Episode 12: Smell and Sight

Introduction

The Maggid of Melbourne brings another tale, this time about the planning of the building of Yeshivat Har Etzion and Rav Amital’s reaction to learning there would be no windows in the Beit Midrash. We learn of two versions of the story, one telling us that Rav Amital’s reaction was based on scent, but another teaches that it was related to sight. Sight, perhaps we could understand, but scent? Listen in to find out why both senses are important when planning our sacred spaces.

Credits: Rabbi Dr. Levi Cooper – Pardes Faculty

Levi Cooper

Dr. Levi Cooper is Senior Faculty at Pardes, teaching Jewish Law and Hasidut. He holds an LL.B., LL.M. and Ph.D from Bar-Ilan University, where he currently teaches in their Faculty of Law. Levi has been awarded multiple post-doctoral research grants, held academic visitor and educational advisory roles in Europe and Asia, and written extensively for academic publications.

Known as the Maggid of Melbourne, Levi hails from Australia. He currently lives in Zur Hadassa, where he has served as rabbi since 2005, co-founded the Lavi Primary School, and spearheaded other communal initiatives.