Israeli Comedian Ben Ben Baruch: “I've Been Learning Gemara for the Last Two Years”

Israeli stand-up comedian Ben Ben Baruch has been strengthening his connection to Jewish observance and has previously shared that he keeps Shabbat. In a conversation with Lior Shlein on his podcast, the comedian described a particularly meaningful spiritual experience during the recent holiday of Simchat Torah.

"I Felt Like a New Creation"

Ben Baruch recalled the night of Hoshana Rabbah, the final day of Sukkot, when many Jews follow the custom of staying awake to study Torah and recite special prayers.

"There's the night before Simchat Torah, the night of Hoshana Rabbah, when people learn Torah all night long," he explained.

"I went to the sea, immersed, and then went up to the house where we were holding the tikkun [the nighttime Torah study gathering]. I felt like a new creation."

The experience continued into the early morning hours, when Ben Baruch and his friends gathered for prayer.

"We were praying, waiting for netz hachamah [sunrise]. The light started to come up. All of us friends prayed together, and there was something very special about the atmosphere."

A Surprising Conversation About Gemara

During their conversation, Shlein made a surprising admission about his own relationship with Jewish learning.

"I'm sorry that I never learned Gemara. Anything I don't know, I'm sorry about it," he told Ben Baruch.

The comedian responded by sharing that he, too, had begun studying Gemara, the central component of the Talmud containing discussions of Jewish law, ethics, and tradition.

"I've been learning Gemara for the last two years, once a week," Ben Baruch revealed. "Listen, there are difficult things there, and there are things that are very enjoyable and wise."

Their exchange offered a glimpse into two different experiences of Jewish learning: Ben Baruch's growing commitment to Torah study and Shlein's curiosity about a part of Jewish tradition he had never explored.

For Ben Baruch, the journey has become part of his everyday life, from observing Shabbat to studying Gemara and experiencing the atmosphere of prayer and Jewish holidays with friends.