Tradition Podcast

Generative Artificial Intelligence is now part of daily life—having leaped from science fiction to indispensable daily tool with alarming speed. But what does it mean for us a religious community and as thinking religious beings? If we don’t figure that out before the robot overlords carry us off, we’ll be all the poorer for it. That’s why TRADITION was delighted to feature two intelligent and insightful contributions for our Spring 2026 issue—both investigating AI through the prism of Orthodox Jewish thought (what we do bets at our journal). Alex Harris’ “ Becoming One Like Us? Jewish Tradition and Artificial Intelligence ” considers the ethical, theological, and anthropological implications of artificial intelligence as a proper subject of mahashava . Harris suggest that as advancements in AI approach the threshold of “artificial general intelligence,” longstanding assumptions about human uniqueness are increasingly called into question. In this episode of the Tradition Podcast, associate editor Chaim Strauchler meets with Marina Zilbergerts to discuss her article, “ Algorithms, Zombies and Maimonides’ God: A Jewish Theology of Consciousness for the Age of AI ” (open access). Together they wonder what lessons can be drawn from AI’s example of “intelligence without emotion” for how classical Jewish thinkers understand God? Zilbergerts offers a defense of emotion as a critical component of the Divine, using Rabbi Adin Steinzaltz and astronomer Carl Sagan to reframe Maimonides’ position. The questions “Can AI have faith?” and “Why don’t we expect it to?” prompt a discussion of social trends regarding deep reading, thinking, and faith that go beyond current technological trends. Has modern faith already become a little too rational? Zilbergerts also shares news on her upcoming book, Genesis in the Age of AI: A New Story of Consciousness (forthcoming from Routledge). Watch a video recording of this conversation . Dr. Marina Zilbergerts is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa, and an advisor with the organization AI & Faith . Her Substack, “ The Inner Light ,” explores consciousness, Jewish thought, and the philosophical questions raised by AI. Chaim Strauchler, an associate editor of TRADITION, is rabbi of Cong. Rinat Yisrael in Teaneck. The post A Jewish Theology of Consciousness for the Age of AI appeared first on Tradition Online .

Late last year TRADITION published our largest issue ever—350+ page volume on the intellectual legacy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt”l , released in cooperation with the Rabbi Sacks Legacy on the occasion of his 5th yahrzeit. Among that collection’s many essays exploring R. Sacks’ thought is a particularly pertinent one titled “Inclusive Orthodoxy: Vision, Context and Connections” by Rabbi Dr. Benjamin J. Elton , who serves as the Chief Minister and Senior Rabbi of The Great Synagogue in Sydney, Australia. Inclusive Orthodox Judaism was an idea that Sacks championed during his tenure as Chief Rabbi of Britain, and Elton’s essay lays out this conception of inclusion—its roots and sources, its possible flaws, alternative models and how they differ from Sacks’ vision. In this conversation Elton recalls hearing someone say “We have no spare Jews, so if our common boat is too small we best better builder a bigger boat.” That was so on point that we chose it as the title for this episode, which also touches on issues of Jewish unity since October 7th, and—for R. Elton’s community of Sydney—since the Bondi Beach massacre of last December. Read the entire special issue on Rabbi Sacks’ intellectual legacy open access at TraditionOnline.org, order a hard copy to have in your library, and renew your subscription to our quarterly print journal. The post No Spare Jews appeared first on Tradition Online .

