First-Language Judaism vs. Rule-Book Religion: My Conversation with Prof. Moshe Koppel
Update: 2025-06-25
Description
Rabbi Dr. Levi Brackman sits down with Prof. Moshe Koppel—mathematician, long-time Israeli resident, and author of Judaism Straight Up—to explore what it means to “speak” Judaism naturally instead of consulting a rule book at every turn.
Highlights include:
- Shimen vs. Heidi: two real people who illustrate organic tribal Judaism and cosmopolitan universalism
- Why thick social norms help communities last, and how thin “fairness-only” ethics can fall short
- The role of instinct, family memory, and everyday practice in shaping halakhic decision-making
- How concrete beliefs and abstract theology each serve different emotional and intellectual needs
- A brief look at DICTA, Koppel’s project that applies language-tech tools to classic Jewish texts
If you’re curious about living tradition, social cohesion, and the balance between rules and fluency, this conversation lays out the ideas clearly.
Levi Brackman is a rabbi, Ph.D. in psychology, best-selling author of Jewish Wisdom for Business Success, and founder of Invown, a platform for real estate fundraising and investing.
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