00:25 The essence of Rabbi Akiva's wisdom is that the Torah speaks in parables3:40 The sin that led to the death of Bar Kochba is the sin of taking the Torah literally 11:15 Balaam and the parables about the Messiah; the prophets themselves didn't know the meaning of their parables about the Messiah18:00 Balaam blessed Israel with kingship, which turned into a curse21:00 Inverting the meaning of the Torah and Balaam's endeavor24:00 The inversion of the Torah is its external, superficial meaning; Balaam as the anti-Moshe28:45 The function of a king is to craft a unified message; the connection between kings and parables33:45 The problem with kings, who occlude the kingship of Hashem43:00 How can there be a righteous king?44:15 The function of halacha and how it applies to establishing kings who stand as parables for Hashem55:00 The contradiction in Shemoneh Esreh whether Hashem alone will rule us or David will56:00 Solomon's failure revolved around thinking we know the reasons of mitzvahs fully59:30 The more progress we make in recognizing the limits of our reason, the more we can safely explore the reasons for the mitzvahs 1:05:30 The Guide is Gan Eden; the Tree of Life is the middle question in the middle chapter of the middle section of the Guide: "Why did he give these mitzvahs and these prohibitions?"1:11:30 Rabbi Akiva knew the reason of the Red Heifer, which is that paradoxes are appropriate1:13:00 Balaam as the anti-Moshe and his influence, together with Moshe, on all the prophets that come after Moshe1:15:00 Rabbi Meir, student of Rabbi Akiva, and his approach to parables
Conversation # 4 of the series
In this conversation, Zev and I analyze the first step of the prophetic path to Da’as Hashem – its logic, practice, and universal relevance.5:00 The four-step discipline of the prophets for reaching Da'as Hashem
13:00 The doctrine of Da'as Hashem is universally intelligible and meaningful even without accepting Torah or Judaism
16:45 The universality of Da'as Hashem as opposed to the particularism of the Torah
22:30 The secret society of Da'as Hashem
24:30 Live demonstration of the first step of the Path
43:25 Purifying the soul and serving Hashem circumvents the need for having a developed philosophy of morals
48:45 The connection between tefillah and Da'as Hashem
52:00 The Jewish national experience as the training ground for achieving Da'as Hashem
57:30 Why pure Da'as Hashem is impossible in exile
1:01:45 Why Rabbi Chiya never had kavanah during davening
1:06:30 Questions on the first step
1:14:15 The stark difference between those who know and those who don't: https://x.com/shnayor/status/1950646482291347817
00:00 The project of the Guide is the rectification of the challenges associated with prophecy2:30 The need for the Torah to be unlocked12:00 King Solomon was a Messianic figure who commenced the unlocking of the Torah, which was then completed by Rabbi Akiva20:45 The innovation in the Torah which is itself rooted in the Torah: Rambam's rereading of the Torah's mission to uproot idolatry and his application of its teaching to God's incorporeality 36:30 The Oral Torah can undermine the surface-level meaning of the Written Torah40:45 How Moshe both did and didn't wage war against the erroneous belief in the corporeality of God44:00 It takes much knowledge to know that knowledge is limited48:45 How Rabbi Akiva's new teaching about parables improved on King Solomon's teaching about parables51:00 The endless sea and the infinitude of wisdom: The meaning of the parable of water is that we can’t know the true meaning of the parable of water54:30 The purpose of parables is not to explain something but rather to make an abstract truth attractive to the body1:01:15 Rabbi Akiva's teaching about the water that has no end; how he faced endless waves and how Rabbi Meir faced endless waves1:12:30 Two kinds of parables1:15:30 What will be treated of in the next lecture
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly here. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
0:00 How does Rambam intend to extract us from exile?2:30 Rabbi Akiva as the great teacher whose Torah completes the Messianic teaching6:30 The need for the Torah to be clarified and for its meaning to be unlocked10:00 In what sense Rabbi Akiva is called a "prophet"18:30 The diminished significance of the Messiah as an individual man of great wisdom and prophetic power24:00 Allusions in the Guide to the role of Rabbi Akiva and his new teaching30:00 What is the "new teaching" predicted by the prophets and who will teach it? 31:00 The teaching of Rabbi Akiva about what makes a human perfect: Do not say, "Water, water"34:45 Moshe went beyond human capabilities; the rest of humanity requires a way to approach God without transcending human limits46:30 The meaning of the word "water"; equivocal terms and parables54:20 Why there is a need for a "new teaching" and what is wrong with the "old teaching"58:00 The failure of the "Nobles of the Children of Israel" in their vision of God points to the flaw with the old teaching and the problem inherent in every prophet lesser than Moshe1:05:00 The Guide is meant to rectify the problem inherent to non-Mosaic prophecy