From the Editor’s Desk: This special Semiquincentennial podcast is the capstone of our symposium at TraditionOnline.org considering “The Jew in America at 250.” It revisits a series we published in 1976 for the Bicentennial ( read about both and sample all the contents ). In the course of human events 250 years ago, Thomas Jefferson concluded his Declaration of Independence “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we [the signers of the Declaration] mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Since Jews first arrived in the British colonies in the seventeenth century, and throughout 250 years of independence, they have similarly relied on the protection of divine Providence—just as we trusted in the promises of religious freedom, that great boon of American life. We and our American Jewish ancestors similarly pledged our lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the country—the malkhut shel hesed in R. Moshe Feinstein’s memorable phrase—which has done more than any other in history to enable Jewish flourishing—any other country, that is, aside from the one I have made my home for over three decades, the State of Israel. We are now met at a peculiar moment in the great history of our American communities of faith and destiny. Some are asking if American Jewry, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. I for one—even from my perch in the east—am not so pessimistic about life there in sof ha-ma’arav , the distant west, nor do I think that the American Jewish experience has been in vain and, indeed, I pray that it may yet have a new birth of vitality and creativity. But I am mindful that, despite being a lifelong student of American political culture, I have at this point spent more of my life removed from American shores. That’s why I was pleased to invite Rabbi Benjamin Samuels to guest edit our special symposium. This podcast brings together three of the many contributors to the series to reflect on the present condition and future trajectory of American Jewish life. Through a discussion of antisemitism and Zionism, Jewish education and civic responsibility, and the challenges of political polarization, the panel explores what it means to be both fully American and fully Jewish in this moment. The conversation considers questions of identity, citizenship, Israel, religious commitment, and communal leadership while looking ahead to the opportunities and challenges that will shape the future of American Jewish life. — Jeffrey Saks , Editor, TRADITION Watch a video recording of the conversation . Dr. Rebecca Cypess is Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and the Dean of the Undergraduate Faculty at Yeshiva University. Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph is the Orthodox Union’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer . Rabbi Etan Tokayer , President of the Rabbinical Council of America, is the Rabbi of Kingsway Jewish Center. Rabbi Benjamin J. Samuels , Ph.d, our moderator and guest editor, is a member of TRADITION’s editorial board, and the Rabbi of Congregation Shaarei Tefillah in Newton, MA. The post The Jew in America at 250 appeared first on Tradition Online .

“Out of the sources of Halakhah, a new world view awaits formulation”—so concludes Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s Halakhic Mind , an essay penned in 1944 but only published in 1986. It is the Rav’s most philosophically dense work. As such, it is the least understood and least studied even among the Rav’s main constituency—people such as yourself who are readers of TRADITION . Many have found it to be rather opaque. This is unfortunate, given that it is the work in which he sets out his method for “doing” Jewish philosophy; the subtitle is “An essay on Jewish tradition and modern thought.” That’s why it was significant that at the recent annual convention of TRADITION ’s publisher, the Rabbinical Council of America , Daniel Rynhold presented a session to the assembled rabbis and educators offering an overview and “primer” to Halakhic Mind . This brief introduction to the book presents its key claims with the minimum of jargon so as to allow those without any philosophical background to understand what the Rav means when speaks of epistemological pluralism and scientific method, and how these ideas build to the conclusion that “there is only a single source from which a Jewish philosophical Weltanschauung could emerge; the objective order—the Halakhah.” Watch a video of this conversation on YouTube . Professor Daniel Rynhold is Dean at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University. The conversation was recorded by TorahAnytime at the RCA Convention in Suffern, NY, on May 11, 2026. The post Halakhic Mind appeared first on Tradition Online .

The recent annual convention of TRADITON ’s publisher, the Rabbinical Council of America, was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the work of our journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought. Our editor Jeffrey Saks had a chance to conduct a session with Itamar Rosensweig, whose “Reconceiving Conceptualism” opens our recently released Spring 2026 issue. The essay is an argument for method in Torah study as part of the pursuit of knowledge. Rosensweig asks if and why the so-called conceptual method (a.k.a. Lomdus) is typically favored in our own learning and teaching because it’s somehow more “authentic” and “true”? Saks inquired what Rosensweig set out to do in the essay and touched on pedagogical and practical suggestions for ways to more effectively implement Lomdus and utilize its tools in our shuls and schools. This was of particular relevance to the rabbis and educators in attendance, many of whom raised questions and offered gentle pushback throughout the discussion. In fact, the essay has already generated a healthy amount of response and we hope to be publishing some of that in the near future. Watch a video of this discussion on YouTube . Rabbi Dr. Itamar Rosensweig is a Rosh Yeshiva and associate professor of philosophy at Yeshiva University, a dayyan at the Beth Din of America, and rabbi of the Merion Shtiebel. The conversation was recorded by TorahAnytime at the RCA Convention in Suffern, NY, on May 11, 2026. The post Reconceiving Conceptualism appeared first on Tradition Online .

