"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 discussed

5:30 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 works

24:45 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 fundamentally

36:45 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 ways

41:00 Even Popperians talk about love and other intense experiences

44:00 Phenomenology and knowing Hashem

48:00 The theory of da'as Hashem

51:00 The notion of Pure Being and its power to inspire right action

57:00 Why it's important for people capable of it to understand da'as Hashem

1:01:00 Chasing beauty, wisdom, and knowledge of Hashem

1:04:00 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.