Month: July 2011
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Differing Views on Tzimtzum
L’Iluyi Nishmat Maras Menya bas HertzelLast time I introduced the concept of tzimtzum as a way of reconciling the differing views of the Rishonim. However, there are differing views about the meaning of tzimtzum as well. It is my contention that these are not only abstract philosophical differences, but that they can lead to differences… Read more
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Tzimtzum Revolution
This shiur is l’ilui nishmat Marat Menya bas Hertzel In the previous shiur we looked at the different understandings of the nature of G-d amongst Rishonim. I found in Prof. Menachem Kellner’s book “Must a Jew Believe Anything?” an interesting source which is connected to thsi idea – Teshuva Radbaz vol. 8 number 191. There… Read more
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The Nature of G-d
I gave a shiur last night. this shiur is l’ilyi nishmat Menya bas Hertzel. I discuss two approaches in the Rishonim about how a person should come to understand G-d. Kuzari, Rav Sadiah Gaon, Rambam and others hold that the only way to understand G-d is to use rational thought to investigate His nature. Anyone… Read more
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Torah from Sinai?
Now that I am no longer associated with any institution I can give shiurim on topics that interest me. This is a shiur on Rambam’s 8th principle and the concept of Torah from Sinai. Is the Torah that we have in our Shuls/chumashim identical with the one that Moshe Rabbeinu gave the Children of Israel… Read more
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Reason that Chicken is considered Meat
Often people are confused about why the Rabbis forbade chicken (birds) with milk – why were they concerned about chicken more than fish, or pareve vege-burgers? The usual answer given is that ‘it looks like meat’ which is not really a good answer, because many things look like meat, and many things don’t. Rambam (Hilchos… Read more
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Ibn Ezra, James Kugel and Multiple Authors
One of the stories that is on all the media at the moment is the new software which has been developed by a team in Israel which traces the different voices and ‘authors’ of the Bible. It was even picked up by Stuff, which is a New Zealand newspaper. For me the key thing in… Read more