What is the relationship between fear and faith? This question is explored in Rivka Kahan’s recent essay, “Fear and Faith in Religious Life” ( TRADITION , Spring 2026). In this episode Kahan discusses these topics with our podcast host, Mali Brofsky. Together, they think through their strategies to show their students that emotions such as fear are not only acceptable but are actively explored and embraced within our tradition. Kahan outlines three primary frameworks for understanding fear within Jewish thought: Malbim posits that faith acts as a source of strength that helps a person overcome fear, serving a “buoy” to faith by providing inner strength. Abravanel suggests that fear is necessary for true faith, which is understood as the commitment to follow God’s will despite experiencing fear. Finally, the Midrashic approach holds that maintaining a level of worry reflects moral humility. Brofsky notes that these models are not mutually exclusive; rather, individuals may cycle through them depending on their circumstances. The speakers discuss how extreme confidence, even when based on faith, can inadvertently lead to hubris, and argue that experiencing anxiety or unworthiness can foster moral refinement and humility. They close by discussing the difference between individual and national fear, and how to maintain a healthy faith balanced with humility in times of national challenge—something all too familiar to our readers these days. Rivka Kahan’s TRADITION essay will appear in her forthcoming book, which explores human emotions through the lens of Tanakh and its commentaries, to be published as part of Kitvuni Fellowship of Matan. She teaches post-high school students at several institutions in Israel and develops educational and scholarly resources for AlHaTorah.org. Mali Brofsky, MSW, a member of TRADITION ’s editorial board, is a senior faculty member at MMY and a social worker in private practice. The post Fear and Faith in Religious Life appeared first on Tradition Online .

A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 8: Delivered February 26, 1959 Jewish loneliness should be transformed into the kind of prophetic solitude that embraces the uniqueness of Jewish destiny. Jewish uniqueness is expressed by the covenant. Just as the prophets felt compelled to relay their message despite the burden involved, even to the degree that they would be harmed for doing so, we too must accept our covenant on that level of commitment, as something we are compelled to do and cannot cast off. What is the content of this covenant? God established two covenants. At the Exodus from Egypt, He calls the people an am , implying the togetherness and unity of peoplehood. At Sinai, with the giving of the Torah, He calls them a goy , referring to a political nation. These are the two covenants, but the focus of this lecture is the Egyptian covenant. Am refers to an existential community. Because it involves God, it commits the numinous side of man, compelling Man to draw himself out from his seclusion to join other people, even people he doesn’t like, in this community of I, thou, and He, i.e., God. In practical terms, the covenant of Egypt creates a community of shared history, but also of shared experiences on three levels: 1. shared interests, 2. shared feelings or emotions, and 3. shared responsibilities. 1. Shared interests mean that all Jews share the same fate and no one can escape it, and even assimilation does not help. 2. Shared emotional involvement means that we must feel compassion and co-suffering with others of the community, as well as joy with others of the community. 3. Shared responsibilities mean, first, that we are morally accountable to one another. We must answer for the conduct of our brother to a degree that no other nation must. We share collective liability in the eyes of non-Jewish society, and also in the eyes of the Torah. The mitzvah of sanctifying God’s name and the prohibition of profaning God’s name are based on this community of collective responsibility and liability. So is the prohibition of squealing. Secondly, besides moral accountability for one another, shared responsibilities refer to a unique sense of justice, according to which we are accountable by law to support one another. This is the mitzvah and halakhah of tzedakah , which, unlike charity, can be compelled by authority. Tzedakah is not a moral but a juridic requirement. Tzedakah is the halakhic expression of the existential community of am . Jump to: 00:01:17 Prophecy and prophetic solitude as a burden 00:15:35 The two covenants, at the Exodus and at Sinai 00:25:15 The existential community 00:40:12 Community of shared interests 01:01:41 Community of shared emotional involvement 01:03:20 Community of shared responsibilities 01:30:37 Tzedakah as justice Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E8): The Content of the Covenant of Egypt – The Jewish Existential Community appeared first on Tradition Online .

