The Jewish Idea of Time
The great medieval Jewish thinker Maimonides writes that the shofar blast of the High Holidays is intended to awaken us from slumbering through the vanities of time. Judaism has long believed in the holiness of time. In fact, the first commandment given to the Jewish people was to sanctify time. And yet the limited and constrained nature of earthly time is perhaps mankind’s most troubling existential reality. How does Judaism confront this dilemma? How does the Jewish calendar—with its weekly celebration of Shabbat and annual cycle of holidays—sanctify the human experience of time? This seminar will explore Jewish conceptions of time and what they might mean for us in the modern age.
Rabbi Yakov Danishefsky
Yakov is a clinical therapist specializing in trauma, sex-addiction, and other life-adjustment challenges. He is also a public speaker and Jewish educator blending spirituality, philosophy, and psychology. In the classroom, Yakov is a passionate and engaging teacher whose main goal is to stimulate curiosity and independent thinking. For Yakov, the greatest teaching moments are when students develop original understandings to renew ancient ideas. Challenge, debate, and re-analysis are the staples of Yakov’s learning environment. He earned Semicha and a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Yeshiva University, completed his Masters in Social Work from Walden University, and was a member of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship. He lives in Chicago with his wife and four children.
Meet the Instructor
Tikvah aims to make all of our courses available to as many qualified students as possible. In the event that Tikvah needs to add additional sections, this course may be taught by a different faculty member with a similarly high level of expertise.