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by Tradition Online
Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought is a quarterly Orthodox Jewish peer-reviewed academic journal published by the Rabbinical Council of America. It covers a range of topics including philosophy and theology, history, law, and ethics.
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- 4 weeks ago1h 3m
The Jew in America at 250
From the Editor’s Desk: This special Semiquincentennial podcast is the capstone of our symposium at TraditionOnline.org considering “The Jew in America at 250.” It revisits a series we published in 1976 for the Bicentennial (read about both and sample all the contents). In the course of human events 250 years ago, Thomas Jefferson concluded his Declaration of Independence “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we [the signers of the Declaration] mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Since Jews first arrived in the British colonies in the seventeenth century, and throughout 250 years of independence, they have similarly relied on the protection of divine Providence—just as we trusted in the promises of religious freedom, that great boon of American life. We and our American Jewish ancestors similarly pledged our lives, fortunes and sacred honor to the country—the malkhut shel hesed in R. Moshe Feinstein’s memorable phrase—which has done more than any other in history to enable Jewish flourishing—any other country, that is, aside from the one I have made my home for over three decades, the State of Israel. We are now met at a peculiar moment in the great history of our American communities of faith and destiny. Some are asking if American Jewry, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. I for one—even from my perch in the east—am not so pessimistic about life there in sof ha-ma’arav, the distant west, nor do I think that the American Jewish experience has been in vain and, indeed, I pray that it may yet have a new birth of vitality and creativity. But I am mindful that, despite being a lifelong student of American political culture, I have at this point spent more of my life removed from American shores. That’s why I was pleased to invite Rabbi Benjamin Samuels to guest edit our special symposium. This podcast brings together three of the many contributors to the series to reflect on the present condition and future trajectory of American Jewish life. Through a discussion of antisemitism and Zionism, Jewish education and civic responsibility, and the challenges of political polarization, the panel explores what it means to be both fully American and fully Jewish in this moment. The conversation considers questions of identity, citizenship, Israel, religious commitment, and communal leadership while looking ahead to the opportunities and challenges that will shape the future of American Jewish life. —Jeffrey Saks, Editor, TRADITION Watch a video recording of the conversation. Dr. Rebecca Cypess is Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and the Dean of the Undergraduate Faculty at Yeshiva University. Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph is the Orthodox Union’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Rabbi Etan Tokayer, President of the Rabbinical Council of America, is the Rabbi of Kingsway Jewish Center. Rabbi Benjamin J. Samuels, Ph.d, our moderator and guest editor, is a member of TRADITION’s editorial board, and the Rabbi of Congregation Shaarei Tefillah in Newton, MA. The post The Jew in America at 250 appeared first on Tradition Online.
- Jun 8, 202645 min
Halakhic Mind
“Out of the sources of Halakhah, a new world view awaits formulation”—so concludes Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s Halakhic Mind, an essay penned in 1944 but only published in 1986. It is the Rav’s most philosophically dense work. As such, it is the least understood and least studied even among the Rav’s main constituency—people such as yourself who are readers of TRADITION. Many have found it to be rather opaque. This is unfortunate, given that it is the work in which he sets out his method for “doing” Jewish philosophy; the subtitle is “An essay on Jewish tradition and modern thought.” That’s why it was significant that at the recent annual convention of TRADITION’s publisher, the Rabbinical Council of America, Daniel Rynhold presented a session to the assembled rabbis and educators offering an overview and “primer” to Halakhic Mind. This brief introduction to the book presents its key claims with the minimum of jargon so as to allow those without any philosophical background to understand what the Rav means when speaks of epistemological pluralism and scientific method, and how these ideas build to the conclusion that “there is only a single source from which a Jewish philosophical Weltanschauung could emerge; the objective order—the Halakhah.” Watch a video of this conversation on YouTube. Professor Daniel Rynhold is Dean at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University. The conversation was recorded by TorahAnytime at the RCA Convention in Suffern, NY, on May 11, 2026. The post Halakhic Mind appeared first on Tradition Online.
