Why were the Books of the Maccabees excluded from the Jewish Bible?Explore that question, and then review what makes Tanakh our mostcentral religious text.

Joshua to Chronicles: Survey of the Prophets and Writings of the Bible

#37 The Books of the Maccabees, Hanukkah, and What Makes Tanakh Tanakh: Concluding class

A careful analysis between Samuel-Kings and Chronicles enables us to get behind the scenes at how these prophetic books were written and their underlying messages.

#36 Chronicles: Perspectives in Prophetic History

The beginning of the Second Temple era (538-432 BCE) stoked great hopes for redemption, but also gave reason for concern and despair. How did the great leaders of this era provide meaningful ways forward during this complex period?

#35 Ezra-Nehemiah: Transition to the Second Temple Period

Overview of the messages of Daniel, including a look at how the book secretly appears to be speaking about the story of the Maccabees.

#34 Daniel: The Hidden Story of Hanukkah

Kohelet made many rabbinic thinkers nervous about the religious lessons of the book. In this lecture, we explore what makes Kohelet unique within the biblical tapestry, and what voice it contributes to a thoughtful religious life.

#33 Kohelet: Sanctifying the Human Perspective

A consideration of how the alphabetical poetic structure contains a valuable interpretive tool as Lamentations grapples with a relationship with God at Israel's darkest moment in the biblical period.

#32 Lamentations: Putting the Mouth before the Eye

By imposing selected Midrashim onto the biblical text, many yeshiva-educated students have a difficult time seeing what is in the text itself. This lecture begins by unpacking the messages of the text itself, and then demonstrates how the Sages of the Midrash identified all of these lessons by working from within the text. You will never read the Megillah the same way again.

#31 The Book of Esther: What They Didn’t Teach Us in Day School

An exploration of two different readings of the Book of Ruth, which both fit the text perfectly. Are the characters pure and excellent, or are they more complex?

#30 The Book of Ruth: Feel Good Narrative or Ambiguous?

An overview of Rabbi Yuval Cherlow's remarkable book on the Song of Songs, exploring the complexities of religious experience through an understanding of human love. Sources available on our site: https://www.jewishideas.org/online-learning/classes-lectures

#29 Song of Songs: Romance and Religion

The courageous Book of Job addresses the problem of bad thingshappening to good people. A literary analysis of the book coupled withits primary religious messages. Sources available on our Online Learning page.

#28 Job: Addressing the Hole Created By the Torah

An overview of the Book of Proverbs. It presents a simple, pure faith perspective, to be complemented by the more complex perspectives in the Books of Job and Kohelet. Sources available on our site: https://www.jewishideas.org/online-learning/classes-lectures

#27 Proverbs: The Simplest Book in Tanakh?

Sources are available at our Online Learning page.

Lecture 3: King Ahab: Did He Do Something Right?

How praying can transform the person praying, and how psalms can contain multiple meanings simultaneously and over time.

#26 Psalms #2: Tehillim in Transition: How Prayers Transform

Exploration of the evidence within Psalms, and rabbinic commentary. The traditional view is far more complex than what many portray it to be

#25 Psalms #1: Who Wrote the Psalms? Controversy and Confusion Regarding Authorship

24: Joel and Malachi anticipate the end of prophecy and pave the way for religious life in the era lacking prophecy.

#24 Twelve Prophets #5: Joel-Malachi: The End of Prophecy

Journey through the nineteen books of the Bible from Joshua through Chronicles with Rabbi Hayyim Angel. Traditional and contemporary scholarship is employed as we study each book's central themes.

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Joshua to Chronicles: Survey of the Prophets and Writings of...

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