Where Did the Heroes Go? Torah, Masculinity, and the Missing Virtues

About this episode

A discussion on the missing virtues of courage and strength in Torah education and the implications for identity and fulfillment in religious life.

What happened to the heroes of Tanach? In this wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation, Rabbis Adlerstein and Lerner begin with a simple but uncomfortable question: why don't we emphasize courage, strength, and real-world competence when we teach the stories of figures like David HaMelech or the Hasmoneans? From there, the discussion expands into something much deeper. Is the problem about "masculine virtues," or about something broader—the loss of a fully developed human ideal within Torah life? Have we unintentionally created a one-dimensional model of religious success that neglects large parts of what it means to be a complete person? Along the way, they explore: The tension between spiritual greatness and physical strength Why parts of the Torah world moved away from certain values The psychological cost of ignoring human drives for competence and accomplishment The difference between talking about ideals and actually living them This is not just a conversation about masculinity. It's about education, identity, and whether we are giving the next generation the tools to become confident, capable, and genuinely fulfilled Torah Jews. A candid, sometimes challenging, and…

People in this episode

Host: Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein

Guest: Rabbi Lerner

Topics covered

• masculinity
• Torah education
• human ideals
• religious success
• identity
• courage
• strength

Keywords

• masculine virtues
• spiritual greatness
• physical strength
• Torah life
• education
• competence
• accomplishment

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Tanach

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