Rabbi Lawrence Troster
Parshat Ki Tissa/Shabbat Parah
The central part of this parashah consists of the story of the Golden Calf, Israel’s apostasy by the worship of an idol or, in fact, the worship of God in a physical form, which is forbidden by the second commandment. As the covenant has been broken almost as soon as it has begun, God is about to renounce Israel, but Moses convinces God that it is in God’s best interest to try again. Following the destruction of the Calf, God’s reconciliation with the people is concretized in the carving of a second set of tablets. Moses had destroyed the first set since the covenant had been broken.
Parshat Bereisheet
Hans Jonas: The most inspiring teacher I never met
Some teachers inspire you when you study with them and some teachers inspire you when you read their works. You may never have met them but their influence lasts your whole life. One of the most important people to influence my theology and spirituality was Hans Jonas, who died in 1993. I have encountered him only in his writing.
Hans Jonas was one of the most important '0th-century Jewish philosophers. Jonas made major contributions to modern bioethics, biological philosophy, environmental ethics, and the theological implications of the Holocaust. Jonas's influence has also been felt through his disciples and students throughout the world. But within the Jewish community, he is virtually unknown.
