Migdal Dialogues

In this episode, Rabbi Ziring and Rabbi Wasserman discuss the educational and spiritual value of travel and experience more broadly. They discuss the unique international trips that Migdal runs for its students and what they learn from these experiences. We also touch on Rabbi Wasserman’s personal credit card-sponsored escapades, connecting with God from Hawaii to Iceland, and having the opportunity to experience some fascinating halachic scenarios along the journey.

In this episode, Rabbi Ziring and Rabbi Aaronson discuss the process of reaching a Halachic decision. They talk about why it is important to understand how we reach conclusions, the factors involved, and the importance of integrity. They also discuss who can make Halachic decisions and how they balance Torah and personal values in that process.

Does the study of psychology have a role in the observance of Torah? Does the Torah believe we can change our personality? How does the Torah accommodate psychological differences? Rabbi Ziring and Rabbi Aaronson discuss the intersection of psychology and Torah, and how the science of psychology informs the study, practice, and worldview of Judaism.

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook (1865-1935) was an important modern Jewish thinker. His approach, of seeing everything as truth (if sometimes incomplete), impelled him to reconcile contradictions to religion by accepting both claims seemingly at loggerheads, and find ways to make both be acceptable within Jewish theology. Rabbi Aryeh Sklar is working on a translation of a work of Rav Kook - recently published from manuscript - called, "For the Perplexed of the Generation," where Rav Kook puts forward his most sustained argument toward this approach, dealing with determinism, evolution, reasons for the commandments, and many more questions at the intersection of philosophy and Judaism.

In this episode Rabbi Ziring and Rabbi Ginsberg discuss how to think about philosophical questions. What is the connection between science and philosophy? How does philosophy differ from Jewish philosophy? Along the way we discuss the newest theories in physics, the anthropic principle, the teleological argument for God, and the best books for a modern Jew who wants to study philosophy.