- May 26, 202655 min
Reconceiving Conceptualism
The recent annual convention of TRADITON’s publisher, the Rabbinical Council of America, was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the work of our journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought. Our editor Jeffrey Saks had a chance to conduct a session with Itamar Rosensweig, whose “Reconceiving Conceptualism” opens our recently released Spring 2026 issue. The essay is an argument for method in Torah study as part of the pursuit of knowledge. Rosensweig asks if and why the so-called conceptual method (a.k.a. Lomdus) is typically favored in our own learning and teaching because it’s somehow more “authentic” and “true”? Saks inquired what Rosensweig set out to do in the essay and touched on pedagogical and practical suggestions for ways to more effectively implement Lomdus and utilize its tools in our shuls and schools. This was of particular relevance to the rabbis and educators in attendance, many of whom raised questions and offered gentle pushback throughout the discussion. In fact, the essay has already generated a healthy amount of response and we hope to be publishing some of that in the near future. Watch a video of this discussion on YouTube. Rabbi Dr. Itamar Rosensweig is a Rosh Yeshiva and associate professor of philosophy at Yeshiva University, a dayyan at the Beth Din of America, and rabbi of the Merion Shtiebel. The conversation was recorded by TorahAnytime at the RCA Convention in Suffern, NY, on May 11, 2026. The post Reconceiving Conceptualism appeared first on Tradition Online.
- May 20, 202640 min
Fear and Faith in Religious Life
What is the relationship between fear and faith? This question is explored in Rivka Kahan’s recent essay, “Fear and Faith in Religious Life” (TRADITION, Spring 2026). In this episode Kahan discusses these topics with our podcast host, Mali Brofsky. Together, they think through their strategies to show their students that emotions such as fear are not only acceptable but are actively explored and embraced within our tradition. Kahan outlines three primary frameworks for understanding fear within Jewish thought: Malbim posits that faith acts as a source of strength that helps a person overcome fear, serving a “buoy” to faith by providing inner strength. Abravanel suggests that fear is necessary for true faith, which is understood as the commitment to follow God’s will despite experiencing fear. Finally, the Midrashic approach holds that maintaining a level of worry reflects moral humility. Brofsky notes that these models are not mutually exclusive; rather, individuals may cycle through them depending on their circumstances. The speakers discuss how extreme confidence, even when based on faith, can inadvertently lead to hubris, and argue that experiencing anxiety or unworthiness can foster moral refinement and humility. They close by discussing the difference between individual and national fear, and how to maintain a healthy faith balanced with humility in times of national challenge—something all too familiar to our readers these days. Rivka Kahan’s TRADITION essay will appear in her forthcoming book, which explores human emotions through the lens of Tanakh and its commentaries, to be published as part of Kitvuni Fellowship of Matan. She teaches post-high school students at several institutions in Israel and develops educational and scholarly resources for AlHaTorah.org. Mali Brofsky, MSW, a member of TRADITION’s editorial board, is a senior faculty member at MMY and a social worker in private practice. The post Fear and Faith in Religious Life appeared first on Tradition Online.
