The Tisch with Rabbi Michael Knopf: Recent Episodes
JCast Network
The Hebrew prophets inspired some of the most stirring, challenging, and influential books of the Bible. Their teachings left an indelible mark on both Judaism and Christianity. But do we really know them? The prophets are both familiar and misunderstood, ubiquitous and mysterious. Join Rabbi Michael Knopf (Temple Beth-El) and Reverend Hollie Woodruff (Seventh Street […]
The Hebrew prophets inspired some of the most stirring, challenging, and influential books of the Bible. Their teachings left an indelible mark on both Judaism and Christianity. But do we really know them? The prophets are both familiar and misunderstood, ubiquitous and mysterious. Join Rabbi Michael Knopf (Temple Beth-El) and Reverend Hollie Woodruff (Seventh Street […]
In front of a live audience at one of the nation’s most historic Episcopal churches, Rabbi Knopf gives an introduction to the biblical Prophets, exploring their message, meaning, and enduring relevance. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!
Many think of the prayerbook as a litany of statements and declarations. Yet the liturgy of the High Holy Days also poses questions. “When will You rule in Zion?” and “Where is the place of God’s presence?” are among the many questions we will ask — and that will be asked of us — during […]
Continuing their discussion of rabbinic interpretations of the Garden of Eden story in midrash Genesis Rabbah, Rabbi Knopf and his students discuss the man’s role in the story, and the reasons for the woman eating the fruit. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, […]
Rabbi Knopf and his students continue their discussion of rabbinic interpretations of the Garden of Eden story in midrash Genesis Rabbah. This episode delves into the enigmatic character of the snake. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!
Rabbi Knopf discusses the Book of Job and Judaism with an audience of adult Christian students from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!
As Rabbi Knopf continues his exploration of rabbinic interpretation of the Garden of Eden story, a discussion about sexual intimacy and the motivations of the story’s serpent. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!
Rabbi Knopf continues his exploration of rabbinic legends on the Garden of Eden story, this time examining parallels between the Adam and Eve, Golden Calf, and Canaanite War stories. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!
Rabbi Knopf continues his study of Midrash Genesis Rabbah’s discussion of the Garden of Eden. In this episode, Rabbi Knopf and his students talk about the origins of humanity, and the first commandments God gives to human beings. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google […]
Continuing his exploration of midrash Genesis Rabbah, Rabbi Knopf and his students discuss whether there are appropriate limits to human knowledge, free will vs. determinism, and the origins of humanity. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your choice!
Rabbi Knopf continues a conversation about Midrash Genesis Rabbah’s interpretation of the Garden of Eden story. This week, we discuss what kind of tree the Tree of Knowledge was, and why it matters. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your […]
Rabbi Knopf continues his exploration of midrash Genesis Rabbah, exploring such questions as the size and function of the Tree of Life, the theological problem of evil, and the stubborn persistence of antisemitism. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, RSS, it’s your […]
Rabbi Knopf discusses the relationship between the first human being in the Garden of Eden and the Holy Ark in the Temple, the possibility of Adam and Eve’s sin being a moral crime, and the apostasy of disparaging other human beings. How do you listen to Tisch? You have a lot of options you know? […]
Rabbi Knopf discusses the meaning of God’s “placing” Adam in the Garden of Eden, diving into issues of predestination, human freedom, and humanity’s relationship with the rest of creation. *Please note that while this is episode three of this series, the first two sessions were not recorded for podcast. How do you listen to Tisch? […]
Rabbi Knopf discusses what was created first, human beings or the Garden of Eden, and in so doing discusses the nature of time and space, as well as free will and determinism. *Please note that while this is episode three of this series, the first two sessions were not recorded for podcast. How do you […]
Join us for Part Two of Rabbi Knopf’s Essentials of Judaism: Midieval Jewish History Class. The Middle Ages were a formative and tumultuous period in Jewish history, characterized by violent confrontations, colorful characters, dynamic cultural formation, and timeless scholarlship. Rabbi Knopf offers a rich overview of this critical and complex era. How do you listen […]
Join us for Part One of Rabbi Knopf’s Essentials of Judaism: Midieval Jewish History Class. The Middle Ages were a formative and tumultuous period in Jewish history, characterized by violent confrontations, colorful characters, dynamic cultural formation, and timeless scholarlship. Rabbi Knopf offers a rich overview of this critical and complex era. How do you listen […]
In this episode of The JCast Journey, host Darone Ruskay returns for his semi-annual request for support. Have you been listening to JCast Network podcasts for days, weeks, months, years? Well as we say, podcasts are free to listen to, but not free to produce. Darone discusses some the cost of keeping the network afloat, and […]
Continuing his study of Chapter 2 of Genesis Rabbah, Rabbi Knopf unpacks a strange story involving the sage Ben Zoma.
