Prosthetics, Energy Healing and Psychedelics in Halacha

Each week I try to share some interesting or uncommon questions across a range of topics on various whatsapp groups, reddit threads, Facebook groups and the like.

If you have answers to any of these questions please feel free to leave a comment or reply to me on x.com/isaacson

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

The Sabbath: Its Meaning for the Modern Man

Part One: A Palace in Time

Audiobook

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel

The Sabbath: Its Meaning for the Modern Man

Prologue: The Architecture of Time

Audiobook

In lieu of a shiur, here is a preview of coming attractions. We have 2 series in the works. The first, which I’m calling paterfamilias, is an exciting look at the mishna called Avot.We will be guided by Rabbi Binny Lau’s work the sages, as well as modern scholarship on the poetics and historical context necessary for reading of Mishna.

The second series in an in depth look at Sefer Yechezkel, the book of Ezekiel. This bold and enigmatic prophet has many tantalizing visions and a message that I think resonates asmuch today as it did 2,600 years ago.

Episode 51: The Finale of Sefer Shmuel

In this episode we discuss why David retains the kingship and why Shaul didn’t. We uncover the depths of the concept of repentance and the necessity of suffering as a way to deconstruct the sinner.

Finally we compare David's character arc to that of Eli and find that while David was both a king and a judge at one point, after his sin with Batsheva and Uriah his faculty of judgement became corrupted. It was not until his son was able to judge between the two prostitutes that David's critical errors in judgement could be reversed.

All this and more.

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The (Second) Book of Samuel: chapter 24

Welcome to 2 Samuel, Shmuel part Bet, chapter twenty four

Episode 50: The Better Angels of Our Nature

Previously on the book of Shmuel part Bet we read David’s swan song and pointed out the similarities to Chana’s song. We also met David’s mighty men and closed the previous chapter by both awkwardly omitting Yoav and pointing out that the final warrior is intentionally listed as Uriah HaHittie.

In this, our final chapter and penultimate shiur, we are presented with another of David’s tribulations. With Hashem angry for an undisclosed reason, David is prompted to sin by conducting a census. From there David is given a ‘Sophie’s Choice’ of punishments, itself a hidden test. David seems to select correctly but cannot avoid a massive toll on the people. Yet in an effort to stop the carnage he is brought to the precipice of his dream of beginning the building of the temple.

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The (Second) Book of Samuel: chapters 22 & 23

Welcome to 2 Samuel, Shmuel part Bet, chapters twenty two and twenty three

Episode 49: David's Swan Songs

Previously on the book of Shmuel part Bet, we began the coda of the book with two perplexing stories. The first was David’s acquiescing to the killing of nearly the entire remaining family of Shaul by the Give’onim in order to end a 3 year famine. The second was David’s near death experience with one Ishbi B’nob, where he is saved by Avishai. That encounter spelled the end of David’s military career and it seems it precipitated the Batsheva incident.

These chapters contain a poem which concludes with a victory song. There is some clear artistry in that songs begin and end the book, with the song of Chana being mirrored here. Chapter 22 is identical or nearly identical to Psalms 18 which was written when David was saved from Shaul and perhaps other enemies.

The next chapter contains another song and the exploits of David's mighty heroes. Many of the names of the warriors are interpreted midrashically.

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Please help us spread Torah by subscribing, rating and reviewing this show.