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    Elijah Audio Lectures

    The Shifting Image of the Holy Person: Introduction

    Barry Levy

    This lecture is actually an analysis of the historical development of the relationship of Judaism to the Bible.  Levy takes us through six periods of Jewish history, and outlines how each period perceived the Biblical text. He shows how until the modern period, the emphasis was on showing how the Bible was relevant to the particular concerns of the society.  Thus, the Hellenists retold the Bible in light of Greco-Roman values, and the Rabbinic Midrashim deal creatively with problems in... More>>


    The Shifting Image of the Holy Person: The Changing Portraits of Abraham and Esther

    Barry Levy

    This lecture discusses the way in which the images of Biblical heroes were adapted in later Jewish literature to conform to the contemporary religious ideals.  The Biblical story of Esther presented very serious problems to rabbinic Judaism because of her relationship with King Ahasuerus.  The Talmud, and later rabbinic literature, in some cases reinterpreted and reshaped the story of Esther to preserve her image as a heroine.  In other cases, her behavior was rationalized to just... More>>


    Hasidism, Sacred Space and Time in Judaism

    Barry Levy

    This lecture discusses the Jewish perspective on Sacred Time and Space. In Judaism, there is a hierarchy of sacred space, from outside Israel to Israel, to Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, and finally to the most sacred, the Holy of Holies. Since the Destruction of the Temple, Jews have experienced most of their history in exile, frequently having to flee their native lands, which in turn, caused time to be a more fundamental than space. The lecture continues on the topic of Sacred Time, discuss... More>>