The Rishonim

R. Yehudah Halevi IV: God's Glory is in the Torah

Sourcesheet: ⁠https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WJ7XoKkEkvWhPRXTwmuHGGyVQkRf2ei58zWBRARp7r8/edit?usp=drive_link⁠The episode continues where the last one left off, discussing the extraordinary work by R. Yehudah Halevi known as the Kuzari. In exploring the second part of this book, we learn how to find God in the world through the history of the Jewish people and their teachings? Throughout, we take up the challenge: "come on, really, the Jews???"For more sheets and other info check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sites.google.com/view/rishonim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my Substack writing: ⁠⁠Shmuel's Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠Do you want to send me some suggestions? Criticism or corrections? Comments or questions? Contact me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠therishonim@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

R. Yehudah Halevi III: Judaism as a Special Species

Sourcesheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WJ7XoKkEkvWhPRXTwmuHGGyVQkRf2ei58zWBRARp7r8/edit?usp=drive_linkThe episode tackles the first (of five) essays of the great book by R. Yehudah Halevi known as the Kuzari. Building off of the previous episode outlining the book's framing and methodology, we see how this is applied to the primary question of Judaism: why the Jewish people? We take R. Yehudah Halevi's answer to this question seriously, while noting that it may not be representative of mainstream Jewish thought.For more sheets and other info check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sites.google.com/view/rishonim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my Substack writing: ⁠Shmuel's Substack⁠⁠⁠Do you want to send me some suggestions? Criticism or corrections? Comments or questions? Contact me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠therishonim@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

R. Yehudah Halevi II: Defending the Despised Faith

Sourcesheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1POj6IVX8oP4DqLc8oAYUNFR8fNhXCJWqwi-K_cLAUVc/Now that we've met Yehudah Halevi in the previous episode, we are ready to dive into his monumental work of Jewish Though, the Kuzari. The main claim of this book is often taken to be a definite proof of the truths of Judaism and its Torah, but what did the book's author think of it? Why, if the book is supposed to prove the truth of "the despised Jewish faith," does it go about this defense in such a strange way? And why would Rabbi Yehudah Halevi himself dismiss the importance of his own masterpiece, claiming it to be nothing more than a response to the claims of a Karaite? In this episode, we take a sophisticated, three-tiered approach to understanding and appreciating this extraordinary book, learn how it fits into its Arabic context, and consider its relevance to the 21st century.For more sheets and other info check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sites.google.com/view/rishonim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out my Substack writing: Shmuel's Substack⁠⁠Do you want to send me some suggestions? Criticism or corrections? Comments or questions? Contact me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠therishonim@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠

R. Yehudah Halevi I: A Life in Lyrics

Source sheet:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJGHBKD90rKI6t7Yl_wgPudTdPUYcmpUpsPS4N7_v84/edit?usp=sharingRabbi Yehudah Halevi is the fourth of the great Jewish poets from Muslim Spain (al-Andalus), who served as an inspiration for Jews across the centuries through his lyrics as well as by his life story. This pivotal writer left a legacy through his great book on Jewish thought, hundreds of poems, and by his personal example as a man who ventured out to the Land of Israel in his last stage of life. What drove this spiritual giant to turn his back on everyone and everything he loved in Muslim Spain to follow in the footsteps of the prophets? ***NOTE: This is the second version of the episode; the first version published, which was slightly shorter than 2 hours, is missing a piece beginning at 1:15 (1 hour 15 sec into the podcast)For more sheets and other info check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sites.google.com/view/rishonim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Do you want to send me some suggestions? Criticism or corrections? Comments or questions? Contact me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠therishonim@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠

Moshe ibn Ezra: Poetry, Piyyut, and Poetics

Source sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MjTs3eG4Y5FfE5AO7jnfMer8Bp4fhavyau7UzBHZSKE/edit?usp=sharing This episode introduces us to an often under-appreciated by exemplary figure of the Spanish Golden Age, who worked out a sophisticated synthesis of Arabic intellectual culture and Torah study. Why did Moshe ibn Ezra believe that Hebrew poetry would best be served by using Arabic literary conventions? In what way can Muslim writers help Jews appreciate and understand their own Torah? And is a "frum (religious) Jew" allowed to say that the Torah might not be the most beautiful book ever written? For more sheets and other info check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sites.google.com/view/rishonim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Do you want to send me some suggestions? Criticism or corrections? Comments or questions? Contact me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠therishonim@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