To attend Rabbi Skobac’s Spring Lecture Series please COMPLETE REGISTRATION FORM below
- May 2, 2023 – UNIVERSALISM & PARTICULARISM: Two Sides to JudaismThe Torah describes Israel as a people who dwell apart, and many aspects of Judaism are designed to prevent assimilation into the general society. Yet, at the same time, the Torah sees the Jewish people as playing a history changing role among the nations of the world. This program will look at the interplay between these two seeming contradictory aspects of the Jews.
- May 9, 2023 – STRANGE FIRE: The Sin of Nadav and AvihuThe Torah is replete with stories of disastrous consequences where the underlying sin is not entirely clear. One such tragedy is the dramatic death of Nadav and Avihu, two righteous sons of Aaron, during the inauguration of the Tabernacle in the desert. This program will explore this mysterious event.
- May 16, 2023 – WHY DID G-D SEEK TO KILL MOSES? The Mysterious Attack of Exodus 4After G-d convinced Moses to return to Egypt and lead the Children of Israel to freedom, the Torah interrupts his journey by recounting how the Almighty sought to kill him. The threat to his life is only resolved when his wife circumcises their son. This is one of the most difficult narratives in the Torah, and in this lecture, we will analyze various approaches to understanding the story.
- May 23, 2023 – THE EREV RAV: Understanding the Mixed MultitudeWhen the Israelites were liberated from their servitude in Egypt, the Torah tells us that a mixed multitude of people went out with them. Who these people were is not exactly clear. This is the only explicit reference to them in the Torah, but our commentaries find their footprints in many episodes. In later Torah literature, there are references to a mixed multitude who will be a constant thorn in the side of the Jewish people up until the Messianic age. This lecture will seek to get to the bottom about who these people are.
- May 30, 2023 – THE NISHMAS PRAYER: Was it Written by Saint Peter?Nishmas is one of the most beautiful parts of our liturgy. It is recited every Shabbat and holiday and even makes it way into the Passover Seder. But there are those who claim that it was composed by Saint Peter, one of the founders of Christianity. In this talk, we will discuss whether there is any credibility to this claim.
- June 6, 2023 – NON-STOP MITZVOT: The Six Constant CommandmentsOf the 613 commandments, there are six we are required to fulfill at all times and in all places. These include: To know G-d exists, not to believe in other gods, to know that G-d is One, to love G-d, to be in awe of G-d, and not to be led astray by our desires. In this program, we will discuss these mitzvoth and their special significance.
Six consecutive Tuesdays, May 2 – June 6, 2023 – 8 PM – ET
Shaarei Tefillah Congregation, 3600 Bathurst St., Toronto, Canada
Admission: FREE
Attend either in-person or via ZOOM
REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Please provide the required info in the form below and click “send”
Zoom Login and password (good for all 6 sessions) will be emailed to you prior to the program
