I am pleased to inform you that we will begin another year of Torah
Study together on Shabbat morning, September 7th at 9:15 a.m. in the Hartzmark Room at the Temple in Beachwood. This year our topic will be: Biblical Politics. It might be surprising to some that the Bible is concerned with political matters but the fact is that Scripture has a rich and nuanced view of issues such as: what does it mean to be a community? What are the proper goals of community? Who articulates these goals? Who leads the community and what are the uses and limits of power? What is the function and purpose of law? What makes certain wars legitimate? What is the relationship between the Jewish community and other communities? And how have post-biblical sages ... rabbis, philosophers, poets, statesmen ... drawn on biblical points of view to deal with issues of community organization, power and powerlessness throughout Jewish history? And what role has reflection on the Bible affected political thinking in early Zionism and Modern Israel?
As always, we will devote our first session to an overview of biblical
literature and biblical history, a consideration of some of the themes,
structure, and literary contents of the Hebrew Scriptures, the place of the Bible in the history of Judaism, and an attempt to summarize the Bible's wisdom about the human condition. Then we will launch into our topic and consider, first of all, the meaning of "politics" and the nature and concerns of political thinking.
I am very much looking forward to another year of exciting study and
lively conversation. I hope that you will be a regular participant in
our discussion. And, if you know others who might find pleasure and
meaning in Torah Study, please do invite them to join us.
I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a
healthy, happy and fulfilling New Year.
To LISTEN to a session use the player on the top left
To DOWNLOAD a session, click on the link below
September 07, 2013
September 21, 2013
September 28, 2013
October 05, 2013
Judge Friedman October 12, 2013
October 19, 2013
November 02, 2012
November 09, 2013
November 16, 2013
November 23, 2013
November 30, 2013
December 07, 2013
December 14, 2013
Winter Break.
January 04, 2014
January 11, 2014
Patti London January 18, 2014
January 25, 2014
February 01, 2014
February 08, 2014
February 15, 2014
February 22, 2014
March 01, 2014
March 08, 2014
March 15, 2014
March 22, 2014
March 29, 2014
April 05, 2014
April 12, 2014
April 19, 2014
April 26, 2014
May 03, 2014
May 10, 2014
May 17, 2014
May 24, 2014
May 31, 2014
June 07, 2014 Jim Mezzie
June 14, 2014
June 21, 2014
June 28, 2014