Rabbi Knopf begins chapter two of Genesis Rabbah, discussing the state of the world at the beginning of creation, and what our past can predict about our future.
In commemoration of completing his pre-Passover study of the Mishnah’s Tractate Avot, Rabbi Knopf teaches about the rabbinic conception of how piety is related to how one thinks of his or her property.
Continuing his ongoing study of midrash Genesis Rabbah, Rabbi Knopf discuss a peculiar use in Genesis’ opening verse of the Torah’s most common word.
Continuing his study of midrash Genesis Rabbah, Rabbi Knopf discusses topics ranging from blasphemy to God’s humility to the advent of the Messianic era.
Continuing his study of Genesis Rabbah, Rabbi Knopf explores how the creation story demonstrates God’s leadership skills, and what we might learn from God’s example.
Continuing his exploration of Genesis Rabbah, Rabbi Knopf discusses the concept of a “Law Given to Moses at Mt. Sinai,” and the need for a Torah that is rooted in the past but perpetually innovative.
Continuing his study of Midrash Genesis Rabbah, Rabbi Knopf explores why the Torah begins with the letter “bet” rather than the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, “aleph.”
Continuing in his study of midrash Genesis Rabbah, Rabbi Knopf explores what building materials (if any) God used to create the world.
Heaven and hell, good and evil, the messiah. What did God create at the beginning of time that the Bible doesn’t explicitly mention? Join Rabbi Knopf as he explores the ancient midrash’s explanations.
How do we talk about Creation without arrogance? Is any attempt to discuss the mysterious inherently presumptuous? Is it rebellious? What do we make of the Torah’s silence on the mechanics of Creation, and what may or may not have existed before God created the world? Join Rabbi Knopf as we explore these and other […]
What did God create before creating the world, and why did God create the world in the first place?
According to the Midrash, God created some things, and determined to create yet more things, before creating the world. Join Rabbi Knopf to explore what those things things were, and why God started with them.
When did God create angels? And, if God is one, how is there so much diversity within creation? Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his midrash students discuss these and other ancient rabbinic questions.
Why does the Torah begin with the creation of the world, and not with the first commandment? And is there such a thing as “intelligent design?” Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his midrash students discuss these and other ancient rabbinic questions.
Join Rabbi Knopf on a journey through the collection of rabbinic commentary on the Bible known as Midrash Rabbah. This week, Rabbi Knopf continues to explore the first midrash of Genesis Rabbah, which discusses how God used the Torah to help create the world.
Join Rabbi Knopf on a journey through the collection of rabbinic commentary on the Bible known as Midrash Rabbah. In this session, we begin to explore the first midrash on Genesis.
On the Shabbat immediately following the death of one of Rabbi Knopf’s rebbes, Rabbi Sholom Brodt, founder and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo in Jerusalem, Rabbi Knopf shares some singing and learning in his honor.
Part Two of a teaching where Rabbi Knopf explores the texts, traditions, and history that informs a Jewish view on the modern American plague of mass incarceration.
Part One of a teaching where Rabbi Knopf explores the texts, traditions, and history that informs a Jewish view on the modern American plague of mass incarceration.
As the debate over US immigration policy rages in Washington, and as congregations across the country debate becoming sanctuaries to protect undocumented immigrants, Rabbi Knopf explores the texts, traditions, and history that informs Judaism’s view on immigration. This is part three of a three part session given by Rabbi Knopf.
As the debate over US immigration policy rages in Washington, and as congregations across the country debate becoming sanctuaries to protect undocumented immigrants, Rabbi Knopf explores the texts, traditions, and history that informs Judaism’s view on immigration. This is part two of a three part session given by Rabbi Knopf.
