Episodes

  • S10, E3 In Pursuit of Knowing Hashem: Psychology or Metaphysics?

    S10, E3 In Pursuit of Knowing Hashem: Psychology or Metaphysics?
    Jul 1 2025
    conversation # 3 of the seriesIn this conversation, Zev and I share a list of questions related to Knowing Hashem, and discuss whether it involves psychological transformation or mastery of metaphysical knowledge. Links: https://open.substack.com/pub/shnayor...https://open.substack.com/pub/shnayor...https://open.substack.com/pub/shnayor...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0727TH8X80:00 A list of questions and issues that relate to the project of knowing Hashem 2:30 What's the difference between talking about Hashem and talking about knowing Hashem?7:30 Do the right words for the discipline of knowing Hashem exist yet?23:15 Is knowledge of Hashem actually achievable or is it an ideal toward which we strive?34:00 Where do animals fit in to knowing Hashem?41:15 The difference between the message of the Prophets and the message of the Rambam and Kabbalists: Psychology or Metaphysics? 1:10:00 The prophets’ four-step training in Da’as Hashem1:19:00 Testing thought across all of space and time1:23:30 Universal thinking leads to good character traits 1:25:15 People of good character believe in goodness1:29:30 When those people then find the goodness in which they believe – that is Da’as Hashem1:38:00 Knowing Hashem as a kind of action, not a belief1:44:30 Why the prophets and the Rambam/Kabbalists took different approaches to knowing Hashem1:47:30 How it becomes easier to know everything
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 50 mins
  • S5, E49 Exodus, Exile and Redemption, Sec. 4, Chapter 3: A Heretical Torah Discourse

    S5, E49 Exodus, Exile and Redemption, Sec. 4, Chapter 3: A Heretical Torah Discourse
    Jun 30 2025

    "Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.

    Written essays are published bi-weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe!

    This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
    Show more Show less
    6 mins
  • S5, E48 Exodus, Exile and Redemption, Sec. 4, Chapter 2: Other Gods

    S5, E48 Exodus, Exile and Redemption, Sec. 4, Chapter 2: Other Gods
    Jun 16 2025

    "Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.

    Written essays are published bi-weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe!

    This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
    Show more Show less
    6 mins
  • S5, E47 Exodus, Exile and Redemption, Sec. 4, Chapter 1: Manasseh’s Case for Idolatry

    S5, E47 Exodus, Exile and Redemption, Sec. 4, Chapter 1: Manasseh’s Case for Idolatry
    Jun 4 2025

    "Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.

    Written essays are published bi-weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe!

    This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
    Show more Show less
    9 mins
  • S10, E2 In Pursuit of Knowing Hashem: How We Lost the Art of Knowing God

    S10, E2 In Pursuit of Knowing Hashem: How We Lost the Art of Knowing God
    May 28 2025

    How come nobody has been talking about knowing Hashem?0:00 Why is the ideal of knowing Hashem so revolutionary? And doesn't any person who serves Hashem already know Him?3:30 Hashem as the solution to political problems5:15 Is knowledge of Hashem the totality of all knowledge or a specific knowledge?12:30 Is the blessed state of the world a result of knowing Hashem or the reverse?20:00 Why the Redemption is a principle of faith22:45 What would motivate a person to talk about Hashem and seek knowledge of Him?34:30 The mitzvah to love Hashem is to study reality and thus come to desire knowledge of Him42:00 Either we all have been doing this already, or else it is not a legitimate pursuit 46:30 An idea that can't be put into practice tends to wither and die58:30 The tension between honoring the tradition and exploring new ideas1:00:00 Knowing Hashem and politics; why national independence is necessary for knowing Hashem1:00:05 Is the highest human goal action or contemplation?1:08:00 Contradictions in the Rambam; contradictions between Plato and Aristotle; Al-Farabi's resolutions
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 12 mins
  • S10, E1 In Pursuit of Knowing Hashem: Man’s True Mission

    S10, E1 In Pursuit of Knowing Hashem: Man’s True Mission
    May 23 2025

    What does it mean to truly know Hashem? A conversation with Zev Lowy about the prophetic ideal — and why it’s still the greatest mission of all.

    0:00 Knowledge of Hashem is supposed to be the most fundamental subject for humanity but is seldom discussed

    5:30 Knowledge of Hashem is not well defined. How can it perfect humanity? What should we do to promote it?

    9:00 Should we articulate how knowledge of Hashem will solve all the world's problems?

    15:00 Why people don't think about how knowledge of Hashem works

    24:45 Should we seek knowledge of Hashem for any reason other than its own sake?

    29:30 Is knowledge of Hashem effective if pursued for any reason other than its own sake?

    33:30 The experience of relentlessly seeking knowledge of Hashem and how it changes a person fundamentally

    36:45 What is lacking in Exodus, Exile and Redemption (here: https://open.substack.com/pub/shnayor/p/introduction-to-exodus-exile-and?r=111271&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false)? Where Rambam and Kabbalah part ways

    41:00 Even Popperians talk about love and other intense experiences

    44:00 Phenomenology and knowing Hashem

    48:00 The theory of da'as Hashem

    51:00 The notion of Pure Being and its power to inspire right action

    57:00 Why it's important for people capable of it to understand da'as Hashem

    1:01:00 Chasing beauty, wisdom, and knowledge of Hashem

    1:04:00 Torah and practical wisdom
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 9 mins
  • S5, E46 Exodus, Exile and Redemption, Sec. 3, Chapter 21: Yitzchak Does Not Know

    S5, E46 Exodus, Exile and Redemption, Sec. 3, Chapter 21: Yitzchak Does Not Know
    May 19 2025

    "Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.

    Written essays are published bi-weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe!

    This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • S5, E45 Exodus, Exile and Redemption, Sec. 3, Chapter 20: Yaakov’s Imperfection Reconsidered

    S5, E45 Exodus, Exile and Redemption, Sec. 3, Chapter 20: Yaakov’s Imperfection Reconsidered
    May 5 2025

    "Exodus, Exile and Redemption" is a study of the profound significance of Judaism's history.

    Written essays are published bi-weekly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please subscribe!

    This series is made possible by the Jacob Lights Foundation. To support this and other ongoing foundation initiatives, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to the Substack newsletter or making a tax-deductible donation via Zelle to jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
    Show more Show less
    6 mins