Chabad at Oxford

When is a law applied across the board? And when would we differentiate? A dispute between Rabbi Moses of London and Rabbi Berachiah of Oxford.

An interesting look at how various laws concerning the Sabbatical and Jubilee years affect economics.

How small variations in the text of the Talmud can have massive legal significance.

The story of Henry VIII of England's set of Talmud and how he attempted to use it to influence English Law.

: The fascinating story of how the Talmud was arranged into the iconic layout we use to this day.

The history of the evolution of laws for the kindling of the Chanukah Menorah, as detailed in manuscripts found in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

Euthanasia in Halacha. An in-depth class on the philosophical background of Judaism's opposition to this practice.

A scholarly analysis of the Lubavitcher Rebbe's innovative approach to the interpretation of Rashi's Biblical commentary. Exploring some examples of this novel approach.

What was Rashi trying to do with his commentary on the Five Books of Moses?

Part two of an in-depth class on the Sages' conceptualization of humiliation.

A survey of the material in Jewish law regarding the future permissibility of pork during the Messianic era.

This three-part series is an in-depth analysis of the mitzvah to honor one's parents. To what extent must one go? What if a parent instructs one to break a law?

A discussion regarding DNA testing in Rabbinical courts, including identifying someone as deceased, paternity testing, and proof of Jewish identity.

"A cistern that is close to a waterway gets filled first", an enigmatic piece of Talmud, a teaching from the first Rebbe of Sochatchov (the Avnei Nezer), and the story of Rabbi Akiva.

Expert on Medieval Hebrew manuscripts, Dr. Israel Sandman examines an obscure and cryptic passage of Talmud in light of a manuscript of 'Yesod Olam' by thirteenth century Jewish scholar and astronomer Isaac Israeli.

An exploration of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's halachik approach and how it mirrors his mystical outlook. Examples from the laws of Muktzah and intention in regards to work on Shabbos. Also exploring Aggadic passages of the Talmud about Rabbi Shimon.

Examining the background of the kitniyot prohibition. Why it was accepted by Ashkenazic Jewry but not Sephardic Jewry. Looking at how the third Chabad Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek sourced this prohibition.

An exploration of Natural Law in Judaic perspective, looking from Isaiah Berlin, to David Hume, Immanuel Kant, the Sophists, Aristotle and ultimately to Jewish sources, including Philo, Malachi and others..

Clarifying seemingly contradictory statements from Maimonides on his attitude towards heretics. Looking at how others, (particularly the Kabbalists) viewed Maimonides' attitude toward people who have erroneous beliefs. And the importance of correct belief vs correct intention.

Examples from Tanakh, Jewish history and contemporary medical ethics.

"You shall live by the commandments," the Talmud tells us, "and not die by them." Yet there are three cardinal sins that one must give one's life for rather than transgress. How did the Rabbi's reach this conclusion? A reading of Sanhedrin 74a.

An exploration of retributive justification and parole in modern legal philosophy, and the role of human dignity in the rabbinic theory of justice.

"He who has been commanded and fulfills the command," the Talmud says, "is greater than he who fulfills though not commanded." This suggests that laws are valuable not only because they ensure proper behavior, but because the binding nature of these duties embodies something of intrinsic value, beyond utilitarianism

The Talmud is a voluminous compendium of Jewish legal discussion and law. In this lecture Professor Sacha Stern gives a general overview of this ancient text and reflects on its increasing popularity.

In the 19th century the problem of "agunot" was widely dealt with in rabbinic literature, and often surfaced in the popular press. In the 21st century the same problems exist but new technologies and ease of communication are changing things both for better and for worse.

May a Jewish convert of non-Jewish ancestry truthfully refer to G-d as “the G-d of our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?” Maimonides unequivocally ruled affirmatively, arguing that Abraham is truly the spiritual father of all Jews, and allowing converts to feel themselves fully a part of the Jewish collective.

An intellectually stimulating analysis of the Talmudic principal of exemption in cases of unintentional transgression (“davar she’eino mitkavein”). Rabbi Wallberg explores the parameters of this principle vis-à-vis the qualifying rule of inevitability (“p’sik reisha”).

In a discussion ranging across the Talmud, medieval and modern commentators have struggled to understand the rationale governing action, intention and culpability.

A truly harrowing account of the years leading up to the Holocaust and the Holocaust itself.

A harrowing first-hand tale of life and death in the Piotrków Trybunalski Ghetto.

Ben Helfgott, born in Lodz, Poland, 1929, is a Holocaust survivor and former champion weightlifter representing Great Britain in the Olympics. This is his personal story of survival and triumph. (Many viewers may find details described to be extremely disturbing. Viewer discretion advised.)

