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Lecture 1: The Earth Is the Lord's

General Jewish Thought
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Fundamentals of Judaism Course Description

Course Description: This course will concern itself with an examination of a number of fundamental concepts of Judaism. Its theological postulates, philosophical formulations, and halachic fabric will be analyzed from a contemporary perspective. Not only will the theoretical basis of faith be studied, but emphasis will be placed on relating the mitzvot – the ceremonial and the ethical, the social and the ritual – to the experience of modern man and his society. The course will seek to locate contemporary Jewry within Judaism and modern thought, and to develop a consistent philosophy of Judaism for the individual Jew and for the entire people.Course OutlineThe Sources of Judaism a) Written and Oral Law b) The Chain of Tradition c) Origin and Structure of Halachah d) Major Legal and Religious Writings The Revelation of God a) Creation b) God and Nature c) Natural and Supernatural d) Personal God e) Providence f) Names of God Sabbath The Divine Norm a) Freedom of Will b) Good and Evil c) Sin d) Reward and Punishment e) Teshuvah — Repentance and Forgiveness Man a) As a Natural Creature b) As a Social Being c) As a Spiritual and Intellectual Giant Eschatology of Judaism a) Immortality of the Soul b) Messiah c) Resurrection d) World-to-Come Communication Between God and Man a) Revelation b) Prophecy c) Prayer Worship a) Sacrifice b) Prayer c) Study Fundamental Beliefs a) The Thirteen Principles b) The Ten Commandments c) Shema Attributes of God a) Existence b) Actional Attributes Freedom as a Jewish Ideal a) Its Philosophical Roots b) The Exodus c) Its Social and Political Implications Eretz Yisrael a) As a Religious Ideal b) As a National Ideal The Mitzvot a) Classification b) Rationalization c) The Moral and Ethical Law d) The Socio-Economic Order of the Torah e) The Rituals and Ceremonials Holiness — The Ultimate in Judaism
General Jewish Thought

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Introduction to Philosophy in General

1. The love of wisdom. A very broad significance, since wisdom very inclusive. 2. From Will Durant’s The Story of Philosophy (pp. 2, 3): “...philosophy accepts the hard and hazardous task of dealing with problems not yet open to the methods of science – problems like good and evil, beauty and ugliness, order and freedom, life and death; so soon as a field of inquiry yields knowledge susceptible of exact formulation it is called science.
General Jewish Thought

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Lecture 2: And the Fullness Thereof

I – FirstBorn. A. Read שמות י"ג. idea of רבש"ע. connection of פסח to פדה"ב: Father – mother = History – nature. g=d as רבש"ע of Hist... 3. end – על כן אני זובח – there: gratitude. 4. so בכורים. II. Sacrifices. A. gen' – Rosenzweig – vegetarians. B. Read – (p.u.) gen. 4 (קין והבל). 1. רדצה' on Cain (pny – ott) and Abel (אדנות). 2. So, all sacrif's = קרבן לה' (i.e. אדנות) 3. whereas זובח לאלהים יחרם. III. כשרות – adam vegetarian... master of Life. I. Read – p 3 from בראשית, p 4 from בראשית ט'. IV. Apply A. צדקה = in giving, I = master. B.
General Jewish Thought