Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik was one of the most influential rabbis in the 20th century. Part of his uniqueness was his absolute and steadfast belief in the supremacy of a Divinely revealed tradition and the wisdom of generations prior, coupled with his dynamically creative process of analysis and phenomenology. Our culture often considers these two values standing at odds with each other. For the Rav, this did not seem to be a contradiction. In this seminar, we will read his “Experiencing Mesorah in the Classroom” speech, and we’ll explore the Rav’s philosophy of time and understanding of Torah development that made it possible for him to revel in this unique blend of both tradition and modernism.
Danishefsky_(22)