We often talk about the Jewish view on X or what “Judaism” has to say about Y but in reality there is, and never was, “one” view on Judaism. Indeed, Genesis begins with two stories of creation that reflect two distinct worldviews on the very foundations of Judaism such as the nature of God, the defining characteristics of humanity, our role in the world, the relationship between the man and the woman, and much more. We will discuss these along with the challenge of living with competing truths and expectations.
Many people know that the Torah opens with two accounts of creation but few are aware of the fact that there are two accounts of the flood as well. Through a careful examination of the text we will discover the differences between the two accounts of the flood, show how they are related philosophically and theologically to the two accounts of creation, and then explain why all of this matters in terms of our relationship with God and with the world that we inhabit.
While the desire for immortality has preoccupied humanity since the earliest times, and while scientists are constantly working on ways to achieve it, the question is whether it is part of the Jewish tradition and vision for the future? We will explore Jewish perspectives on this age-old question.
We typically assume that the Exodus from Egypt was the first step in the redemption process which culminated in God’s revelation on Mount Sinai and His giving of the Torah. The first is viewed as our physical redemption and the second as our spiritual redemption. The problem is that when God tells Moses and the people about the goal of the Exodus He never mentions Sinai, and the question is why? We will try to answer this question based on a careful analysis of the biblical text as well as the subtext, and discuss its implications for our understanding of Judaism as a whole.
We typically assume that all the mitzvot were given by God on Mount Sinai and that they were all part of God’s original plan. However, it appears that there are mitzvot that were given or changed later in response to the will of, and the circumstances among, the people. What are these mitzvot and what do they teach us about our role in shaping the content of the Torah then and perhaps now as well?
There are those who view the mitzvot as expressions of the inscrutable will of God and there are others who view them as expressions of a rational God whose purposes and aims can be understood by all. We will study the different approaches to this subject along with their philosophical roots and discuss what each may contribute to a meaningful Jewish life.
One of the impulses of religious people is to attribute the onset of diseases and pandemics to God rather than to nature or chance. The question is, to what extent, if at all, is this impulse rooted in Jewish tradition? We will explore Jewish views on this issue and their implications for our understanding of the events that occur in our lives and in the world around us.
One of the subjects that has baffled religious people over the ages is the problem of “theodicy”, or the attempts to understand God in view of the existence of evil and the suffering of the innocent. While a number of approaches have been suggested to solve this problem there is one that is already alluded to in the Bible and can be found in the concept of the “hiding of the face” of God. We will explore different interpretations of this concept and their significance for religious faith.
The Rabbis assumed that the biblical figures Jethro and Ruth were the quintessential converts. This assumption is based on the premise that there was a religion called “Judaism” during biblical times and there was a process called “conversion” whereby a person from one religion can join another. We will show that both of these concepts are anachronistic and then try to explain the origins of each and what this may mean for conversion in the State of Israel today.
Much of Jewish religious life today is based on the interpretations and rulings of the Rabbis, not on the simple reading of the biblical text. The question is, from where did the Rabbis derive their authority to interpret the Bible in the way that they did and are there limits to this authority? We will explore this complex issue and discuss its ramifications for rabbinic authority to interpret and apply Halakhah in our day.
Many of us assume that God wants us both to follow the rules and regulations as they are codified in the Halakhah and to be moral people as well. The question is, what is the relationship between these two things? Are Halakhah and morality one and the same or are they separate and distinct? If the latter, what happens when there is a conflict between them?
We are living in an era in which many students at the very best universities seem to be victims of indoctrination by their professors. This is surprising given that, historically, it was teachers in religious frameworks who were often accused of indoctrinating their students. The question, then, is how we can educate rather than indoctrinate, and how can we do so within the context of Jewish religious education? We will explore this question based on my research at two religious high schools in Israel.