A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 7: Delivered February 12, 1959 Different people experience loneliness and aloneness differently. Some people are so preoccupied with how they impress others, with their public persona, that they lack rootedness in their own, private world. When society loses interest in such people, the resulting loneliness becomes a kind of torture, infused with despair and defeat. On the other hand, there are other people who never forget their own, private, numinous world, even as they remain committed to and even sacrifice for the outside world. If rejected by the crowd, this person remains secure in his or her unique self, confident in the special, singular message that only he or she can bring to the world. This is not loneliness but the great experience of aloneness, or what may be called prophetic loneliness. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and all prophets experienced this aloneness, when the crowd was unwilling to receive their unique message. While loneliness for the first kind of person is paralyzing, prophetic solitude drives creativity. The prophet does not withdraw from society, but all while engaging with and giving to society he paradoxically distances himself from society, remaining in a world for himself. This dichotomy is reflected in Abraham’s description of himself as a resident and a stranger. The two kinds of people, the lonely and the alone, are manifested in two aspects of our lives, fate and destiny. When man confronts a world unsympathetic to his quest for meaningfulness and accepts defeat, that is fate. When man, in the face of such adversity, refuses to yield and asserts his own creative vision, that is destiny. We all inevitably oscillate dialectically between the two. When one measures self-esteem by accomplishment and conquest, that is majesty, but if, facing defeat, one returns to live within oneself, then majesty turns into dignity. The solution to the problem of Jewish loneliness, of the alienation of the Jew from society, is to make this transition from loneliness to prophetic solitude. The modern Jewish State is not the solution to our loneliness. In fact, it increased the loneliness of the Jew. If the Jew would cultivate dignity instead of majesty, would stop craving praise and acceptance from others and embrace his own unique destiny, many of his problems would be solved. This means changing from ivri to Yisrael , from fate to destiny. How is this Jewish uniqueness characterized? We are a covenantal community, a community of the committed, bound by obligations taken on at the dawn of our history. Jump to: 00:01:16 Different kinds of people experiencing loneliness and aloneness differently 00:17:39 Prophetic loneliness 00:37:59 Fate and destiny 01:02:40 Majesty and dignity 01:12:18 The problem and solution of the alienation of the Jew from society Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (e7): Prophetic Loneliness as the Solution to the Problem of Jewish Loneliness appeared first on Tradition Online .

Ta’anit Esther marks the 40th Yahrzeit of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l . Those old enough to remember his passing no doubt recall the feeling of colossal loss for the Gadol and Posek HaDor . But, now, four decades on, we must also consider his enduring legacy for Jewish life and law. To help us out with that our editor, Jeffrey Saks, catches up with R. Moshe Kurtz — the rabbi of Cong. Sons of Israel in Allentown, PA, and the author of Meoros Moshe , which anthologized R Feinstein’s teachings on Pirkei Avot. Our readers also know him as the author of our “Unpacking the Iggerot” column at TraditionOnline.org. The post Rav Moshe’s Legacy appeared first on Tradition Online .

A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 6: Delivered February 5, 1959 Continuing with the idea of Judaism’s glorification of the anonymous person, the Talmud says that the participants in the annual “kallah” Torah lectures receive divine reward not according to their intellectual achievements, but according to the amount of discomfort they put themselves through in order to participate. Thus, the diligent ignoramus could receive more reward than the accomplished scholar. Judaism stresses axiological democracy, the equal worth of the great scholar and the little person. Modern Man has yet to live up to this ideal of axiological democracy, and the biggest challenge of today’s State of Israel is to live up to this ideal. The Talmud captures this axiological democracy in its dictum, “How do you know that your blood is redder than the blood of your neighbor?” Although Judaism’s moral code recognizes the common right to dignity, such that we may not judge or embarrass anyone, it places special emphasis on the dignity on the humble and lowly person, with special injunctions against harming the deaf, blind, orphan, widow, and stranger. Rabban Gamliel the Prince, under the order of execution by the Romans, considered that perhaps he deserved his fate due to once making a widow feel unimportant. This sense of tenderness towards the downtrodden reflects God’s own behavior and attitude towards the poor and oppressed, as described in Scripture. Peretz’s story “Bontzye Shweig” illustrates this idea as well. This analysis leads to the problem of Jewish loneliness, which requires distinguishing between two different feelings, loneliness and aloneness. Loneliness comes from others inevitably rejecting one’s message, one’s kerygma . Aloneness comes from the numinous uniqueness inherent in each person. Loneliness brings with it destructive emotions, whereas aloneness is a creative and motivating force. Every person must suffer the loneliness of rejection at some point in life. Next lecture will discuss how Judaism tries to solve the problem of loneliness. Topics triggered by audience questions include the Rosenberg trial, historical controversies among Jews, establishment of a Sanhedrin in Israel, and standardized text for prayer. Jump to: 00:01:15 The Talmudic dictum that reward is granted according to effort 00:08:17 Axiological democracy in Judaism, modern society, and the State of Israel 00:26:24 The human right to dignity and the prohibition to embarrass people 00:44:27 Judaism’s concern with the socially anonymous person 00:59:30 Imitatio Dei , imitating God, and the story of the death of “Bontzye Shweig” 01:26:29 Introduction to the problem of Jewish loneliness Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E6): Judaism’s Glorification of the Anonymous Person appeared first on Tradition Online .

