Rain in its Season: Coping with Exile
Louis Rieser
Description
The second paragraph of the Sh’ma warns that disobedience leads to destruction and exile. Though the Temple was destroyed and the people were exiled, we continue to recite this warning twice daily. The Mishnah and Midrash preserve some responses of the early Sages to this catastrophe. We will study some of their responses to see how they chose to walk the path of Torah in the shadow of destruction. Their deliberations will help us construct a new understanding of this passage for our own day.
Louis Rieser is the rabbi at Etz Hayim Synagogue in Derry, NH. He teaches regularly and writes on topics related to the Talmud. His new book, The Hillel Narratives, was published this year.
Notes
Categories
- Intermediate Text
- Afternoon Course