- Mar 11, 20261h 46m
A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E8): The Content of the Covenant of Egypt – The Jewish Existential Community
A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 8: Delivered February 26, 1959 Jewish loneliness should be transformed into the kind of prophetic solitude that embraces the uniqueness of Jewish destiny. Jewish uniqueness is expressed by the covenant. Just as the prophets felt compelled to relay their message despite the burden involved, even to the degree that they would be harmed for doing so, we too must accept our covenant on that level of commitment, as something we are compelled to do and cannot cast off. What is the content of this covenant? God established two covenants. At the Exodus from Egypt, He calls the people an am, implying the togetherness and unity of peoplehood. At Sinai, with the giving of the Torah, He calls them a goy, referring to a political nation. These are the two covenants, but the focus of this lecture is the Egyptian covenant. Am refers to an existential community. Because it involves God, it commits the numinous side of man, compelling Man to draw himself out from his seclusion to join other people, even people he doesn’t like, in this community of I, thou, and He, i.e., God. In practical terms, the covenant of Egypt creates a community of shared history, but also of shared experiences on three levels: 1. shared interests, 2. shared feelings or emotions, and 3. shared responsibilities. 1. Shared interests mean that all Jews share the same fate and no one can escape it, and even assimilation does not help. 2. Shared emotional involvement means that we must feel compassion and co-suffering with others of the community, as well as joy with others of the community. 3. Shared responsibilities mean, first, that we are morally accountable to one another. We must answer for the conduct of our brother to a degree that no other nation must. We share collective liability in the eyes of non-Jewish society, and also in the eyes of the Torah. The mitzvah of sanctifying God’s name and the prohibition of profaning God’s name are based on this community of collective responsibility and liability. So is the prohibition of squealing. Secondly, besides moral accountability for one another, shared responsibilities refer to a unique sense of justice, according to which we are accountable by law to support one another. This is the mitzvah and halakhah of tzedakah, which, unlike charity, can be compelled by authority. Tzedakah is not a moral but a juridic requirement. Tzedakah is the halakhic expression of the existential community of am. Jump to: 00:01:17 Prophecy and prophetic solitude as a burden 00:15:35 The two covenants, at the Exodus and at Sinai 00:25:15 The existential community 00:40:12 Community of shared interests 01:01:41 Community of shared emotional involvement 01:03:20 Community of shared responsibilities 01:30:37 Tzedakah as justice Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E8): The Content of the Covenant of Egypt – The Jewish Existential Community appeared first on Tradition Online.
- Mar 4, 20261h 39m
A Jewish Philosophy of Man (e7): Prophetic Loneliness as the Solution to the Problem of Jewish Loneliness
A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 7: Delivered February 12, 1959 Different people experience loneliness and aloneness differently. Some people are so preoccupied with how they impress others, with their public persona, that they lack rootedness in their own, private world. When society loses interest in such people, the resulting loneliness becomes a kind of torture, infused with despair and defeat. On the other hand, there are other people who never forget their own, private, numinous world, even as they remain committed to and even sacrifice for the outside world. If rejected by the crowd, this person remains secure in his or her unique self, confident in the special, singular message that only he or she can bring to the world. This is not loneliness but the great experience of aloneness, or what may be called prophetic loneliness. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and all prophets experienced this aloneness, when the crowd was unwilling to receive their unique message. While loneliness for the first kind of person is paralyzing, prophetic solitude drives creativity. The prophet does not withdraw from society, but all while engaging with and giving to society he paradoxically distances himself from society, remaining in a world for himself. This dichotomy is reflected in Abraham’s description of himself as a resident and a stranger. The two kinds of people, the lonely and the alone, are manifested in two aspects of our lives, fate and destiny. When man confronts a world unsympathetic to his quest for meaningfulness and accepts defeat, that is fate. When man, in the face of such adversity, refuses to yield and asserts his own creative vision, that is destiny. We all inevitably oscillate dialectically between the two. When one measures self-esteem by accomplishment and conquest, that is majesty, but if, facing defeat, one returns to live within oneself, then majesty turns into dignity. The solution to the problem of Jewish loneliness, of the alienation of the Jew from society, is to make this transition from loneliness to prophetic solitude. The modern Jewish State is not the solution to our loneliness. In fact, it increased the loneliness of the Jew. If the Jew would cultivate dignity instead of majesty, would stop craving praise and acceptance from others and embrace his own unique destiny, many of his problems would be solved. This means changing from ivri to Yisrael, from fate to destiny. How is this Jewish uniqueness characterized? We are a covenantal community, a community of the committed, bound by obligations taken on at the dawn of our history. Jump to: 00:01:16 Different kinds of people experiencing loneliness and aloneness differently 00:17:39 Prophetic loneliness 00:37:59 Fate and destiny 01:02:40 Majesty and dignity 01:12:18 The problem and solution of the alienation of the Jew from society Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (e7): Prophetic Loneliness as the Solution to the Problem of Jewish Loneliness appeared first on Tradition Online.
