Month: June 2012
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Rav Dushinsky Saves Jerusalem?
I was looking at a book entitled “HaTekufah ve-Bayoteha” – “The Era and its Troubles” by Rav Yosef Avraham Wolff. He became a chasid of the Chazon Ish, and was responsible for creating the Beis Yaakov educational philosophy which allowed for the the current Kollel system. One of the important messages to teach the students… Read more
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Moshe Taku
This shiur was supposed to be about Rav Moshe Taku, but is really about the Maimonidean Controversy, and the relationship between philosophy and religion. I show that there were really three different approaches to the issues (and conflicts) of philosophy and religion. Rambam tries to make Judaism fit with Aristotle (or his version of it… Read more
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Shem Tov ibn Falaquera
This shiur is about Shem Tov ibn Falaquera (though there are many different ways of spelling his last name). Here is what Jewish Virtual Library says about ibn Falaquera: Shem Tov b. Joseph ibn Falaquera (c. 1225–c. 1295), translator and author of many works devoted largely to ethics and psychology, also wrote Moreh ha-Moreh, a… Read more
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What Would Rambam Do?
What would Rambam do if Aristotle was proven to be correct regarding the eternity of the universe? Rambam writes that Aristotle’s belief in the eternity of the universe contradicts many fundamental principles of Torah. Yet Rambam rejects Aristotle for two reasons: (1) Eternity has never been demonstrated conclusively and (2) Eternity contradicts the Torah. Here… Read more
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Invention of the Printing Press
With all the current discussion about the internet and how it should (or should not) be used for enhancing Jewish life, I thought it would be interesting to look at another invention which had perhaps an even bigger influence on Judaism, and how it was received. I refer to the printing press, which allowed exiled… Read more
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Ehad HaAm and Rambam
I recently discovered that Echad Ha’Am wrote a very interesting booklet in memory of Maimonides’ 700th yahrzeit. In it he espouses the ‘rational http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifRambam’ and claims that Rambam’s faith was always guided primarily by philosophy. He shows a greater familiarity with a wider range of Rambam texts than most yeshiva students now – in keeping… Read more
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New Zealand Jewish Humour
Somehow these old Jewish jokes almost sound funny when told with a New Zealand accent You can read more about here on Jewish Humour Central Read more
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Deena Mishaan
My sister in law has just created a website to display her artwork. She is an amazing artist, focussing on spirals and motherhood. This is what she writes about herself and her art: I am a mother. I am an artist.The use of color, texture and shape expresses my bond between mother and child; that… Read more
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Torah Moves to Spain
For the last two weeks I have spoken about Kairouan and the Torah that was taught there. At some point the Muhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifslims in Tunisia became too fundamental, and Torah moved to Spain. Rav Yitzchak Alfasi moved to Spain and while there one of his pupils was Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi. In this shiur I go off… Read more
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Kein Ayin Hora
Tim Minchin (the funniest and most intelligent atheist since Douglas Adams – with the possible exception of Terry Pratchett) spoke at the Hay Festival, and mocked superstition! He said that he hoped his daughter would die, but only to demonstrate that words have no effect on reality. He also said: Superstition is something that one… Read more