Jewish Philosophy

We had our first class today on Jewish philosophy.


Actually, first we learned the definition of philosophy.
Philosophy is a Greek concept:  philo-sophia which means the love of wisdom, loving wisdom JUST for the joy of it.


Our teacher for this class was Rabbi Zeldman.

He explained that Judaism does not believe in learning wisdom for wisdom's sake, learning wisdom for the joy of it.  Judaism believes in Torah: learning wisdom in order to apply it. This means learning lessons for insights into life and then using them.  How do I take these ideas and how do they help me in my life? What do I DO with these ideas?  How do these ideas change me? That is what Jewish wisdom is about.  


The next topic Rabbi Zeldman talked about was monotheists.  


Actually, Abraham was not the first monotheist.  Adam knew there was one G-d because  G-d spoke to him in the Garden of Eden.  Noah knew there was one G-d because G-d, of course, told him to build the ark.  


What was different about Abraham?  Abraham figured it out for himself.  He grew up in an idol society.  He said "I think you are all wrong." The story goes that he smashed his father's idols and then explained to his father that the main idol was responsible for it.   

Once Abraham figured this out for himself, then G-d decided to make a covenant with him.  


Rabbi Zeldman suggested that Abraham be a role model for us.  We are all raised in a society with a certain set of ideas. We are all products of our society....not because our society is right, but because it is the way we are raised.  It is our conditioning.  He said the message of Abraham is that we should disengage from our conditioning and decide what is right and good and ethical and holy.  That we should learn to be independent thinkers and check out the options to see what is true.
Abraham is known in the Torah as "Abraham ha-Ivri" - or "the one who stands on the other side." "The one who decides to be independent."  "The one who challenges."


How wonderful and exciting and holy to be studying and learning and gaze out the window and know I am in Jerusalem....

We ended our day of study watching some amazing AISH films in the theatre                     donated by Kirk Douglas....