As the debate over US immigration policy rages in Washington, and as congregations across the country debate becoming sanctuaries to protect undocumented immigrants, Rabbi Knopf explores the texts, traditions, and history that informs Judaism’s view on immigration. This is part one of a three part session given by Rabbi Knopf.
A live conversation between Rabbi Knopf and Dr. David Dwight at Richmond’s Tuckahoe Woman’s Club. The religious landscape in America is undergoing radical change: While approximately 83% of Americans identify themselves as Christians, only 20% attend church regularly, and somewhere between 4,000 and 7,000 churches close their doors every year. Less than 1/3 of American Jews […]
Rabbi Knopf is joined by Rev. Ben Campbell, pastoral director of Richmond Hill and author of “Richmond’s Unhealed History“, for an interfaith examination of the true meaning and relevance of Tisha B’Av.
Part Two of Rabbi Knopf’s teaching for Tikkun Leil Shavuot (June 11, 2016), on the spiritual and moral message of one of Judaism’s oldest and most ubiquitous prayers, the Priestly Blessing.
Part One of Rabbi Knopf’s teaching for Tikkun Leil Shavuot (June 11, 2016), on the spiritual and moral message of one of Judaism’s oldest and most ubiquitous prayers, the Priestly Blessing.
Rabbi Knopf digs into the Slonimer Rebbe’s extraordinary essay on prayer, “Prayer is the Service of the Heart.” This month: if prayer is about pouring our hearts out to God, what do we do when we pray on Shabbat, where we don’t ask God for anything at all?
Part 3b of a 3 part series, in which Rabbi Knopf explores, analyzes, and debates various approaches to understanding God in modern Jewish thought. This session: Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, Conservative and Reconstructionist theologies.
Part 3a of a 3 part series, in which Rabbi Knopf explores, analyzes, and debates various approaches to understanding God in modern Jewish thought. This session: Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, Conservative and Reconstructionist theologies.
Part 2b of a 3 part series, in which Rabbi Knopf explores, analyzes, and debates various approaches to understanding God in modern Jewish thought. This session: Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik and contemporary Orthodox theology.
Part 2a of a 3 part series, in which Rabbi Knopf explores, analyzes, and debates various approaches to understanding God in modern Jewish thought. This session: Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik and contemporary Orthodox theology.
Rabbi Knopf explores the permissibility of including the biblical Matriarchs in the Amidah – a stimulating conversation about Jewish history, Biblical intertextuality, Halakhah and legal theory.
Rabbi Knopf explores the permissibility of including the biblical Matriarchs in the Amidah – a stimulating conversation about Jewish history, Biblical intertextuality, Halakhah and legal theory.
Rabbi Knopf shares the final mishnah from Tractate Avot, which teaches a Jewish version of the old cliche, “No Pain, No Gain.”
The first half of Part 1 of a 3 part series, in which Rabbi Knopf explores, analyzes, and debates various approaches to understanding God in modern Jewish thought. This session: Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch and modern Orthodox theology.
The first half of Part 1 of a 3 part series, in which Rabbi Knopf explores, analyzes, and debates various approaches to understanding God in modern Jewish thought. This session: Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch and modern Orthodox theology.
Rabbi Knopf digs into the Slonimer Rebbe’s extraordinary essay on prayer, “Prayer is the Service of the Heart.” This month: if prayer is about connecting to God, what is the purpose of heaping all that effusive praise on God so characteristic of Jewish prayer?
Rabbi Knopf digs into the Slonimer Rebbe’s extraordinary essay on prayer, “Prayer is the Service of the Heart.” This month: if prayer is about connecting to God, what is the purpose of petition, asking God for things we need?
Millennials are more liberal, more global, more educated, more skeptical, and more media savvy them their parents or grandparents, and are less religious and less likely to join organizations. Rabbi Knopf, himself a Millennial, talks about Jewishly engaging this elusive population.
Rabbi Knopf digs into the Slonimer Rebbe’s extraordinary essay on prayer, “Prayer is the Service of the Heart.”
Rabbi Knopf digs into the Slonimer Rebbe’s extraordinary essay on prayer, “Prayer is the Service of the Heart.”
