Episodes
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The definition of truth is not clear cut in Judaism. Is there one "truth" to be grasped or is truth something more organic than that? After giving the Torah, does God have a say in changing the truth found in Jewish law? This class discusses this topic through the lens of the famous debate between Rabbi Eliezer The Great and his students.
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Jewish parables, refereed to as medrashim, are speckled throughout the Talmud. They're nuanced, esoteric, and captivating. They also contain within them the spirit of Judaism. This course discusses the power of metaphors and parables. It also discusses how Judaism relates to them. With a deep understanding of moral law, these texts open up to us a deep well of wisdom. Without that background, these metaphors remain closed to us, best case scenario. The worst case scenario is they destroy any chance of a truly spiritual life. Wisdom well used gives life. Wisdom misused ends it.
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Missing episodes?
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Knowing what the right thing is and doing it are extremely different. God revealed a higher purpose but Judaism's struggle is how to actualize that purpose. How do we build a better life for ourselves? This class discusses how rabbinical additions to Jewish law actualize Judaism's purpose. Rabbinic restriction is, in essence, what taps into divine meaning. By struggling to make God’s law livable we are able to understand God's deeper purpose.
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Taking yourself seriously means realizing no one else who has ever lived can compare to you or what unique gifts you have to offer this world. Figuring out what that exactly means is no small job. This class offers some practical psychological advice in getting closer to understanding yourself and making the changes necessary to live your hero’s journey.
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It’s no secret there’s a trend in the Western world towards meaninglessness and nihilism. Talk to any college aged teen and you’ll see they’re hard pressed to find a good reason to care about anything bigger than themselves or they know someone else that’s in that boat. Some possible causes are the dramatic rise in depression and anxiety or that old religious and communal institutions that provided a structure to make sense of the tragedies of life no longer speak to many. No matter the reason, to weather the storms life is filled with, a deeply held belief in meaning is key to turning back the tide. This class provides one paradoxical way to finding meaning that can only be found in suffering.
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Separating the Jewish people and it's cultural character from Jewish law isn't easy. For thousands of years the culture has dedicated itself towards one primary goal - keeping the living word of God alive for each generation. In the words of the famous psychologist Carl Jung, the Jewish people are perhaps the only society that has collectively made the infinite unconscious almost entirely conscious. This class outlines what that chain of tradition is and the nuts and bolt of how it works. Who were the different groups that kept Judaism going? What did each contribute towards Jewish law? What makes the Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions different?
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Being larger than the Encyclopedia Britannica it's an understatement to say the Talmud is complicated text. For the first few generations of it's existence it wasn't even written down but memorized. So, it's not surprising its authors tried to build in memorization hacks in how they constructed it. One hack is that it was created with a male personality type in mind. This class takes on the issue of gender and tries to answer the question - what makes men and women different?
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Creating the world was probably one of the easier things God has done. What's hard is going that next step and letting in all of humanity on "the plan." This class outlines the five basic source tests to Judaism and struggles with the question of what each offers and how they are different.
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Most people think they understand love. Sure, we’ve all felt it but understanding it is a different ball game. You need an entire life to figure that one out. In reviewing the past several classes one thing comes into focus we don’t often realize. There’s a lot of reasons to run away from love and sometimes fight against it. We confront fear of being hurt, confusion in what to do, and the pain of taking a risk.
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Are there victims in this world? Yes. Should we ignore this Fact? No. Yet, learning to balance this reality with the fact you are also a hero is key to overcoming tragedy. In every relationship taking on the victim role is the single most destructive thing you can do. So, how can you hold these two truths of life at the same time. How can you be the Hero?
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Divine morality doesn’t end with the revelation at Mount Sinai. Much more is required than unquestioning obedience. Jewish authorities have always maintained that Torah is also rooted in human reason. Jewish morality is a complicated system of value judgements. But, someone has to be awake driving behind the wheel. That being the case, the “614th” commandment runs deep – thou shalt not be gullible.
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The nature and detail of Jewish Law is vast . Massive volumes of legal texts painstakingly detail every area of practical life and then some. So, if that’s the case, what room is there for the idea of living outside the letter of the law? Isn’t going above and beyond a type of insult to God? After all, He already outlined what to do, so why not just listen to Him?
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Sam Harris and Richard Dawkings argue religion's a parasitic waste product of evolution. It isn't worth the trouble and does more harm than good. Psychologists like Schweder and Haidt couldn't disagree more. Their work shows religiosity has powerful effects in almost every area of life.
This lecture reviews these positive outcomes. It presents current research showing it's effects on our private lives and on society as a whole. It reviews how religious practice enhances two key areas of life. First, personal stability in the face of fear. Second, social trust which keeps our lives and society healthy. -
How can you be there for the people in your life and what standards ought you strive for? These two obligations are so vast that it's impossible to outline within Jewish Law. Instead, one must balance two principles - what is good in the eyes of man and God. This class explains how.
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Psychology and Jewish thinking both define a person's sense of self as having parts. How we express ourselves, our thoughts, and feelings depend on our environment. No one behaves the same way with their spouse as they do with their mother. The relationships we make with others "creates" different versions of ourselves.
Jewish thinking takes this idea one step further. It adds a moral component into the mix. In this ocean of different parts there are two very distinct versions of us. There's the side of us that craves to survive at all cost. Another side of us yearns to help and support others. Neither is "bad" but both can certainly be put to bad use. This class explores this idea and opens up the question, who are we "really"?
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We're walking contradictions. We want to be listened to without realizing we're not hearing others. We kill ourselves to respect others but give our own self respect little thought. In big ways and small, we're fighting an internal war. The challenge of living a truthful life is confronting our contradictions. This process is painful but it's freeing. One goal of Jewish wisdom is providing a plan to play out this process.
Worse, this is the norm at every level of our lives. In politics, parenting, relationships, and religion. Gaining insight into these contradictions is the first step in winning the war. This class provides a basic battle plan against this black and white thinking.
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The most fundamental question to a religious life is, "Why did God create the world?" This question gets sidetracked by another important question, "Why is their suffering?" Can you answer one without the other? No. But, even when you sort out suffering you're only half way to getting a handle on the creation question. Half answers are good lies. There is a third question that needs sorting out. "What is love?"
Jewish law is a system. But a system for what? At it's heart it's a system that helps us understand love and how to hold suffering. It's a map of life guiding us to stand up against the tragedies of life and how to open ourselves up to love.
