse to abandon the myth.2021-06-1136 min
Committing High ReasonThe Imaginary Miracle and Other Delusions of the Six-Day WarIn 1967, in order to garner US support for their attack on Egypt, Israel falsely claimed to have been under existential threat by Egypt, who was planning on attacking Israel, perpetrating another Holocaust. The truth was quite different. Miko Peled, son of IDF General Matityahu Peled, is my guest.2021-06-1126 min
Committing High ReasonTo Fight Anti-Semitism, Renounce Israel's ClaimPortraying Jews as if they are nationals of the state of Israel puts Jews in danger, as the enemies of Israel will automatically become the enemies of all Jews. The state of Israel itself has been doing this since its inception, and Zionists have been doing it for over a century. But history - and the data - shows that this anti-semitism can be reduced. And it is in our hands to do it. This podcast shows us how,2021-06-041h 08
Committing High ReasonDoes Zionism Provoke Attacks on American Jews?During and after the Gaza war, Jews in America have been subject to anti-Semitic attacks by pro-Palestinian activists who think of all Jews as connected to the state of Israel. Astoundingly, Zionists are responding by flaunting their Zionism, which just provokes more anti-Semitism. 2021-05-2645 min
Committing High ReasonHow Anti-Zionist Protests Convinced This Man To Become A Religious JewOnce, Eli had no interest in Judaism because he thought it meant being a Zionist. Today he is a rabbi. This is his story.2021-05-191h 02
Committing High ReasonWhat Religion Does "National Religious" Zionism Come From?The students of Rabbi Abraham and Zvi Yehuda Kook incorporated into their Judaism large doses of organic nationalism, pagan land worship, militarism, and end-of-days Messianism, combining them into a new, autonomous philosophy that they call Dati Leumi ("National Religious") Judaism.Photo by SoWhAt249 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=640487712021-05-1231 min
Committing High ReasonA Defense Against Hume's Objection to the Cosmological ArgumentHume claimed the fact we can conceive of something coming into existence without a cause shows it is possible. He's wrong not only about his conclusion but his premise as well. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43301996?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents (Note: Wolfson is incorrect about the argument from design not being used in Jewish philosophy as an independent proof to the existence of G-d. It certainly is.)https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/cosmological-argument/Photo by Alex Andrews from Pexels2021-05-0642 minDivrei TorahThe First Requirement of Judaism (you'll be surprised)בו יבואר מש"כ הטור בריש ספרו באל יתבייש מםני המלעיגים הוי "כלל גדול" בעבודת ה'יתורצו קושיות על המשנה באבות הוי עז כנמר וכו' 2021-04-2924 min
Committing High ReasonNo, It's Not Just the Timing: Why Orthodox Jews Oppose Zionism (Part 1 of 70,000)There are many reasos Orthodox Jews oppose Zionism: It is the antithesis of Judaism, and encourages anti-Semitism. Here are the 3 of many reasons to be anti-Zionist.2021-04-2926 min
Committing High ReasonWith Ronnie Barkan: Left Wing Zionism and Jewish IdentityIsraeli human rights activist, Ronnie Barkan, explains how both right-wing and left-wing Zionists are both equally Zionist at bottom, the only difference being the right-wing is open about their policies. The left-wing profess to be liberal but are really anything but.2021-03-241h 33
Committing High ReasonHow Zionism Undefined JewishnessThere is no "new anti-Semitism." Anti-Semitism has not mutated to include anti-Zionism. Instead, accepting the unintelligible Zionist definition of Jewish identity has caused Zionists to be defined out of the protected classes of minorities that society has created laws to protect. The IHRA definition is a misguided and destructive attempt to rectify this. For further reading:The Empty Wagon: Zionism's Journey From Identity Crisis to Identity TheftThe UnJewish State: The Politics of Jewish Identity in Israel2021-03-1255 minDivrei TorahPurim: Mordechai and Midas Hadinלבאר לשון המדרש שיקטרג "מדת הדין" 2021-02-2508 min
Committing High ReasonWhat They Don't Teach About Herzl in Israeli Day SchoolsTheodor Herzl (d. 1904) is a Zionist hero, described in Israel's Declaration of Independence as the "spiritual father" of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu referred to him as the "Moses of our time." But Herzl was notorious for horrific anti-Semitism particularly against religious and Eastern European Jews (read this, for example) and his delusions about Zionism transforming the Jews into "normal" people, causing anti-Semitism to disappear off the face of the earth. In this episode, you will learn facts about the so-called חוֹזֵה הַמְדִינָה, ("Visionary of the State") that they don't teach in the Hebrew Academy.2021-02-2438 min