Rabbi Knopf digs into the Slonimer Rebbe’s extraordinary essay on prayer, “Prayer is the Service of the Heart.”
Rabbi Knopf digs into the Slonimer Rebbe’s extraordinary essay on prayer, “Prayer is the Service of the Heart.”
Global climate change is perhaps the most urgent moral challenge of our time. What wisdom does the Jewish tradition have to offer us about this issue? Rabbi Knopf explores a Jewish response to climate change: why it matters, and what we should do about it.
Rabbi Knopf digs into the Slonimer Rebbe’s extraordinary essay on prayer, “Prayer is the Service of the Heart.”
Rabbi Michael Knopf and Rabbi Dovid Asher of Richmond’s Orthodox congregation, Kenesseth Beth Israel, host a conversation on some essential High Holy Day themes.
In the final class of a series on Jewish relationship wisdom, Rabbi Knopf introduces us to one of the Bible’s most beautiful and intense friendships, Ruth and Naomi.
Ever wanted to learn more about why’s and how’s of the Jewish laws of cooking, eating, and kitchen supervision? Join Rabbi Knopf for part two of his third session, providing a deep dive into the world of Kashrut!
What does the Jewish tradition have to say about tattooing, and in particular the kind of body art prevalent in our day and age?
Ever wanted to learn more about why’s and how’s of the Jewish laws of cooking, eating, and kitchen supervision? Join Rabbi Knopf for part one of his third session, providing a deep dive into the world of Kashrut!
In the third class of a series on Jewish relationship wisdom, Rabbi Knopf introduces us to a beautiful scholar and his best friend, a reformed bandit.
In the first class of a series on Jewish relationship wisdom, Rabbi Knopf introduces us to a heretic and his best friend, a rabbi.
Ever wanted to learn more about why’s and how’s of the Jewish laws of cooking, eating, and kitchen supervision? Join Rabbi Knopf for part two of the second session in his deep dive into the world of Kashrut!
Ever wanted to learn more about why’s and how’s of the Jewish laws of cooking, eating, and kitchen supervision? Join Rabbi Knopf for part one of the second session in his deep dive into the world of Kashrut!
Rabbi Knopf’s teaching for Tikkun Leyl Shavuot, how the Jewish tradition enables us to make conversion easier, faster, and more accessible.
Ever wanted to learn more about why’s and how’s of the Jewish laws of cooking, eating, and kitchen supervision? Join Rabbi Knopf for part two of this deep dive into the world of Kashrut!
Ever wanted to learn more about why’s and how’s of the Jewish laws of cooking, eating, and kitchen supervision? Join Rabbi Knopf for part one of this deep dive into the world of Kashrut!
In a special session with students from University of Richmond, Rabbi Knopf gets past the intermarriage debate into a deeper question of the role of religious values in finding a partner.
In part two of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf talks about the history of Zionism, the modern State of Israel, and the connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel.
In part one of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf talks about the history of Zionism, the modern State of Israel, and the connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel.
Join Rabbi Knopf, Rabbi Gary Creditor, Hazzan Marian Turk, and Dr. Gary Goldberg as we explore several topics related to Pesah, providing an opportunity to brush up on what you know, or learn something new and interesting.
What does Judaism have to say about the major challenges we face in the 21st Century? Can Judaism’s answers capture the imagination of today’s younger generations? Join Rabbi Knopf for part two of this complex and prescient conversation.
What does Judaism have to say about the major challenges we face in the 21st Century? Can Judaism’s answers capture the imagination of today’s younger generations? Join Rabbi Knopf for part one of this complex and prescient conversation.
In his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf welcomes guest speaker, Holocaust Survivor Jay Ipson, to share personal reflections on the Shoah.
In part two of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf teaches about the beginning of the Jewish life cycle.
In part one of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf teaches about the beginning of the Jewish life cycle.
In part two of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf explains the why’s and how’s of keeping kosher.
In part one of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf explains the why’s and how’s of keeping kosher.
In part two of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf explains the history and meaning of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, elucidating all the rituals.
In part one of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf explains the history and meaning of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, elucidating all the rituals.
In part two of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf explains the history of rabbinic Judaism and its greatest project, the Talmud.
In part one of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf explains the history of rabbinic Judaism and its greatest project, the Talmud.
