This 3-Month Book Journey will explore the dynamics of religious values, moral tensions within Jewish law, and Jewish law’s own confrontation with modernity. You will encounter the fundamental elements behind how Jewish law operates, develops, and manifests—both in theory and in practice.
Halacha, as Jewish law is traditionally termed, is more than a set of rules—it’s a pathway to living the idyllic good life, steeped in values and embedded with morality. At times, however, this can conflict with contemporary norms of morality, breeding tension for the thinking Jew who is not interested in a world with slavery or committing acts of genocide, even as the Torah seemingly accepts such behavior with equanimity. In many ways, Jewish law even seems to conflict with other Jewish values. We are then left to ask: How do morality and values guide Jewish law?
Each month, you will read one book, engage in a weekly discussion board, and join Shlomo Brody for a live session. By the journey’s end, you will:
- Understand why moral tensions arise between Jewish law and contemporary Western values
- Examine strategies for addressing moral questions regarding war, slavery, Amalek, and more
- Internalize Jewish law’s fundamental morals, principles, and values
About the Book Journey Leader: Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Brody is the executive director of Ematai and a columnist for The Jerusalem Post. His writings have appeared in many popular and scholarly publications and were cited in Israeli Supreme Court decisions. His first book, A Guide to the Complex: Contemporary Halakhic Debates (Maggid), received a National Jewish Book Award. His newest book, Ethics of Our Fighters: A Jewish View on War and Morality, was just published. A summa cum laude graduate of Harvard College, he received rabbinic ordination from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate, an MA in Jewish philosophy at the Hebrew University, and his PhD from Bar Ilan University Law School.