A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 5: Delivered January 15, 1959 The two Creation accounts reflect not a split in the text but a split in Man. Judaism has a dialectical view of Man, accepting mutually exclusive positions. Man was created alone as a unique and solitary being, but he was also created in a relationship with the Thou, in a communal existence. Man craves both, opposite modes of existence, oscillating like a pendulum between surging towards relationships with others and withdrawing into oneself. Judaism, unlike Catholicism, allows divorce, because only the kerygmatic side of Man can commit to another person, not the numinous side. We are limited in our ability to connect with other personalities due to the numinous aspect of Man. For numinous Man, the question “who am I” is unanswerable, since the I is an eternal mystery beyond rationalization, like a tune I can feel but that cannot be sung. Judaism insists that the worth of the individual is to be judged not by kerygmatic contributions to the community, but by the very fact that the person exists. The dignity of Man comes from the image of God which is found in numinous, not kerygmatic , Man. Judaism revolutionized social philosophy with this idea, upsetting the Classical view of Man. A series of halakhic laws demonstrates Judaism’s “doctrine of idealization of anonymity,” meaning, the chosen-ness of the unknown, forlorn individual. One such law states that if a band of heathens demands the surrender of one person, or else the whole city will be destroyed, we do not turn over the one person, even if that person is a criminal. Another example of such a law is the obligation on whomever finds it to bury an anonymous dead body, even if the High Priest would consequently have to cancel the Yom Kipur atonement service. The uniqueness of each person is the foundation of Judaic ethics. However, the dialectical approach says that although we treat others according to their intrinsic, numinous worth, I myself must not rely on my intrinsic worth but am obligated to contribute to the community. Discussions prompted by audience questions include Holocaust decisions to save only a part of the community by handing over another part, Judaism’s attitudes towards war, towards parochialism vs. universalism, towards body and soul, and towards religion and ethics. 00:01:15 Dialectical interpretation of the Creation story in Genesis 00:23:25 Inability of institutions like marriage to commit one’s numinous side 00:51:16 Judging the worth of the personality not by kerygma but by numinous existence 01:03:44 Halakhah prohibiting the handing over of one person to save the city 01:07:54 Questions from audience and responses about war and Holocaust situations 01:18:55 Halakhah of finding an anonymous corpse 01:29:45 Questions from audience and responses about radical individualism and other topics Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E5): The Dialectical Approach to the Individual and the Community appeared first on Tradition Online .

This episode of the Tradition Podcast opens with the voice of Rabbi Joseph B. Solovetichik, recorded in 1958, the very year our Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought was founded. The Rav was speaking as part of a series of lectures which TRADITION has recently presented in digitally remastered form as “ A Jewish Philosophy of Man .” In this course R. Soloveitchik asks: What is the unique contribution of Judaism towards our understanding of the most enigmatic figure in all of creation, man? How is this understanding reflected in the halakha? What does this unique perspective teach us about the relationship between Jews and the modern world? We are grateful to Rabbi Dr. Mark Smilowitz — who joins us on the podcast to discuss his work in assembling this resource and its enduring importance for Jewish thought and life. At TraditionOnline.org/JPM you too can “enroll” in this course and learn directly, as it were, from the Rav. Our website curates the recordings along with transcripts of the lectures, and summaries which help situate this material within the framework of the Rav’s other teachings and writings (very many of which appeared in the pages of TRADITION ). A special digital 262-page companion volume containing all that accompanying written material is available for download online or as a print book at Amazon.com . Mark Smilowitz is a veteran educator in the United States and in Israel and earned his doctorate from the Hebrew University for work explaining Rabbi Soloveitchik’s approach to the relationship between halakha and philosophy. Read his “ The Lonely Man of Faith as Halakhic Philosophy ” ( TRADITION , Spring 2023). The post Understanding a Jewish Philosophy of Man appeared first on Tradition Online .