0:00 Why are the Redemption and the Messiah not treated of in the Guide, considering that they comprise the 12th principle of faith?5:30 Chasam Sofer's dispute with Rambam regarding the 12th principle9:00 The redemption is a principle of faith since it involves the success of the Torah's overall project11:30 The entire Guide is the means for the Torah's project to succeed: Through this book, they will escape from exile18:30 The Messiah is the notion that kingship of Israel can and will be perfected25:00 The Torah, as opposed to the prophets, doesn't talk about the figure of the Messiah34:50 A contradiction within Mishneh Torah about whether the Messiah will be wiser than Solomon and achieve a level of prophecy close to Moses, or will be simply an effective king49:40 Rabbi Akiva's role in the Redemption; Rabbi Akiva as the Solomonic and Mosaic figure56:30 Rabbi Akiva as the figure bracketing the whole Mishneh Torah, who entered the Pardes in peace and exited in peace1:00:00 Halacha as the prerequisite for knowledge of Hashem1:02:00 The nature of Rabbi Akiva's perfection and the connection to his assumption that Bar Kochba was the Messiah1:05:30 The study of Mishneh Torah is required to be capable of recognizing that parables are not meant literally1:09:30 Who is the real king? Rabbi Akiva or Bar Kochba?
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly here. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
conversation # 3 of the series
In this conversation, Zev and I share a list of questions related to Knowing Hashem, and discuss whether it involves psychological transformation or mastery of metaphysical knowledge.
Links: https://open.substack.com/pub/shnayor...https://open.substack.com/pub/shnayor...https://open.substack.com/pub/shnayor...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0727TH8X8
0:00 A list of questions and issues that relate to the project of knowing Hashem
2:30 What's the difference between talking about Hashem and talking about knowing Hashem?
7:30 Do the right words for the discipline of knowing Hashem exist yet?
23:15 Is knowledge of Hashem actually achievable or is it an ideal toward which we strive?
34:00 Where do animals fit in to knowing Hashem?
41:15 The difference between the message of the Prophets and the message of the Rambam and Kabbalists: Psychology or Metaphysics?
1:10:00 The prophets’ four-step training in Da’as Hashem
1:19:00 Testing thought across all of space and time
1:23:30 Universal thinking leads to good character traits
1:25:15 People of good character believe in goodness
1:29:30 When those people then find the goodness in which they believe – that is Da’as Hashem
1:38:00 Knowing Hashem as a kind of action, not a belief
1:44:30 Why the prophets and the Rambam/Kabbalists took different approaches to knowing Hashem
1:47:30 How it becomes easier to know everything
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly here. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly here. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly here. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
How come nobody has been talking about knowing Hashem?0:00 Why is the ideal of knowing Hashem so revolutionary? And doesn't any person who serves Hashem already know Him?3:30 Hashem as the solution to political problems5:15 Is knowledge of Hashem the totality of all knowledge or a specific knowledge?12:30 Is the blessed state of the world a result of knowing Hashem or the reverse?20:00 Why the Redemption is a principle of faith22:45 What would motivate a person to talk about Hashem and seek knowledge of Him?34:30 The mitzvah to love Hashem is to study reality and thus come to desire knowledge of Him42:00 Either we all have been doing this already, or else it is not a legitimate pursuit 46:30 An idea that can't be put into practice tends to wither and die58:30 The tension between honoring the tradition and exploring new ideas1:00:00 Knowing Hashem and politics; why national independence is necessary for knowing Hashem1:00:05 Is the highest human goal action or contemplation?1:08:00 Contradictions in the Rambam; contradictions between Plato and Aristotle; Al-Farabi's resolutions