In part two of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf illuminates the meaning and practices of the essential Jewish holiday of Passover.
In part one of his latest “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf illuminates the meaning and practices of the essential Jewish holiday of Passover.
Rabbi Knopf explores the true meaning of Hanukkah, the version they never told you in Hebrew School!
In his third “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf demystifies Jewish ethnic and ideological diversity.
In part two of his second “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf teaches about the Tanakh, the Jewish Bible, including where it came from, what it contains, and how it is utilized in Jewish worship.
In his second “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf teaches about the Tanakh, the Jewish Bible, including where it came from, what it contains, and how it is utilized in Jewish worship.
In his first “Essentials of Judaism” class, Rabbi Knopf explores the story of the Torah.
A panel in honor of Rabbi Knopf’s Installation as Rabbi of Temple Beth-El in Richmond VA, Rabbi Knopf is joined by Rabbis Gary Creditor, Neal Rose, and Abe Friedman in discussing the challenges and opportunities of the rabbinate and American Judaism in our time.
Rabbi Knopf tackles questions from congregants on Torah honors, rising anti-Semitism, the difference between Conservative and Orthodox Judaism, and more!
Join Rabbi Knopf in preparing your heart for Yom Kippur, the holiday that reveals who we really are, and invites us to return to our most fundamental reality.
Join Rabbi Knopf in a spiritual exploration of the meaning of the shofar, in order to prepare your heart for the High Holy Days.
What are we doing when we pray? Why does prayer matter? Join Rabbi Knopf as he explores this question through a close study of Psalm 27, the Psalm for the Days of Awe.
What God wants from us is not always so clear. In Deuteronomy chapter 10, Moses tries to break it down. Join Rabbi Knopf as he unpacks this powerful text.
Rabbi Michael Knopf explains how lessons from the Torah and Jewish law can help us eat better and live longer, healthier lives.
Moses is a complex man, an imperfect leader, and someone who stumbles into relationship with God. In this session with Rabbi Knopf, we study the story of Moses’ encounter with God at the Burning Bush, and unlock the lessons that experience has for our lives.
The patriarch Jacob is one of the most relatable psychologically complex characters in the Bible. In this session with Rabbi Knopf, we study two dark nights of Jacob’s life, and unlock the lessons those experiences have for our lives.
We Jews don’t usually study the opening chapter of Genesis in depth, but when we do, as in this session with Rabbi Knopf, we can find a text with significant moral demands and that is surprisingly harmonious with modern biology and physics.
Join the conversation, as Rabbi Knopf’s students ask him their most burning Jewish questions, ranging from Rabbi Knopf’s journey to the rabbinate to the future of the conservative movement and beyond.
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
The erstwhile Sage Elisha ben Abuyah rejected Judaism and was shunned by his fellow rabbis. They refused even to acknowledge his name, calling him “The Other” instead. What might this ancient heretic have to teach us today? Join Rabbi Knopf to study Elisha’s saga in the Babylonian Talmud, which yields timeless and crucial lessons about […]
For centuries, we have been taught that God is unchanging, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and simultaneously good. That God turns out to be philosophically impossible and distinctly un-Jewish, at least from the Bible’s and Rabbis’ points of view. But there is no need to despair, because most of us don’t really believe in that God, anyway, […]
Most nice Jewish boys and girls are told that anything Christian is treif, and that we shouldn’t have anything to do with Jesus. But in actuality, there is a lot that is Jewish about Jesus and Christianity, and a lot that Jews can learn from our sister faith. Join Rabbi Knopf to explore what is […]
“It’s the End of the World as We Know It: What Banned Books of the Bible teach about the Apocalypse, Heaven, and Hell. Most nice Jewish boys and girls are told that we don’t believe in things like hell and the apocalypse. Turns out, we do. Kind of. Join Rabbi Knopf and explore what was […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
Join Rabbi Michael Knopf for a no-holds-barred romp through a thousand years of Jewish history (roughly 900 BCE – 200 CE), from the Bible to the Mishnah. This series investigates the life and times of our ancient kings, prophets, priests, and rabbis; revolutions, wars, exiles, and occupations. Be prepared to learn what they never dared […]
Join Rabbi Michael Knopf for a no-holds-barred romp through a thousand years of Jewish history (roughly 900 BCE – 200 CE), from the Bible to the Mishnah. This series investigates the life and times of our ancient kings, prophets, priests, and rabbis; revolutions, wars, exiles, and occupations. Be prepared to learn what they never dared […]
Join Rabbi Michael Knopf for a no-holds-barred romp through a thousand years of Jewish history (roughly 900 BCE – 200 CE), from the Bible to the Mishnah. This series investigates the life and times of our ancient kings, prophets, priests, and rabbis; revolutions, wars, exiles, and occupations. Be prepared to learn what they never dared […]
