Scholar in Residence
Rabbi Israel makes regular visits to communities and campuses worldwide.
Some of the topics he has recently addressed at Scholar-in-residence visits are below.
But I have many more titles. Be in touch and I will send some options.
1. Halakha is the Solution; Halakha Is the Problem: A 2500-year Journey of Spiritual Evolution
Why is Halakha so important to Jewish life? But why is Halakha a turn-off for many? How can we revitalize a 21st Century Halakhic living?
It was the great sage Ezra, and the Men of the Great Assembly, who transformed Jewish Law after the first Hurban. Using Rav Kook's interpretation we shall analyse the strengths and weaknesses of Halakha as a tool for Jewish living and continuity, and what we can learn for our contemporary zeitgeist.
2. The Challenge of Meaning and Commitment in a World of Endless Choices.
This shiur examines the biblical character of Yitro, who offers such significant support and advice to Moshe, but paradoxicaly leaves the Israelite camp before Matan Torah, and who seems to avoid joining Israel on their journey to the Promised Land. What can we learn from this story?
3. Did Moses Come Down the Mountain?
This shiur is a "biography" of Moshe. In the course of Sefer Shemot (Exodus) Moses transforms from a freedom fighter to a miracle-maker and then a prophet and lawgiver. Moses desceneds from Mount Sinai with his face shining brilliantly. And yet, in the Book of Bamidbar, he has crisis after crisis. Was Moses able to come down the mountain?
4. God's Image and God's non Image. Renewing our understanding of God.
This is a shiur that might just reframe the way you conceive God. But, it is difficult to pray to a God with no image. Interestingly, however, the Torah gives us many images of God. Using the work of Rabbis Hirsch, Eliezer Berkovits, Steinsaltz and Sacks, we will look to reframe the way we view God and expose a more reachable, dynamic, image of God.
5. Rav Kook, Betzalel, and The Creative Power of Art
How do Art and culture connect to modern Zionism and national revival? Why in 1906 did Rav Kook lend support to the secular Betzalel art school? Discussing religion, and worldliness and their power to renovate Judaism and some thought provoking ideas for Modern Orthodoxy, we will see some early Betzalel art and discuss Rav Kook's famous letter to the founders of the Betzalel Art School.
6. Who Chose Jerusalem? King David, or God?
Was Jerusalem chosen by God or by David? Sefer Shmuel has two stories (2 Samuel ch.5 and 24) in which Jerusalem is selected - once by David (political) and once by God (spiritual). What are the implications for us today?
7. The Stories behind our Stories. A Question of Perspective: Moses' Spies; Joshua's Spies.
After the failure of Moses Spies, why did Joshua send spies to scout Jericho? and are these possibly the worst spies ever?! - They almost get caught upon arrival. We shall read the Joshua story as an interesting mirror story of Moses' Spies and examine the interesting phenomenon of the stories behind our stories.
The Philosophy of Rabbi Sacks
1. Rabbi Sacks reads Sefer Bereshit. Radical Then Radical Now
How has Rabbi Sacks become the most famous and widely read Rabbi in every segment of the Jewish world. What aspects of his Torah can we identify that makes his perspective so unique and "radical"? Using case studies from Sefer Bereshit, we will understand his inspirational legacy.
2. The Dignity of Difference. Rabbi Sacks Most Controversial Book
Rabbi Sacks wrote a book in the wake of the attack on the WTC. He sought to use religion to find a solution to religious violence. But the book raised a huge controversy.
Can religions live together?
What did Rabbi Sacks say that was controversial?
What does this book contribute to a Jewish view of religious plurarism?
3. The Challenge of Biblical Criticism, and Rabbi Sacks on Torah min Hashamayim
How should we respond to the challenge of Biblical Criticism? We will examine several approaches and then turn to Rabbi Sacks who formulated a novel and unusual approach. It relates to Midrash and the Jewish conception of time. We will discuss the challenges, the standard responses to biblical scholarship, and Rabbi Sacks surprising way of thinking on this topic.
4. Rabbi Sacks' Aversion to Power
Throughout Rabbi Sacks' writings - religious and political - Rabbi Sacks expresses a deep suspicion of, and aversion to power. How does this express itself in his view of God, Creation, Revelation, politics, and most significant, Medinat Yisrael.
Tehillim/Tefilla.
1. The Most Powerful Prayer: The Drama of Tachanun (Tehillim ch.6)
In many communities, Tachanun is prayer that people prefer to skip. We shall study Psalm 6 recited according to the Ashkenazic tradition as "Tachanun", and discover a prayer that transcribes a powerful drama of doom, despair and recovery.
2. The Architecture of Pesukei Dezimra
We will do a novel and refreshing survey of Pesukei Dezimra to understand its unique structure in a fresh and new perspective
3. Surging Waters: Creation and Chaos, Order and Desire (ה' מלך גאות לבש - Tehillim 93)
What happens when order gives way to chaos?
We recite this short psalm every Shabbat but few know the drama that lies beneath its lines. With the help of King David, Rabbi Soloveitchik and others, we shall study this Psalm which touches upon the very foundations of nature and society.
