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Rabbi Shais and his brother Dovid of @CreativeJudaism reflect on the structure of Jewish mourning, the experience of saying Kaddish three times a day, and some of the strange, funny, and sometimes questionable moments that happen during Shiva. Along the way they explore the psychological wisdom built into the halachos of Aveilus, the strange transitional period of Aninus, and why communal prayer can become an unexpected tool for processing grief. They also share stories—from cryptozoology museums to Shiva pranks—and reflect on how humor and structure help people navigate difficult moments in life. 00:01 – Haircuts and harassment: the “morbid tradition” of recording an episode before the post-mourning haircut and the halachic requirement that friends pressure you to get one. 04:20 – Why Jewish mourning works: how the structure of Aveilus can feel surprisingly well suited to the human experience of grief. 12:35 – The strange “no man’s land” of Aninus: the period between death and burial when normal obligations temporarily fall away. 19:35 – The grind of Kaddish: reflections on leading communal prayer three times a day and why being forced out of isolation may actually help process grief. 27:55 – Keeping it interesting in shul: how humor and small antics help prevent prayer from becoming mechanical. 30:04 – Triple urgency in prayer: why the blessing Velamalshinim contains unusually intense language compared to other requests. 35:05 – The “Sefira bestiary”: David’s unusual book idea imagining creatures representing combinations of the Sefiros. 39:15 – Cryptozoology and the Yeti: a story from a garage-based museum that inspired characters in David’s work. 44:00 – “Never meet your fans”: a story about being recognized in an airport in Thailand. 48:45 – The doctor’s office life hack: David’s unusual strategy for dealing with intake forms. 52:10 – The controversial Shiva prank: a debate about whether a toy fire extinguisher during condolences crosses the line. 1:00:30 – Psycho-social torment: Shais reminds David of an old prank involving paintings by terrible people --- *For more classes from Rabbi Shais Taub:* 🌐 *Website:* https://www.soulwords.org/ *Follow Rabbi Shais Taub:* 📸 *Instagram:* https://www.instagram.com/rabbi_shais_taub 🎥 *TikTok:* https://www.tiktok.com/@rabbi_shais_taub 🐦 *X (Twitter):* https://www.x.com/ShaisTaub 📘 *Facebook:* https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573478244968 💼 *LinkedIn:* https://www.linkedin.com/in/shais-taub-81a95466/ 🎧 *Listen to the SoulWords Podcast:* 🎵 *Spotify:* https://open.spotify.com/show/51E7XHWFDbZCGJQz7CoAZP 🍏 *Apple Podcasts:* https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/soulwords-full-library/id1450892501 *Support Our Work:* 💳 *Donate:* https://www.soulwords.org/donate/ 💰 *PayPal:* https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/soulwordspayments 💵 *CashApp:* https://cash.app/$soulwords 🪙 *Venmo:* https://venmo.com/u/soulwords *About SoulWords:* SoulWords is a virtual community hosted by Rabbi Shais Taub, where people come together to explore the spiritual insights of Torah and discover their unique purpose. This platform is here to facilitate your spiritual growth by sharing the mystical teachings of Judaism in contemporary language—making deep wisdom accessible and relevant to your life.
