Rabbi Joe’s Torat Tel Aviv
Experience Rabbi Joe Wolfson’s popular THINK class from wherever you are. This podcast brings you recordings of the weekly Monday night sessions in Tel Aviv, where Rabbi Wolfson explores the intersection of Jewish thought, contemporary issues, and timeless wisdom. Through careful textual analysis and lively discussion, Rabbi Wolfson guides participants in examining classical Jewish sources while grappling with modern ethical dilemmas and philosophical questions. Whether you’re a seasoned learner or new to Jewish studies, THINK offers an accessible yet intellectually rigorous space to deepen your understanding and challenge your perspectives. Now available as a podcast, you can join the hundreds of weekly attendees who gather to explore what Judaism has to say about the pressing issues of our time.
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Episodes
Thursday Apr 03, 2025
Thursday Apr 03, 2025
In this shiur we examine how at famous distinction between two concepts of liberty made by Sir Isaiah Berlin, one of Rabbi Sacks' teachers, finds expression in some of the fundamental texts and ideas of seder night, as well as how Rabbi Sacks himself understood this distinctionSource sheet here
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
There's a lot going on here. Using a mash up of two great Israeli songs and a powerful piece of Rav Yitzchak Hutner's Pahad Yitzchak to look back the start of the pandemic five years ago, what we learnt from it and what it can mean for us today in the midst of a very different crisis.It might be advisable to listen to the songs (linked below) and then to skip to the discussion of Pahad Yitzchak which starts at the 20 minute markThe text of Pahad Yitzchak here and of the two songs here
Hanan Ben Ari's Ga'aguim Livnei Adam on YoutubeYishai Ribo's Keter Melucha on Youtube
Discussion of Pahad Yitzchak starts at the 20 minute mark
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
Today we look at two beautiful teshuvot - from the Seridei Eish (19th C.) and the Hatam Sofer (18th C) - that can transorm our understadning ofthe mitzva of mishloach manot - giving gifts to our friends on Purim. Source sheet here.
Given at Vine Venture's Sarona Unity Center, March 12th, 2025
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
In advance of Purim we explore some of the fundamental texts and ideas behind the beautiful mitzvah of matanot l'evyonim (gifts to those in need). Spoiler: it's all about simcha!
Source sheet available here
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
The wonderful thing about teaching Megillat Esther is that everyone knows the story. The terrible thing about teaching Megillat Esther is that everyone knows the story.In this week's THINK we try to question an assumption that almost all have - is Achashverosh a gross unthinking buffoon throughout, or is there some progress and development that he displays throughout the story.
Source sheet available here
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
L'ilui nishmat Oded Lifshitz who is laid to rest on the afternoon on which the shiur was given.
In 1985 the Israel government under Shimon Peres released 1,150 security prisoners in return for three captive soldiers Yosef Grof, Nissim Salem, and Hezi Shai in the deal known as Isskat Jibril.In this shiur we learn the contribution of Rav Shlomo Goren, former Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Of Israel and the first chief rabbi of Tzahal to the debate surrounding the deal.
Rav Goren's approach differed markedly from the approach of Rav Ovadia Yosef discussed in the previous class. In Rav Goren's reading there is no halachic justification for such a hostage deal and yet...Source sheet available here
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Given on February 24th 2025, in loving memory of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas and Oded Lifschitz.
The shiur focuses on Parshat Teruma and the month of Adar as prompts to one of Judaism's deepest themes, the consistent push to help us overcome the darkness and approach the future with hope - no matter how hard that is
Source sheet available at this link
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
The revelation at Sinai contains so many different and contrary themes. We explore one of these themes and in particular we do a deep dive on a celebrated gemara in Menachot 29b which describes a conversation between Moshe and God on Sinai - a piece which raises questions of how the Torah can evolve over the generations while maintaining its authenticity and why do the righteous suffer.
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Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
Tuesday Feb 11, 2025
Today we know the story of Entebbe as one of the great crowning moments of Israeli history. But before the daring Sayeret Matkal operation, Prime Minister Yitchak Rabin asked then sefardi chief rabbi, Rav Ovadia Yosef to share his opinion about the permissibility of acceding to the hostage takers demands of releasing 40 terrorists in exchange for returning the hostages. Rav Ovadia's response eventually became a 19,000 word monograph and likely the most significant halachic work ever written on hostage deals. Today we look at highlights from this piece and the relevance of his arguments for today
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Given at the Vine Ventures Sarona Unity Center, Feb 11th 2025
Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
Tuesday Feb 04, 2025
THINK Beshalach: Hamushim - Four Fifths Didn't Want To Leave...
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