כ״ז תמוז ה׳תשפ״ו | July 12, 2026
Are Politics Podcasts the New ‘Galach in Our Home’?
“When the Rebbe spoke out against television, the Rebbe said that having a television is ‘bringing the galach into your home.’ Those words ring true to me when I see bochurim identifying as MAGA or listening to these podcasts.”
By A Concerned Bochur
When we see articles about yeshivos, they are generally regarding specific topics.
This one is different.
This is also for those not in yeshiva, although I will write as it pertains to yeshiva bochurim.
We, as frum Jews, never officially identified with any specific political party or group. In recent years, the actions and positions on the left have seemed to be immoral, as well as antithetical to many Torah ideas.
Bochurim, being the young, energetic individuals that they are, tend to get swallowed into the political world, podcasts, commentaries, etc.
If you’re a bochur, I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Spending hours upon hours of your time listening to podcasts, scrolling through social media, and even engaging in plain discussion.
Now, here’s where I’m going with this.
“Judeo-Christian values” is something often discussed, and sometimes bochurim can get a bit too dragged into this concept.
In fact, a frum Jew owns a company that openly hosts similar-thinking, right-wing-minded individuals. It’s flat-out kefirah! They speak about Christianity all day, every single episode. Of course, most bochurim just roll their eyes during that part, but then listen right back in when the host returns to right-wing topics.
When the Rebbe spoke out against television, the Rebbe said that having a television is “bringing the galach into your home.”
Those words ring true to me when I see bochurim (even Chassidishe ones) identifying as MAGA or listening to these podcasts, which, as I said before, regardless of the truth of the political part of the episode, delve right into Christianity and connect it directly with the above-mentioned party and movement.
I even sometimes hear bochurim talking about political opinions, and I can clearly hear Christian ideas in their words (with regard to abortion and other such topics).
Yes, we all hope and pray that non-Jews take a more moral approach to life, but we know where we are meant to learn our morality from: the Torah.
I don’t have any solutions for this, obviously, other than just stopping this trend, but I’m wondering what others think about this topic.
COMMENTS
Thank you for speaking up, and sharing this phenomenon I’ve observed some of my close friends stumble for. I was afraid to approach them on this subject. I hope they read this!
the frum podcaster does a massive kiddush Hashem with what he does, but I agree a bochur should not be listening or reading goyshe politics.
This is a real chashuve point. In yeshiva, we are supposed to be building a sanctuary of Torah and single-minded focus. Bringing the street into the beis medrash completely ruins the atmosphere. A bochur should be arguing over a kasha in Gemara, not over what Matt Walsh or Ben Shapiro said on their show yesterday. It’s a major distraction.
You raise a very valid concern. It’s not just about politics, it’s about the entire cultural worldview we consume. When we listen to these hosts, we are slowly adopting their vocabulary and their way of thinking about human dignity, morality, and society. There is a huge difference between having a Jewish Torah perspective on these issues and simply repeating right-wing talking points. We need to be more conscious of what is shaping our minds.
I hear what you are saying, but let’s be practical. The alternative for these bochurim isn’t always 24/7 learning—sometimes they just need a break. Is it really worse for them to listen to clean political discussions rather than the secular music or junk that’s out there? At least these podcasts promote family values and basic morality. We should guide them on how to filter what they hear, rather than just telling them to stop.
Excellent write-up. I think the root of the problem is that yeshivos often don’t address contemporary issues from a Torah perspective, which leaves bochurim feeling intellectually hungry. So they turn to these podcasts because the hosts are articulate and speak to the real world. If our yeshivos spent more time teaching hashkafa that directly addresses modern challenges, our bochurim wouldn’t feel the need to look elsewhere for answers.
The author is 100% correct. This goes back to the very basic idea of what a chossid’s head should be filled with. If a bochur spends hours every week listening to a goyishe podcast, he is bound to lose his Chassidishe hergesh. It’s not just about the explicit kefirah or Christian arguments; it’s about the entire ‘bittel’ to worldly things. How can a bochur go from listening to a debate on Fox News or Daily Wire to learning a sicha of the Rebbe with the proper kavanah? It creates a dual identity, and eventually, the street wins. The mashpi’im in yeshivos need to address this directly.
I think people are blowing this a bit out of proportion. Nobody in yeshiva is becoming a Christian because they listen to political commentary. The reality is that we live in a world where we are exposed to what’s happening, and bochurim want to know how to defend Torah values when they go out on mivtzoim or interact with the world. Hearing conservative hosts speak up for morality actually helps some guys articulate their own hashkafa to secular people. Obviously, we shouldn’t get sucked into the Christian parts of the show, but let’s be real—it’s much better than the alternative of listening to goyishe music or scrolling social media.
Thank you for this honest piece.
The author is right that the problem is not specifically politics; it is the endless consumption of divisive content by people whose avodas Hashem should be their primary focus.
I have a son in yeshiva and I have seen firsthand how even a single political podcast can derail a whole week of learning. Bochurim hear something on Monday and by Shabbos they are still arguing about it. The yetzer hara is clever – he takes something that feels “informed” and “responsible” and turns it into an obsession.
We need to teach our children that being a good Yid does not require having an opinion on every political issue of the day. A bochur who learns well, davens with kavanah, and minds his middos is a thousand times more “informed” about what matters than one who has a take on every news cycle.
Thank you to the bochur who wrote this. This is a real danger that starts in the home. Many parents leave these podcasts playing in the kitchen or in the car with the kids, thinking it’s safe because it’s ‘conservative.’ But we are bringing a completely non-Jewish way of thinking into our homes. The Rebbe was extremely clear about keeping our homes pure and holy. If we want our children to grow up as chassidim with a pure hergesh, we cannot allow these voices to become the background noise of our lives. We need more responsibility from parents!