A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 4: Delivered December 18, 1958 Judaism rejects the Classical view of Man as a universal, as a mere representative of the whole, but it also rejects the modern individualistic view. The Jewish view should be reconstructed from halakhic sources, from rules and laws which are uniquely Jewish, and not from medieval Jewish philosophical sources which too often fell under the influence of Aristotle and do not reflect a genuinely Jewish view. Judaism claims that Man is a lonely, solitary, singular being. This is not the same as the modern individualistic view which, although it prioritizes the individual over the community, sees all individuals as identical, interchangeable, and replaceable. This experience of separateness and estrangement, says the Jewish view, divides Man both from the rest of Creation in general and also from fellow individuals. This loneliness, though it remains a source of distress, is not a destructive emotion but rather an ennobling experience, a source of Man’s greatness and dignity. This singularity of Man is the meaning of Man’s being created in God’s image, for it reflects God’s singularity and loneliness. This loneliness is the heart of Jewish prayer, which emphasizes the petition over the hymn, distress over comfort. Judaism opposes the family pew in order to make prayer a solitary experience. Too much emphasis on peace of mind, comfort and success shuts out God. The essence of human loneliness is an inwardness that cannot be observed by the outsider, and cannot be fully communicated in words. Man has a depth existence, not just a surface existence. All other objects in the world have only a surface existence. There is more to Man than his works and his surface accomplishments. But Man also has a surface existence. These two sides of Man are reflected in contradictions between the first two chapters of Genesis regarding the Creation story. The incommunicable side of Man is called numinous Adam, and the relatable side is called kerygmatic Adam. Jump to: 00:01:15 Two modern theories of man’s relationship to the community 00:13:38 Reconstructing a genuinely Jewish view from the Halakhah 00:16:46 Man as a lonely being 00:23:23 Man’s loneliness and uniqueness reflecting God’s loneliness and uniqueness 00:44:48 Loneliness and Jewish prayer 01:10:35 Audience questions and responses 01:17:46 The definition of loneliness as having a depth-existence 01:50:26 Man’s dualism derived from the first two chapters of Genesis Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E4): Judaism’s View of Man as a Lonely Being appeared first on Tradition Online .

For much of the modern era, Jewish life rested, quietly but decisively, on an implicit promise. Power would be constrained by law. The State would bind itself to rules not solely invented for its own advantage. The weak would be protected not by benevolence but by structure. Jews, long practiced in the arts of minority survival, understood and benefited from this promise. Chaim Strauchler’s recent essay “ New/Old American-Jewish Realities ” at TraditionOnline.org asks what happens when those norms and rules begin to fray. He suggests that antisemitism is not a bug but a feature of unrestrained power. Reassessing R. Moshe Feinstein’s vision of America as a “nation of hesed,” he contends that Judaism has always prepared for moral loneliness—surviving not through kindness of strangers, but through internal discipline, law, and covenantal courage. Chaim Strauchler , an associate editor of TRADITION, is rabbi of Cong. Rinat Yisrael in Teaneck. He joined our journal’s editor Jeffrey Saks to discuss the essay and some of the response it’s been garnering. The post New/Old American-Jewish Realities appeared first on Tradition Online .

A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 3: Delivered December 4, 1958 Modern philosophy knows of three approaches to the question, what is Man: the Biblical, the Classical Greek, and the modern scientific views. The Classical Greek and Biblical anthropologies agree that man is unique and incongruous with the natural order, while the modern scientific view considers man as just a more skilled animal. The Classical and Biblical views also agree that the uniqueness of man is not granted to him as a gift but as a task to be achieved. The two also agree that the intellect is the greatest tool available to man to develop his uniqueness. They disagree, however, as to whether the development of the intellect is the final goal or just a tool to achieve a greater goal. The highest form of human engagement for Judaism is something beyond intellectual achievement, something to be identified and discussed not now but in a future lecture, but for now we can say that Judaism is not logocentric as the Greeks were. Judaism also differed from the Classical Greek view of Man in that the Classical view concerned itself with Man as a universal, anonymous being, with Mankind, with the community, and not with the individual, lonely person. They saw the individual as a meon , which in Greek means a non-existence or semi-existence, while the general species is an ontos on , a true existence. Individual Divine Providence, in this view, depends on the degree to which the single person contributes to society. This Greek “class absolutism” measures the worth and dignity of an individual by his usefulness to society. Greek democracy is based on political equality, not axiological (value) equality. Axiological equality measures the worth of a person based not on his contribution to society but on his intrinsic value. This question of class absolutism vs. axiological democracy has tremendous practical implications on how and why to allocate social services. The Classical view yields a theory of social services based on pragmatic, not moral, concerns that would favor those who have the most to contribute to society. Children would be prioritized over the elderly and gifted children over the mediocre. Education would serve not what is best for the child but what would best serve society. Judaism has a different view, which will be discussed in a future lecture. Jump to: 00:02:46 Three anthropologies regarding the essence of Man 00:06:17 Whether Man is unique or just a more skilled animal 00:14:29 The uniqueness of Man as a task and challenge, not a gift 00:38:49 Human intellect as the final goal, or just a tool to a achieve a greater goal 00:59:40 Classical Greek thought on the priority of society over the individual 01:24:03 Practical implications of Greek “class absolutism” on social services Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E3): Three Approaches to Man appeared first on Tradition Online .

