Rabbi Jonathan Sacks - Consider Forgiveness - YouTube

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks - Consider Forgiveness - YouTube:

'via Blog this'

Once again, the Reverend Rabbi conveys a beautiful view of Judaism that I remeber being brought upon, but that I fail to discern here in the Land of Israel, today.

The intransigence of Religious officialdom and their political organs, in the face of discord or all fronts: civil and social considerations inside of the various religions we have here, as well as the religious zeal that has permeated all of the extremists, truly requires that we have a diaspora to maintain authentic Judaism - abroad. What we have here is an aberration.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on Dialogue with Atheists - YouTube

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks on Dialogue with Atheists - YouTube:

'via Blog this'

I came across a large collections of videos with the Chief Rabbi pf England, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who seems to promote a Judaism, I can connect with in this short interview, he provides legitimacy for doubt - indeed for atheism - recognizing the important role that atheists and heretics can play in keeping rampant religious extremists in check.

If only we had such attitudes among the Orthodox here in Israel - the only country in the Western world, where religion is so institutionalized that allows corruption and backwardness in official quarters to fester. Under the conditions our political system has created, there is now room for checks and balances of the theocracy. It is perhaps this very reason that has lead to the three major exiles of the People of Israel. If so, then we will have only ourselves to blame, if the intransigence of all our factions results in yet another debacle.

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, may his soul rest in peace, on Kabala

Dov  Elboim, an influential - at least for me  - personality in bridging the gap between the various schools of Judaism in Israel, has begun advertising a Hebrew release of Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's book on Sepher Hayetzirah - the Book of Formation, attributed to the Patriarch Abraham and passed down thru oral tradition ubtill it was finally brought to print  - in several different versions, Sefer HaYetzira is the basis on which Jewish Mysticism was developed, and together with the revival of interest in Mysticism of all kinds, Jewish mysticism included, it is understandable that it is now being published in Hebrew.

The info-ad got me thinking - and goggling, and I want to share with you here a set of video interviews made with Rabbi Kaplan before his death in 1983

Parashat Korach

Avi Rat and Dr.Rabbi Beni Lau

Dov Elboim and Professor Ely Yasif
Discussion off the rebellion led by Korach and his men questioning the legitimacy of Moses' leadership.

Profesor Yasif offers and alternative narrative to the vilification that is normally assigned to Korach.

Parash Behaalotcha

Avi Rat and Rabbi Dr. Beni LAu

Dov Elboim with Dr. Uzi Paz
The discussion here is of the scientific basis for the legend of Manna and Slav

Parashat Chukat

Anat Dolev and Rabbi Yuval HaCohen Asherov

Avi Rat and Dr. Rabbi Beni Lau

Dov Elboim with Professor Tamar ElOr
This program focuses on the passing of Moses' brother, the High Priest Aharon and sister, Miriam.
The discussion deals extensively on the special place Miriam had in the formative days of the Jewish people in the desert, and the specific contributions that each of the three siblings, Miriam, Aharon and Moses made to the forging of a nation from the tattered slaves who had adopted the victim mentality of bondage in Egypt.

Parashat Neso

Aliza Lavie with Dr. Pnina Norbert
This was a very interesting digression from the norm on this program.

1. On the one hand, Avi Rat and Rabbi Dr. Beni Lau ceded their slot to a pair of women who discussed Megilat Ruth, and did not even mention the Weekly Portion, Neso.
2. The discussion became one of feminine

Dov Elboim and Professor Ishai Rozen Zvi

Dov and his guest, whose doctorate on this Parasha have made the foremost authority on the subject, discuss how the provocative issue of adultery was treated differently by the Torah itself, and the Mishna.