WHEN
6 Mondays,
Feb 24th - Mar 31st
Instructor: Rabbi Shimon Stillerman This course is being offered for both online and in-person attendees LOCATION Chabad of Islip Township - 283 Ocean Ave. Islip, NY 11751 MORE INFO Rabbi@Jewishislip.com 
Judaism Decoded: The Origins and Evolution of Jewish TraditionFrom commandments engraved in stone to microchips in our eyewear, from self-driving cars to AI—a lot can change in 3,000 years. Yet the elemental questions about our tradition remain the same. Do we have any evidence that the Bible text is divine and true? Like how do we know that the Mt. Sinai story is not fiction? Who has the right to interpret the Bible? And how do we adapt its laws to modern times and changing influences? The answers to these questions are addressed in Judaism Decoded, the most popular course ever offered by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute. Renamed and newly revised on the basis of feedback from students like yourself, this interactive course promises to intrigue and inspire as you explore the history and development of Jewish law and tradition Discover the sheer elegance of the "source code" on which Torah law is built; enjoy the razor-sharp reasoning, intelligent debate, and compelling arguments of the Talmudic dialectic; and get a fascinating, behind-the-scenes glimpse of the most intellectually sophisticated religion in existence. The journey Judaism Decoded represents the inner story of our lives and of our people. We invite you to join us for the ride.
Lesson One Judaism encourages us to question. How do we know the Torah is true? Why was Maimonides so convinced about the historic truth of the revelation at Sinai? Is there any empirical evidence to support his claim?
Lesson Two If we have a written law, why do we need tradition? And if we have a tradition, what’s the point of a written law? Discover the brilliance of this binary system, and how it has kept Jewish tradition intact for millennia.
Lesson Three Circumstances change, and, in most cases, so do the rules—unless, that is, the rules were created as principles with a unique formula to make them apply to any situation that may arise. Explore the systematic formula through which Jewish law is applied to solve new, modern-day dilemmas.
Lesson Four Is my rabbi allowed to change the law when he deems it necessary? When do rabbis have the power to legislate new laws? And what prevents a rabbi from unilaterally changing the face of Judaism?
Lesson Five The Talmud is filled with all kinds of debates. If the law is Divine, should there be any room for discussion? When there are differences of opinion, how do we determine the law? And why does the Talmud record opinions that were ultimately overruled?
Lesson Six While most Jewish practices are as relevant today as ever, some laws have reasons that no longer apply. When does a law expire? How is it revoked? And why might we choose to continue a practice even once its rationale is no longer relevant? |
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