What does it mean to truly know Hashem? A conversation with Zev Lowy about the prophetic ideal — and why it’s still the greatest mission of all.0:00 Knowledge of Hashem is supposed to be the most fundamental subject for humanity but is seldom discussed5:30 Knowledge of Hashem is not well defined. How can it perfect humanity? What should we do to promote it?9:00 Should we articulate how knowledge of Hashem will solve all the world's problems?15:00 Why people don't think about how knowledge of Hashem works24:45 Should we seek knowledge of Hashem for any reason other than its own sake?29:30 Is knowledge of Hashem effective if pursued for any reason other than its own sake?33:30 The experience of relentlessly seeking knowledge of Hashem and how it changes a person fundamentally36:45 What is lacking in Exodus, Exile and Redemption (here: https://open.substack.com/pub/shnayor/p/introduction-to-exodus-exile-and?r=111271&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false)? Where Rambam and Kabbalah part ways41:00 Even Popperians talk about love and other intense experiences44:00 Phenomenology and knowing Hashem 48:00 The theory of da'as Hashem51:00 The notion of Pure Being and its power to inspire right action57:00 Why it's important for people capable of it to understand da'as Hashem1:01:00 Chasing beauty, wisdom, and knowledge of Hashem1:04:00 Torah and practical wisdom
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly here. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly here. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly here. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
Why does the Haggadah begin by reminding us that our ancestors were idolaters?What is the secret sin of Avraham Avinu, and why did he ask for it to remain hidden?This shiur explores the tension between freedom and servitude, the esoteric struggle with idolatry in every generation, and how the Torah guides us through an annual Exodus that is far from over.Uncover true liberation develops from avodah itself.
us #slavery #sacrifice #death #avrahamavinu #AbrahamWhy does the Haggadah begin by reminding us that our ancestors were idolaters?What is the secret sin of Avraham Avinu, and why did he ask for it to remain hidden?This shiur explores the tension between freedom and servitude, the esoteric struggle with idolatry in every generation, and how the Torah guides us through an annual Exodus that is far from over.Uncover how true liberation develops from avodah itself.
0:00 The overall structure of the Haggadah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7p74lusVF8&t=1s
1:00 The question the Haggadah is answering: Why is the past relevant to today?
2:45 The two narratives the Haggadah tells: We were once slaves, and Hashem freed us; we once served idols, and now we serve Hashem
6:00 The first narrative explains freedom from slavery; the second narrative explains the purpose of slavery itself
8:00 The exile in Egypt as a result of Avraham's doubt; Jewish history as recurring opportunities to recognize Hashem through redemption from suffering
16:30 The wicked son doesn't understand that there are moments in history that are crucial for long-term destiny
25:45 Both narratives involve escape from servitude, but the second narrative involves escape from one form of servitude to another: from serving idols to serving Hashem
30:00 Rambam and Avodas HaKodesh argue whether Avraham himself worshipped idolatry32:45 Avraham Avinu was worried about the idol worship he engaged in as a youth, and Hashem promised him that his sin will disappear like the evaporating dew35:00 The verse written awkwardly to conceal the fact that Avraham worshipped idolatry
40:30 The influence of idolatry on the Torah and on how we worship Hashem; the Guide of the Perplexed on sacrificial worship
43:00 The purpose of the Torah is to make worship easy
45:20 The psychological need that people have for servitude
48:00 The link between freedom and being familiar with Hashem
53:15 Because we struggle with serving idols, we require servitude directed to Hashem
57:30 Why monotheism is the key to achieving world peace
59:40 Will the Torah forever contain an element of servitude?
1:01:30 The meaning of Avraham Avinu's concern about the idol worship he engaged in as a youth
1:08:00 The Torah will never change, but sacrifices will eventually not involve the element of servitude
1:08:45 The Rambam's reason for mitzvahs are dynamic and can change over time: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0XAcZW9hUZHAEoteTjjmQL
1:13:40 When the Messiah comes, we will find new reasons for the mitzvah of sacrifices, such that they won't involve the element of servitude
1:16:15 Every year, we undo somewhat the inclination to idolatry and servitude within ourselves
1:20:00 Chad Gadia as explaining why we didn't bring the korban pesach
1:22:00 Why the suffering in exile makes us opposed to bringing sacrifices
1:23:30 Hashem killing indicates that death is not an evil
1:25:00 Sacrifices will not involve an element of servitude when death is viewed as a good that Hashem himself effects
This lecture is a project of the Jacob Lights Foundation
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly here. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.
Written essays are published bi-weekly here. Please subscribe!
This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
"Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.Written essays are published bi-weekly here:Please subscribe!This series is a project of the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing projects of the foundation, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
