Few texts in the history of Judaism have been as evocative, elusive, and controversial as Genesis 22, the story of the Akedah. Why does God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son, and why does Abraham agree? What are the consequences of this fateful event for Abraham, Isaac, and Sarah-- and for us as readers and students of this text? We'll begin with a close literary and theological exploration of the Biblical text itself, consider the interpretations of Hazal, and then create a multi-faceted conversation among an array of modern Jewish (and Christian) thinkers as they-- and we-- struggle to make sense of this text and its role in Jewish theology and spirituality. Our investigation will include such thinkers as Soren Kierkegaard, Abraham Isaac Kook, Joseph Soloveitchik, Yeshayahu Leibowitz, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Martin Buber, Phyllis Trible, Uriel Simon, Jon Levenson, and others.
Mahshavah
A Role Model for Social Action - Moshe's Leadership
Mishael Zion
Taking a close look at Shemot Chapter 2, with the help of Franz Kafka, Rabbi Moshe Chalphon hacohen and Yehuda Amichai, we will try to unravel some of the lessons Moshe Rabeinu teaches us about taking aciton in the face of injustice.
Few texts in the history of Judaism have been as evocative, elusive, and controversial as Genesis 22, the story of the Akedah. Why does God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son, and why does Abraham agree? What are the consequences of this fateful event for Abraham, Isaac, and Sarah-- and for us as readers and students of this text? We'll begin with a close literary and theological exploration of the Biblical text itself, consider the interpretations of Hazal, and then create a multi-faceted conversation among an array of modern Jewish (and Christian) thinkers as they-- and we-- struggle to make sense of this text and its role in Jewish theology and spirituality. Our investigation will include such thinkers as Soren Kierkegaard, Abraham Isaac Kook, Joseph Soloveitchik, Yeshayahu Leibowitz, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Martin Buber, Phyllis Trible, Uriel Simon, Jon Levenson, and others.
Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg is one of the leading Jewish thinkers and activists of our time. He is the President Emeritus of Jewish Life Network/Steinhardt Foundation. He served as founder and president of CLAL from 1974-1997. Author of The Jewish Way, Living in the Image of God, and For the Sake of Heaven and Earth: The New Encounter between Judaism and Christianity, he has written extensively on the theory and practice of pluralism among other topics.
"Haham Adif mi-Navi" Rav Kook on the Meaning of Prophecy and Halakhah
Shiur Klali (Integrated Communal Learning)
Rabbi Shai Held Through a close reading of a beautiful essay by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, we'll discuss the relationship between broad vision (that is, Prophecy) on the one hand, and attention to detail (that is, Halakhah), on the other--in life in general, and in Jewish life in particular. Download Audio Recording1 hour, 20 minutes; 22.7 MB
