JLI- Captivating Cases in Rabbinic Responsa
Captivating Cases in Rabbinic ResponsaListen in on the surprising, practical questions your ancestors asked rabbis across Jewish history. Join this six-session course to discover the little-known world of rabbinic responsa, a vast archive of the real-life questions of ethics and practice Jews asked across history and the scholarly answers rabbis wrote. Algiers is under siege: May I pray in a bathhouse? The Inquisition is watching: How will I celebrate Passover? Seventeen Jews are held hostage in faraway Regensburg after a blood libel: Must I help pay their ransom? See what enables Jewish tradition to offer relevant guidance in a rapidly changing world, and come face-to-face with raw Jewish history. (If you don’t know what a ‘rabbinic responsa’ is, you’ll fit right in.) 6 Wednesdays, 7:30-9:00 P.M. Chabad of Round Rock Instructor: Rabbi Mendel Marasow Fee: $95
Lesson 1 What do these questions reveal about our ancestors? What did they think, feel, and value? Explore five fascinating stories to find out.
Lesson 2 Do sages make assumptions about how reality works, or do they investigate the facts? Follow rabbis as they conduct five fascinating investigations worldwide.
Lesson 3 See inside the process that enables the Torah’s ancient code to guide life in an ever-changing world. Witness the precise process of applying Talmudic precedent.
Lesson 4 Explore four unexpected rulings to uncover the hidden fallback mechanisms within Jewish law: these aren’t exceptions to the law. They’re the law revealing its quiet values (like human dignity, and peace in the home).
Lesson 5 Rules don’t always translate into reality easily. See how sages account for the practical, social, and emotional realities around a question to ensure their ruling leads to its intended outcome.
Lesson 6 Could Artificial Intelligence decide Jewish law? Is lab-grown meat kosher? See how Jewish law is addressing the questions posed by tomorrow’s cutting-edge technology. |
