Asking For A Friend - Timely Issues. Timeless Torah.
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Podcast Overview
<p><strong>Asking For A Friend is a podcast where real life dilemmas meet clear, thoughtful Torah perspective.</strong></p> <p><strong>Hosted by Mena Reisner, each episode features conversations with Rabbi Zimmerman, Dayan Hool, or Dayan Posen, Rabbonim with decades of experience in mediation, dinei Torah, shidduchim, family dynamics, business disputes, and the complex situations people face every day.</strong></p> <p><strong>It’s not personal psak and it’s not a shiur.</strong><br /><strong>Just honest, grounded discussion on the issues people grapple with behind closed doors, and how timeless Torah principles guide us through them.</strong></p> <p><strong>New episodes every two weeks.</strong><br /><strong>Questions or suggestions: <a class="decorated-link cursor-pointer">podcast@federation.org.uk<span class="ms-0.5 inline-block align-middle leading-none"></span></a>.</strong></p>
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🇺🇲
Publishing Since
12/4/2025
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Recent Episodes
June 23, 2026
#16: Electric Scooters: "In My Opinion, It's Absolutely Ossur" - with Rabbi Zimmerman
Electric scooters have become a familiar sight in many communities. For some, they're a convenient way to get to school, shiurim, friends' houses and local activities. For others, they're a growing source of concern. In this special mini episode, Rabbi S F Zimmerman addresses one of the most discussed topics affecting children, teenagers and parents today. Are electric scooters simply a modern convenience, or is there a deeper issue at stake? How should parents respond when "everyone in the class has one"? Who bears responsibility – parents, schools, rabbonim, or the wider community? And what should a family do if a child has already spent hundreds of pounds of Bar Mitzvah money on a scooter? A concise but important discussion offering Daas Torah and practical guidance on a topic generating debate across the UK, the USA and beyond. Sponsored anonymously by someone who believes this episode could save lives.
June 21, 2026
#15: The King's Visit: A Torah Perspective - With Dayan Hool
When King Charles III recently visited Golders Green, hundreds of members of the local Jewish community lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the monarch. The visit sparked widespread discussion: why does Yiddishkeit place such importance on kings and royalty, and what is the Torah perspective on monarchy in the modern world? In this special episode, Dayan Hool explores the halachic and hashkafic questions raised by the King's visit. Can one make a brachah upon seeing King Charles? Should a person make a special effort to see a king? What is the concept of כבוד מלכות? Can one shake the King's hand? And why is Hashem so often described throughout our tefillos as a King? Drawing on sources from Chazal, Halachah and Jewish history, this fascinating discussion sheds light on a topic that captured the attention of so many in the community and reveals what earthly kingship can teach us about מלכות שמים. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro: King Charles visits Golders Green 01:09 – Why frum Jews are excited to see a king 03:17 – The brocha on seeing Jewish and non‑Jewish monarchs 06:03 – Does the brocha apply to King Charles III and presidents? 09:50 – Can a monarchy be abolished? Acceptance by the people 16:14 – Seeing the king from afar: entourage, cars, and the brocha 22:31 – How often can you say the brocha on a king? 23:33 – Must you go out to see a king? Bitul Torah and mitzvah 29:30 – Kavod malchus: honoring even non‑Jewish and wicked kings 36:13 – Shaking hands with royalty: halacha and real‑world strategies 43:28 – Praying for the welfare of the kingdom in golus 50:29 – Queen Wilhelmina and the Munkatcher Rebbe 54:23 – Dutch royalty, Rav Katz, and modern royal brachos 1:00:00 – Why we call Hashem “Melech”: kindness and authority 1:04:06 – Dina de’malchusa dina and UK land law 1:05:20 – Closing: Malchus shel chesed and Malchus Shamayim
June 7, 2026
#14: Nisyonos (II): When the Nisoyon Never Ends - with Rabbi Zimmerman
In Part 2 of our discussion on nisyonos, Rabbi Zimmerman explores some of the most relevant and challenging questions facing people today. Can pressure from family, school or community become a nisayon in its own right? Is questioning Hashem always a weakness in emunah, or can honest struggle sometimes deepen a person's relationship with Him? We discuss whether wealth and success can be as great a test as poverty and hardship, how to cope with challenges that feel constant and never-ending, and whether shielding children from difficulty truly protects them or leaves them unprepared for life. We also examine whether people should search for reasons behind suffering, and how to navigate uncertainty, responsibility, mental health, and personal growth through a Torah perspective. Timestamps: 0:00:00 – Introduction, recap of Part 1, framing Part 2 (modern struggles)0:01:05 – Expectations, spiritual burden, joy vs obligation in mitzvos0:05:04 – Personal enjoyment in avodas Hashem; “cog in the system” and individuality0:08:19 – Each person’s unique purpose and contribution0:08:46 – Balancing bitachon with hishtadlus; avoiding denial / toxic positivity0:12:34 – Questioning Hashem, anger, and honest relationship with Hashem0:19:10 – Modern nisyonos vs previous generations; changing Yetzer Hara0:24:38 – Wealth and poverty as different tests; emotional equilibrium0:27:32 – Never-ending struggles (e.g., shemiras einayim); value of the battle itself0:30:09 – Children and chinuch; sharing struggles with kids appropriately0:38:11 – Emotional/psychological struggles vs mental health conditions; seeking help0:41:37 – Destigmatizing mental health; communal responsibility0:44:26 – How much we’re responsible for others’ suffering; healthy boundaries0:47:20 – Searching for “reasons” for suffering; middah k’neged middah and introspection0:52:00 – Uncertainty in major life decisions; advice vs personal responsibility0:58:15 – Finding meaning in nisyonos; Avraham’s legacy and our spiritual DNA1:02:12 – Closing remarks and podcast wrap-up
17 total episodes available
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- What is Asking For A Friend - Timely Issues. Timeless Torah.?
<p><strong>Asking For A Friend is a podcast where real life dilemmas meet clear, thoughtful Torah perspective.</strong></p> <p><strong>Hosted by Mena Reisner, each episode features conversations with Rabbi Zimmerman, Dayan Hool, or Dayan Posen, Rabbonim with decades of experience in mediation, dinei Torah, shidduchim, family dynamics, business disputes, and the complex situations people face every day.</strong></p> <p><strong>It’s not personal psak and it’s not a shiur.</strong><br /><strong>Just honest, grounded discussion on the issues people grapple with behind closed doors, and how timeless Torah principles guide us through them.</strong></p> <p><strong>New episodes every two weeks.</strong><br /><strong>Questions or suggestions: <a class="decorated-link cursor-pointer">podcast@federation.org.uk<span class="ms-0.5 inline-block align-middle leading-none"></span></a>.</strong></p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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