Episode Details
Back to EpisodesThe Demands of Teaching 13,000 Classes: Rabbi Daniel Glatstein
Description
In this episode of Behind the Bima, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg and Rabbi Philip Moskowitz sit down with Rabbi Daniel Glatstein to explore what it actually demands to teach seriously over time. Having taught nearly 13,000 classes across years of public responsibility, Rabbi Glatstein reflects on the discipline, preparation, and restraint required to sustain meaningful teaching without dilution.
This season of Behind the Bima is sponsored by Julie Charlestein & Darryl Benjamin in honor of their grandparents, Morton & Malvina Charlestein, and their children, Ruby and Maccabi Benjamin.
Rather than discussing techniques or shortcuts, they turn to deeper questions: how standards are maintained, why boundaries protect depth, and what happens when teaching is treated as a lifelong obligation rather than a moment of inspiration. The episode offers a rare look at the inner weight carried by those who take Torah — and leadership — seriously.
Topics discussed include:
- What teaching at scale truly demands
- Discipline versus inspiration in sustaining impact
- Why boundaries are essential, not limiting
- Humility, consistency, and long-term responsibility
- Preserving seriousness in an age of speed and reach
This is a thoughtful and grounded conversation about Torah, leadership, and what it takes to build something that lasts.