Radio Free Babylonia

Continuing our investigation of outsiders, oppressors, and people the Rabbis just plain don’t like, we tackle Christianity. What happens when someone claims to love the same book you do, but is reading it inside-out?

When the Rabbis of the Talmud face off against professional wrestlers, Hammurabi’s code, and Russian philosophy, who will win the championship? And how do we find justice?

What did the Roman Empire think of the Jews? What did the Talmud have to say about Rome? And just how much is a civilization worth?

We’ve wandered onto the stage halfway through the action, and we’re trying to play catch up.

Meet the Talmud, an ancient Jewish text with a radical approach to language, life, and justice. In this episode, we explore what the Talmud is, why it can be dangerous, and why we learn it anyway.