- Mar 2, 202619 min
Rav Moshe’s Legacy
Ta’anit Esther marks the 40th Yahrzeit of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l. Those old enough to remember his passing no doubt recall the feeling of colossal loss for the Gadol and Posek HaDor. But, now, four decades on, we must also consider his enduring legacy for Jewish life and law. To help us out with that our editor, Jeffrey Saks, catches up with R. Moshe Kurtz — the rabbi of Cong. Sons of Israel in Allentown, PA, and the author of Meoros Moshe, which anthologized R Feinstein’s teachings on Pirkei Avot. Our readers also know him as the author of our “Unpacking the Iggerot” column at TraditionOnline.org. The post Rav Moshe’s Legacy appeared first on Tradition Online.
- Feb 25, 20261h 53m
A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E6): Judaism’s Glorification of the Anonymous Person
A Lecture Series by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Lecture 6: Delivered February 5, 1959 Continuing with the idea of Judaism’s glorification of the anonymous person, the Talmud says that the participants in the annual “kallah” Torah lectures receive divine reward not according to their intellectual achievements, but according to the amount of discomfort they put themselves through in order to participate. Thus, the diligent ignoramus could receive more reward than the accomplished scholar. Judaism stresses axiological democracy, the equal worth of the great scholar and the little person. Modern Man has yet to live up to this ideal of axiological democracy, and the biggest challenge of today’s State of Israel is to live up to this ideal. The Talmud captures this axiological democracy in its dictum, “How do you know that your blood is redder than the blood of your neighbor?” Although Judaism’s moral code recognizes the common right to dignity, such that we may not judge or embarrass anyone, it places special emphasis on the dignity on the humble and lowly person, with special injunctions against harming the deaf, blind, orphan, widow, and stranger. Rabban Gamliel the Prince, under the order of execution by the Romans, considered that perhaps he deserved his fate due to once making a widow feel unimportant. This sense of tenderness towards the downtrodden reflects God’s own behavior and attitude towards the poor and oppressed, as described in Scripture. Peretz’s story “Bontzye Shweig” illustrates this idea as well. This analysis leads to the problem of Jewish loneliness, which requires distinguishing between two different feelings, loneliness and aloneness. Loneliness comes from others inevitably rejecting one’s message, one’s kerygma. Aloneness comes from the numinous uniqueness inherent in each person. Loneliness brings with it destructive emotions, whereas aloneness is a creative and motivating force. Every person must suffer the loneliness of rejection at some point in life. Next lecture will discuss how Judaism tries to solve the problem of loneliness. Topics triggered by audience questions include the Rosenberg trial, historical controversies among Jews, establishment of a Sanhedrin in Israel, and standardized text for prayer. Jump to: 00:01:15 The Talmudic dictum that reward is granted according to effort 00:08:17 Axiological democracy in Judaism, modern society, and the State of Israel 00:26:24 The human right to dignity and the prohibition to embarrass people 00:44:27 Judaism’s concern with the socially anonymous person 00:59:30 Imitatio Dei, imitating God, and the story of the death of “Bontzye Shweig” 01:26:29 Introduction to the problem of Jewish loneliness Access lecture summaries and course materials at www.TraditionOnline.org/JPM The post A Jewish Philosophy of Man (E6): Judaism’s Glorification of the Anonymous Person appeared first on Tradition Online.
About Tradition Podcast
Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought is a quarterly Orthodox Jewish peer-reviewed academic journal published by the Rabbinical Council of America. It covers a range of topics including philosophy and theology, history, law, and ethics.
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