A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 2: Delivered November 20, 1958 The unique Jewish viewpoint should be placed in the context of Occidental (Western) thought and religion. However, we must avoid the danger of applying the categories and the question-set of the scientific world view, which is fundamentally pragmatic and utilitarian, to the paradoxical religious experience. We are not interested in a psychology of religion or anthropology of religion, but in a religious psychology and religious anthropology. That is to say, we don’t want to know what psychology or anthropology have to say about religion, but what religion has to say about psychology and anthropology. The task of formulating a Jewish anthropology is further hindered by the fact that Judaism, unfortunately, never formulated an original philosophy, but has been mostly apologetic, due to the shyness of our leaders about publicly expressing details about our most intimate relationship with God. Instead, Jews express religiosity through laws that correlate to that inner experience. The Halakhah holds an untold story about the Jewish religious experience that is difficult to unravel, but that is the task of Jewish anthropology. Like science, Jewish anthropology operates with a system of dynamic, a priori postulates, but while scientific postulates are inductive, relying on experimentation and observation, Judaism’s postulates are deductive, like mathematics. Judaism therefore provides a metaphysic of man, certain presupposed axioms about the nature of Man, although it remains open to adjusting some of its postulates in the face of newly encountered religious realities. It also allows multiple axioms about Man that contradict one another. On the other hand, Judaism also felt the need to transpose this metaphysic into a practical, functional, living creed through the Halakhah. It translates speculative metaphysics into concrete action by way of man’s emotional life. Jump to: 00:01:18 Placing Jewish religious philosophy in the context of Western thought 00:03:15 First problem: error of describing religion in scientific terms 00:29:19 Second problem: Jewish shyness about expressing the private religious experience 00:58:05 Comparing Judaism’s a priori postulate system with that of science 01:04:04 Translating the Jewish metaphysic of man into concrete action through Halakhah 01:07:25 The role of creativity and metaphysical postulation in science 01:17:19 Judaism’s attention to man’s emotional life, and the logic and duties of the heart 01:38:45 Audience questions and responses, and reading assignment for next lecture Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E2): Methodology for a Jewish Religious Anthropology, from Metaphysical to Practical appeared first on Tradition Online .

A Jewish Philosophy of Man: A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 1: Delivered November 6, 1958 Judaism, and religion in general, is a cognitive venture, seeking to intellectually grasp the world, and is not merely an emotional or ethical gesture. Unlike the scientist, who, until recently, was mostly interested in knowing the outside world, and unlike other Western religions, which focused their attention on theology, Judaism is concerned mainly with Man. It stresses a religious anthropology, a religious doctrine of Man. Although Judaism is theocentric, it is “anthropo-oriented.” God remains a Deus-absconditus , hidden and unknowable. Our experience of God is antithetical, because we experience Him both as infinitely distant and intimately close. Christianity deals with this dichotomy by dividing between an unapproachable God-father and an accessible God-son. Judaism deals with the same dichotomy by dividing between our intellectual and emotional religious experiences of God. Judaism has no theology because intellectually God is an enigma, and all statements about God are understood not interpretively but normatively, as attributes for us to imitate. Therefore, Judaism’s primary question is about Man, not God. Judaism’s doctrine of man is guided by a series of questions, including, the problem of Man’s dichotomy as being both part of and above the animal world, the question of what trait is Man’s unique endowment, and, whether this unique characteristic is inborn or must be earned. Further questions include the relationship between solitary and communal existence, the problem of the dichotomy of mind and soul, and the question if Man is primarily a creature of intellect or of will. The lecture ends with responses to questions from the audience that include critiques of Buber, Kierkegaard, and Mordecai Kaplan’s Reconstructionist Judaism. Jump to: 00:02:42 Not presenting a definitive philosophy of Judaism, but a subjective reflection 00:08:07 Religion as a cognitive gesture 00:21:30 Judaism’s unique focus on understanding Man 00:33:32 Christian vs. Jewish approaches to the dichotomy of the Man-God experience 00:54:06 A list of the questions about Man that concern Judaism 01:04:56 Questions from the audience and responses Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post JPM Lecture 1: Introduction to the Jewish Philosophy of Man appeared first on Tradition Online .

