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Moses Mendelssohn & Early Modern German Jewry

Second preparatory session for 2014 Pardes trip to Germany with ‘Germany Close Up’ Organization.

Jewish history, Medieval and Early Modern Europe, Personalities, Modern personalities

Unexpected Encounters: Where is the Love? Passionate Teshuva – The High Holy Days

Pardes is pleased to present the fifth episode of our new podcast series by Rabbi Daniel Landes, Unexpected Encounters: The Jewish Holidays and the Other. This episode is on the High Holy Days. Episode title: The High Holy Days–Where is…

Personalities, Modern personalities, Jewish calendar, High Holidays, Rosh Hashana, Self & spirituality

Article

The Tisch: The Sin of Pride

When Ahiya asked the Besht whether he was greater than Abraham, he was querying whether the Besht deserved honor befitting our forefather. Shivhei Habesht (In Praise of the Besht) is the earliest collection of stories about Rabbi Israel Baal Shem…

Self & spirituality, Hasidut, Personalities, Modern personalities, Reflection, Teshuvah

Article

The Tisch: Seeking Penance With a Broken Heart

Zev knew precious little of the holy books, but his fidelity to Jewish tradition could never be questioned, as he fastidiously kept the commandments. It was Friday afternoon, and Zev the wagon driver looked toward the west and winced at…

Self & spirituality, Hasidut, Personalities, Modern personalities, Jewish calendar, Shabbat

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The Tisch: The End of Hassidism?

A cursory glance reveals that the fascination with hassidic lore continues to animate many of our contemporary communities. While the legacy of the Ba’al Shem Tov and Hassidism lives on in our day, there were some thinkers who surmised that…

Self & spirituality, Hasidut, Personalities, Modern personalities

Article

The Tisch: Repairing the Foundations

According to hassidic lore, the Besht arrived with the goal of revamping Jewish leadership. Hassidic lore has preserved the image of the Ba’al Shem Tov, also known as the Besht (ca. 1700-1760) as a rebel against the establishment. He is…

Self & spirituality, Hasidut, Personalities, Modern personalities

Article

The Tisch: Eat, Drink, be Merry – and Serve the Almighty

Rabbi Israel Ba’al Shem Tov – or as he is more commonly known by the acronym Besht – is undoubtedly the central character in hassidic lore. The Besht was born at the beginning of the 18th century. He arrived in…

Self & spirituality, Hasidut, Personalities, Modern personalities

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Inner Voice of Rav Kook

“The perpetual prayer of the soul continually tries to emerge from its latent state to become revealed and actualized, to permeate every fiber of life of the entire universe . . . Sudden spiritual clarity comes about as a result…

Personalities, Modern personalities, Self & spirituality, Spirituality

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