Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman

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1. What Type of Relationship is a Brit?

   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman

   תאריך פרסום: תשס"ט | |

   The Tanakh uses many paradigms to describe the relationship between Hashem and Am Yisrael, among them Av, Ro'eh, and Melekh. But just what does it mean that Hashem is a "brit partner" with us? In this shiur we will see how the Torah patterned our relationship with Hashem after a special type of relationship that existed between kings in the ancient world: the relationship of a vassal king to a soveriegn king, in a way that sheds new light on our Avodat Hashem.

2. What is a "Covenant"?

   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman

   תאריך פרסום: תשסט | | 59 minutes

   What is a covenant? How does it describe our relationship with God? What does it mean that God is a "brit partner" with us? Using archeological findings from the ancient Near East, Rabbi Josh Berman shows how the Torah patterned our relationship with God after a special type of covenant that existed between kings in the ancient world - the relationship of a vassal king to a sovereign king. Examining our relationship with God from this perspective allows us to appreciate the unique covenant based on loyalty and gratitude that each of us as individuals has with God.

3. Two -Person Drama of Eikhah Chapter 1

   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman |

   What is the book of Eikhah all about? What is its purpose? By closely examining Chapter 1 and viewing it in play form we notice that Eikhah is not a book of kinot, but rather a guide for Am Yisrael in the aftermath of the churban. It is meant to instruct the nation grappling with the social and psychological realities of rebuilding their lives, allowing them to realize that God is there and they can turn to Him during times of crisis. 

4. The Torah: The Birthplace of the Idea of Equality

   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman | 58 minutes

   When comparing societal law in the Torah to that of other ancient Near East codes, one can notice that the Torah is far more advanced in the area of societal equality than the surrounding cultures during that time. This lecture examines economic  law, political vision, and societal norms in the Torah and highlights the Torah as a blueprint for a society that is far less hierarchical and stratified, and much more egalitarian and just. 

5. Sefer Devarim: The Beginning of the Oral Law

   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman

   תאריך פרסום: תשע"ב | |

   This shiur will give us insight into the Mesorah and the way we think about Halakha. Sources from Rav Tzadok of Lublin and the Netziv which are not usually taught will help us understand very difficult questions that arise in Tanakh, about various commandments that contradict one another. We explore how we view our relationship, and the Written Torah’s relationship with the Oral Torah, and we find an evolution of the Oral Torah throughout Tanakh.    

6. The Poor Man’s Ewe: One Parable or Two?

   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman | Hour

   The book of Shmuel II presents the story of David and Batsheva three times. First we have a description of the incident itself, then the parable that Natan the Prophet tells David about the poor man’s ewe, and then the explanation of the parable that Natan presents to David. However, upon closer examination, we notice that the three accounts of the same event differ from each other, and the parable specifically presents some obvious discrepancies with the actual event. Through a close reading of the parable we notice key details that lead us to a secondary interpretation of the parable, allowing us to view the story, and the character of David, through a different lens. 

7. The Marriage of God and Israel in Yehezkel 16

   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman | 54 minutes

   This class examines the political, theological, and social allegories presented in Yehezkel chapter 16. Through a close analysis of the text, we examine the metaphor of a husband and wife relationship as reflecting the relationship between Am Yisrael and God, which is crucial for understanding the first chapter of Eicha. 

8. The Spiritual Rehabilitation of Bat Zion in Eichah 1

   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman | 57 minutes

   What is the purpose of Megillat Eicha? This lecture analyses the first perek of Eicha by defining two distinct voices throughout the perek, and highlights the 7-stage spiritual awakening that the characters experience. This allows us to attempt to come to an understanding of the destruction and exile, and brings to light a new interpretation of Megillat Eicha.