Join Rabbi Michael Knopf for a no-holds-barred romp through a thousand years of Jewish history (roughly 900 BCE – 200 CE), from the Bible to the Mishnah. This series investigates the life and times of our ancient kings, prophets, priests, and rabbis; revolutions, wars, exiles, and occupations. Be prepared to learn what they never dared […]
One of the great anxieties many of us parents have is how we talk to our kids about illness, suffering, dying, death, and the afterlife. Yet it’s a conversation that all of us will have with our kids at some point. How do we talk about these issues in ways that will help us raise […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
Our kids are natural theologians, and ask us great questions about God. Yet many of us feel uncomfortable answering. Join Rabbi Knopf for this special conversation about how to talk to our kids about God.
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh/The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every commandment in […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh/The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every commandment in […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism?” How many of us have asked this question? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the mid-13th century, this radical book offers rationales for every […]
“What’s the point of Judaism? Does God really care if I eat this cheeseburger?” How many of us have asked these questions? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the […]
“What’s the point of Judaism? Does God really care if I eat this cheeseburger?” How many of us have asked these questions? Turns out, Jews have been asking them for a long time. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students study and discuss “Sefer Ha-Hinukh / The Book of Education.” Written anonymously in the […]
Join Rabbi Knopf as he presents the exciting new publication, “Slavery, Freedom, and Everything Between,” edited by Rabbi Menachem Creditor and Rabbi Aaron Alexander. This collection explores the themes and lessons of Passover. Rabbi Knopf reads from and discusses the book and presents his own essay, “On Redemption.” You can order your copy here. All […]
Join Rabbi Knopf as he answers his students most pressing Jewish questions about Passover, Kashrut, and Jewish life!
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss “The Doctrine of Religious Solipsism,” in which Heschel claims that we suffer from too much egocentricity, and that the goal of prayer is self-surrender. Can prayer save […]
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss “The Doctrine of Prayer as a Social Act,” in which Heschel argues that prayer is more than an opportunity for Jews to come together and form community, […]
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss “The Doctrine of Religious Behaviorism,” in which Heschel claims that, in the modern American synagogue, we serve tradition rather than God, emphasizing behavior rather than meaning. What […]
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss “The Doctrine of Agnosticism,” in which Heschel claims we have divorced God from prayer and banished prayer from the synagogue. As a result, the soul of the […]
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss “Spiritual Absenteeism,” in which Heschel challenges the modern American synagogue, and the worshippers therein, to bring more spirit, soulfulness, and emotion into congregational prayer. How can our […]
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss “Praying by Proxy,” and wonder: “Has the temple become the graveyard where prayer is buried?” Does synagogue prayer move you? Should it? How can our places of […]
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss the “Separation of Church and God,” and wonder whether we can or should bring God back to shul.
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss the purpose of the ancient sacrificial system, and the way in which prayer is meant to be a substitute for sacrifice.
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss the meaning and purpose of prayer. This week, we continue discussing a recent essay by Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson about conceptualizing prayer in a way that makes sense with our beliefs about God. You can read the essay here, and join the conversation.
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss the meaning and purpose of prayer. This week, we discuss a recent essay by Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson about conceptualizing prayer in a way that makes sense with our beliefs about God. You can read the essay here, and join the conversation.
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss the meaning and purpose of prayer. This week, we discuss a recent essay by Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson about conceptualizing prayer in a way that makes sense with our beliefs about God. You can read the essay here, and join the conversation.
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, ”Man’s Quest for God.” his week, we discuss whether it matters if you understand and/or know how to recite the formal Hebrew prayers of the prayerbook. What do you think?