Eli Rubin’s Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity (Stanford University Press) presents a groundbreaking study of Chabad Hasidism. Through close readings of primary texts, historical analysis, and engagement with modern philosophy, Rubin, a scholar and Chabad insider, traces the historical evolution of the movement’s theology. The result is an indispensable work for anyone wanting to better understand Chabad’s intellectual and historical trajectory. Todd Berman, author of a recent TRADITION review of Rubin’s book , conducted an in-depth interview with the author at Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi. The discussion examined Rubin’s argument that modernity, viewed through the Kabbalistic lens of tzimtzum and cosmic “rupture,” profoundly reshaped modern thought in addition to the inner intellectual life of Chabad-Lubavitch and its spiritual vision. A key focus of the conversation was how Rubin’s ideas speak to the challenges faced by young Modern Orthodox students and how mystical and existential thought can enrich their search for meaning, faith, and identity in the modern world. Rabbi Eli Rubin is a contributing editor at Chabad.org. He received his Ph.D from University College London. Rabbi Todd Berman is the Director of Institutional Advancement at Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi where he teaches Jewish Thought and Halakha. The conversation was recorded live at Jerusalem’s Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi on December 4, 2025, and contains questions from students in the audience. The post Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity appeared first on Tradition Online .

This week we’ll celebrate Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh, Hanukka—and all readers of TRADITION know what that means: Its Mrs. Cooperman’s Shabbat and a chance to check in with our distinguished editor emeritus, Rabbi Emanuel Feldman. 30 years ago, R. Feldman published one of our journal’s most memorable essays, “God and Mrs. Cooperman” (Winter 1995). Like other memes that have emerged from our pages—Adam I and Adam 2, Majesty and Humility, Rupture and Reconstruction—the concept of a “Mrs. Cooperman Shabbat” is now a handy heuristic to help us organize a way of thinking about contemporary religious life and what’s been lost, and what’s been gained, as Orthodoxy has flourished since the original Mrs. C sat in the pews of R. Feldman’s father’s Baltimore shul over 80 years ago. R. Feldman joined our current editor, Jeffrey Saks, to discuss how his perspective on these issues have evolved over his long life. The post Mrs. Cooperman’s Shabbat appeared first on Tradition Online .

TRADITION is pleased to share this recording of a talk by Dr. Erica Brown delivered through Yeshiva University’s Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership , commemorating the recent 5th yahrzeit of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. Brown speaks about her contribution to TRADITION ’s special issue on the Intellectual Legacy of Rabbi Sacks, titled “Staying Alive: The Dangers of Leadership” ( open access at TraditionOnline.org ). The essay examines the theme of leadership in a variety of R. Sacks’ works, exploring both his methodology and how to situate his thinking within the broader academic discipline of leadership. R. Sacks focused on how to inspire and motivate lay and professional leaders within the Jewish community. To that end, he distilled his wisdom into seven principles of leadership, which reflected the leadership dilemmas and crises he faced and during his own tenure as Chief Rabbi. Dr. Erica Brown , consulting editor at TRADITION , serves as a Vice Provost at Yeshiva University and is the founding director of its Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership. Watch a video recording of this session . Learn more about the special issue dedicated to Rabbi Sacks’ Intellectual Legacy, and order your copy (print or for Kindle) . The post Rabbi Sacks on the Joys and Dangers of Leadership appeared first on Tradition Online .