Around the Calendar with Drisha

High Holidays 5782: ”Forgiveness in Judaism and Philosophy” (2/3) with Prof. Quinn White and Rabbanit Leah Sarna

What is forgiveness, and why should we forgive? Asked both about the particular (why should I forgive my friend for lying to me?) and the general (what role should forgiveness play in a life well lived?), forgiveness poses difficult questions. Over the course of three sessions, we’ll consider three different conceptions of forgiveness and its place in a life. First, we'll look at forgiveness as a kind of quasi-legal mechanism; a way of wiping clean a cosmic slate marred by wrongdoing. Second, we'll look at forgiveness as an essentially emotional phenomenon; to forgive is to give up the anger or resentment that one feels towards a wrongdoer, removing potential obstacles to one’s own healing. And third, we'll look at forgiveness as a kind of tool—a power we have to reshape relationships in the wake of wrongdoing. In the course of considering these three conceptions of forgiveness in Jewish and philosophical texts, we’ll see that each is a kind of window not only into a conception of a central Jewish practice, but into the human condition—one that seems at once defined by the need for human relationships and the centrality of wrongdoing, by us and others.

High Holidays 5782: ”Admission of Guilt: Confession and Repentance” (2/4) with Rabbi David Silber

Confession, viddui, plays a central role in the Yom Kippur service. We will study four great biblical narratives in order to gain a deeper understanding of the role of confession in a redeemed life.

High Holidays 5782: ”From Selicha to Avodah: An Introduction to the Liturgical Poetry of Elul & the Yamim Noraim” (1/3) with Yitz Landes

What do we pray for when we pray that God forgives us? What does repentance look like? What does it mean to be atoned? In this three-part series, we will attempt to answer these questions by looking closely at the liturgical poetry recited over the course of Elul and the Yamim Noraim, namely the selichot and the piyyutim specific to Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. In each class, we will first address the history of each of these poetic genres before reading from the poems together, focusing on those still in use in contemporary liturgy.

High Holidays 5782: ”Forgiveness & Atonement in Jewish Tradition: Philological and Philosophical Perspectives” (1/3) with Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Zuckier

With the arrival of Elul and Yamim Noraim comes a focus on the all-important triad of Mehilah, Selihah, and Kapparah, loosely translated as forgiveness, pardon, and atonement. This class will examine closely these terms, both what distinguishes them from one another and what holds them together, using the tools of philology and philosophy. By considering the history of these terms as well as their meaning and function, it will be possible to glean an understanding of how Jewish tradition has understood forgiveness and atonement. Particular attention will be paid to the question of what metaphor is employed in depicting sin, and what that says about the possibility of overcoming it.

High Holidays 5782: ”Forgiveness in Judaism and Philosophy” (1/3) with Prof. Quinn White and Rabbanit Leah Sarna

What is forgiveness, and why should we forgive? Asked both about the particular (why should I forgive my friend for lying to me?) and the general (what role should forgiveness play in a life well lived?), forgiveness poses difficult questions. Over the course of three sessions, we’ll consider three different conceptions of forgiveness and its place in a life. First, we'll look at forgiveness as a kind of quasi-legal mechanism; a way of wiping clean a cosmic slate marred by wrongdoing. Second, we'll look at forgiveness as an essentially emotional phenomenon; to forgive is to give up the anger or resentment that one feels towards a wrongdoer, removing potential obstacles to one’s own healing. And third, we'll look at forgiveness as a kind of tool—a power we have to reshape relationships in the wake of wrongdoing. In the course of considering these three conceptions of forgiveness in Jewish and philosophical texts, we’ll see that each is a kind of window not only into a conception of a central Jewish practice, but into the human condition—one that seems at once defined by the need for human relationships and the centrality of wrongdoing, by us and others.

High Holidays 5782: ”Admission of Guilt: Confession and Repentance” (1/4) with Rabbi David Silber

Confession, viddui, plays a central role in the Yom Kippur service. We will study four great biblical narratives in order to gain a deeper understanding of the role of confession in a redeemed life.

Tisha B’Av 5781: ”Faith in a Turbulent World: Eikha’s Magnificent Design” with Dr. Yael Zeigler

The book of Eikha describes the terrible events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem and the subsequent exile of Judea's inhabitants. What does this book have to say about the theology of suffering? More specifically, how does the book of Eikha regard God's role in the events and what does this mean for Israel's relationship with God? In today's class, we will examine the literary artistry of the book of Eikha in an attempt to discover its magnificent portrayal of Eikha's profound and sophisticated theology.

Tisha B’Av 5781: ”Tisha B’Av and its Liturgy: Opportunities For Reflection” with Rabbi David Silber

An examination of the character and fabric of the day as seen through the standard liturgy and biblical readings of Tisha B'Av.

Shavuot 5781: ”Poetry, Pedagogy, and Prayer: An Introduction to the Azharot” with Yitz Landes

The holiday of Shavuot features many unique prayers, the majority of which touch upon themes relating to the giving of the Torah. In this class, we will take a close look at the history and development of the Azharot, a specific form of Piyyut (Hebrew Liturgical poetry) recited on the festival that enumerates the 613 commandments. We will begin with a brief historical introduction to Piyyut and its role in Jewish prayer before looking at the overall features and content of the special Shavuot liturgy. We will then turn to the Azharot piyyutim themselves, focusing especially on their poetic and didactic elements.

Shavuot 5781: ”Prelude to Sinai: The Enduring Appeal of Akdamut Millin” with Dr. Laura S. Lieber

n this session, we will examine the liturgical poem “Akdamut Millin” (“The Introduction of Words”), written by Rabbi Meir b. Isaac of Worms (died ca. 1095), with an eye toward understanding its origins and its enduring appeal. Why would Rabbi Meir compose such a lengthy (ninety line) poem in Aramaic, long after Aramaic ceased to be the vernacular of the Jewish community? And what meaning can such a work have for us today?