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, ”Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss whether prayer is supposed to be about us talking to God, or us allowing God to talk to us. What do you think?
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, ”Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss whether prayer is a dialogue with God, a monologue, or something else entirely. What do you think?
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss the preparation and training necessary for cultivating a successful prayer life: Do I really need to know Hebrew and choreography to succeed at Jewish prayer?
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, ”Man’s Quest for God.” This week, we discuss the relationship between prayer and spirituality: What does it mean to have a spiritual life, and how can prayer help?
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, the discussion centers on the way our approach to life impacts our approach to prayer.
Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s monumental collection of essays on Jewish prayer, “Man’s Quest for God.” This week, the discussion centers on whether one should pray in a perfunctory way solely to fulfill one’s ritual obligations, or whether it is better to not pray at all.
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson teaches that the point of prayer is in what we take away from it, and how it changes us. Since we spend so much time praying over the High Holy Days, it is worth asking: what will you take away from this season? How did it change you? Join Rabbi Knopf […]
Is your prayer too selfish? Should you interrupt other peoples’ selfish prayer habits? What would it mean to pray for a warmer world? And what can Sukkot teach us about prayer? Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach’s response to these important questions.
All quiet on the synagogue front? Should shul be more noisy? Does more volume in services add to the prayer experience? Is decorum getting in the way of our connecting to God? Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss JTS Chancellor Arnold Eisen’s response to these important questions.
Do you think God prays? If so, what would God pray for? And what does God’s prayer have to say about God, and about us? Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss the Netivot Shalom’s approach to Jewish prayer.
What is prayer? Just as, when viewing an impressionist painting, we must look at it from afar to see the whole picture, prayer is an opportunity to gain perspective and insight about our lives. In so doing, we can better confront our challenges. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss the Netivot Shalom’s approach […]
What may we pray for? What do you pray for? How do you know if God answers your prayers, and how do you know what prayers God answers? Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss the Netivot Shalom’s approach to these questions.
Is prayer a waste of time? Should we be spending the time we set aside for prayer pursuing other, more useful, Jewish activities? What does prayer give us – and the world – that performing acts of lovingkindness does not? Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss the Netivot Shalom’s approach to these questions.
According to the Netivot Shalom, the purpose of prayer is to refine us, to help us transform our negative virtues into positive ones. Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss this approach to Jewish prayer.
Why do we praise God so much in Jewish prayer? What does our praise possibly do for God, who is beyond praise? Join Rabbi Knopf as he teaches the Netivot Shalom’s approach to these questions.
What does “successful” prayer look and feel like? Are the prayerbook, the physical layout of our synagogues, and our sense of self-consciousness helping or hurting our ability to be successful in prayer? Join Rabbi Knopf as he teaches the Netivot Shalom’s approach to these questions.
What does “successful” prayer look and feel like? Are the prayerbook, the physical layout of our synagogues, and our sense of self-consciousness helping or hurting our ability to be successful in prayer? Join Rabbi Knopf as he teaches the Netivot Shalom’s approach to these questions.
What would it be like to “call God for no reason?” What would you say if you spoke to God like you would a lover, a trusted friend, or confidant? Does praying with a community help or hinder your ability to pour your heart out to God? Join Rabbi Knopf as he teaches the Netivot […]
When you pray, do you mean what you say? Does it matter? What kind of intention are we supposed to have when we pray? Join Rabbi Knopf as he teaches the Netivot Shalom’s approach to these questions.
The Talmud teaches that prayer is the “service of the heart.” Yet for many Jews, that description could not be further from our experience with Jewish prayer. Join Rabbi Knopf as he teaches the Netivot Shalom on the profound challenges and extraordinary possibilities of prayer.
By combining thought with intention and deed, we can constantly experience God’s presence in our lives. Join Rabbi Michael Knopf as he explores these ideas in the 10th and final chapter of the Tomer Devorah by Rabbi Moses Cordovero. After listening, feel free to make a siyyum (a celebration for completing a holy book) and […]
We can experience God’s presence in our lives constantly, but only if we work at it. Through prayer, study, and deed, we can forge a continuous connection to the Divine. Join Rabbi Michael Knopf as he explores these ideas in the 9th chapter of the Tomer Devorah by Rabbi Moses Cordovero.