Word by word, line by line, page by page, we follow the Zohar, the most precious book of Jewish mystical teachings, as it leads us along its paths of primordial wisdom. By turns profound, puzzling, shocking and amusing, the Zohar helps us, through our study and our open discussions, to taste of the Tree of Life. Our studies touch on such topics as the nature of God, the relationship between God and the world, the human soul, the purpose of life, Jewish traditions and their meanings, sexuality and holiness, good and evil, caring for one’s self and caring for others. The Zohar text is the English authoritative translation by Daniel C. Matt, The Pritzker Zohar, published by Stanford University Press. We will start with Volume III, Parashat Vayishlach (Zohar I:165b). The sessions are open to all.
This course will run every Monday throughout the academic year. The cost is $180 for BZBI members and $250 for community members. Click here to register. The zoom link will be sent upon registration. If cost is a barrier to your participation, please contact Liat Kovnator.
David Greenstein has served the Jewish community as cantor, rabbi, educator and program/institution builder. He holds a BA (Philosophy) and MA (Talmud) from Yeshiva University, an MFA (Painting) from Queens College, and a PhD (Medieval Jewish Thought and Rabbinics) from NYU. Ordained at the pluralistic seminary, Academy for Jewish Religion, he also served there as a faculty member and as Rabbi-in-Residence, President and Rosh Ha-Yeshivah. A member of the Rabbinical Assembly, he has taught Rabbinic Studies and Zohar in rabbinical seminaries in North America and Europe as well as at the Conservative Yeshiva, Jerusalem, and at Neve Schechter, Tel Aviv. His writings have appeared in journals and books. His book, Roads to Utopia: The Walking Stories of the Zohar, was published by Stanford University Press (2014). He was the Daniel Jeremy Silver Fellow, Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University, for the academic year 2018 – 2019. An award-winning painter and a teacher of art, his work has been shown in the US, France and Israel and can be viewed at – https://www.greensteindavid.