Victor Greenberg tells the story of how he grew up in the small village of Majdan, now in Slovakia. In 1941, when he was 12 years old, he and his family were among the very few to escape when the entire Jewish population of the town was massacred. He was a prisoner in Auschwitz, Mauthausen and Gunskirchen, where he was finally liberated by the Americans. (Many viewers may find details described to be extremely disturbing. Viewer discretion advised.)

Austrian-Jewish Holocaust survivor, Fritz Sternhell, relates his first-hand experiences as a child during the German annexation of Austria.

Auschwitz survivor Freddie Knoller shares his amazing story of survival, including how the Gestapo in Paris thought he was a German and hired him as a translator. (Many viewers may find details described to be extremely disturbing. Viewer discretion advised.)

The amazing, firsthand account of 92-year-old Denis Avey, a non-Jewish, British soldier who smuggled himself into Auschwitz as a POW. (Many viewers may find details described to be extremely disturbing. Viewer discretion advised.)

In 1940, when Mark Goldfinger was 9, the SS set up an academy for training killers near his hometown of Rabka, Poland. This is the amazing account of what he saw and how he survived. (Many viewers may find details described to be extremely disturbing. Viewer discretion advised.)

As a child, Professor Ladislaus Löb watched as anti-Semitism slowly tightened its grip on the Hungarian nation, culminating in the Natzi occupation, beginning in 1944. He later wrote a book describing how Rezső Kasztner negotiated with Eichmann, saving Löb and 1,700 other Jews. Kasztner was later accused of collaborating with the Natzis.

The Rohr and Feuchtwanger families both emerged from the neo-orthodox movement of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch. Sami Rohr was both a prominent supporter of Chabad and a patron of Jewish literary endeavors. One of his favorite writers was the Jewish German novelist, Lion Feuchtwanger, who was a vocal critic of the Nazis. Lion's nephew, Edgar Feuchtwanger, grew up as a neighbor of Hitler.

George Schwab was ten years old when he witnessed the willing collaboration of his Latvian neighbors in the persecution and murder of Jews. Here he presents an overview of the development of antisemitism in Latvia and reads a chapter from his forthcoming memoir.

Solly Irving was just a boy when the Nazis invaded Poland. He was incarcerated in several concentration camps, including Buchenwald, and was liberated from Theresienstadt. This is his story.

In May 1939 the cruise ship S.S. St Louis sailed from Hamburg for Cuba with some 980 Jewish passengers fleeing from Nazi persecution. When Cuba refused them entry the ship went on to Florida, but the US government too refused them entry.

Ivor Perl was 11 years old when he arrived in Auschwitz. His parents and sisters perished there, only he and his older brother survived. This is the story of his survival.

An account of one of the historic train journeys arranged by Nicolas Winton, known as the 'Czech Kindertransport' which rescued over 600 children from Prague in July 1939.

Anita Lasker-Wallfisch was deported to Auschwitz in December 1943. Due to her being an accomplished cellist she was saved and was made to join the Women's Orchestra. She was forced to play marches as the slave laborers left the camp for each day's work and gave concerts for the SS. In October 1944, with the Red Army closing in, Anita was taken to Bergen-Belsen where she stayed until its liberation by the British.

A heartbreaking look at some of the personalities involved in the gathering the Ringelblum Archive of the Warsaw Ghetto.

A story of determination and fortitude: how members of one family were able to make their way to safety, leading up to and during the Second World War.

A poignant and personal account of oppression and salvation.

A concise synopsis of the major themes dealt with in the discourse series known as 'Bati LeGani' by the last two Lubavitcher Rebbes—'a literary edifice of the 20th Century'.

How the chasidut said by a Rebbe relates to each individual listener, creating a mystical transaction.

A study on the importance of melody in the Chasidic tradition.

Monosim: Is there anything apart from G-d. Do we exist? How can we actualize monism?

What is the distinction between Hasidism and Mitnagdim? What caused the emergence of these groups? And where in the general Hasidic movement, does Chabad-Lubavitch stand?

To what extent is Jewish mysticism rooted in the Talmud? Examining the interplay between the mystical dimension of the Torah and the Halachic corpus.

Comparing variant versions of the morning prayer Elokai Nishamah found in some of the earliest manuscripts of the Talmud. Examining how Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi applies one particular version in his Tanya.

How the Lubavitcher Rebbe approached the perceived conflict between Torah and evolutionary science.

What happens when we sound the shofar on Rosh Hashanah? A comparison between the shofar sounded on Rosh Hashanah and the shofar of the Messiah. The Lubavitcher Rebbe's interpretation of an enigmatic passage from Isaiah.

Yitzhak Kraus describes the journey that led to his discovering the explanation for the energetic motivation Chabad has for its mission of spreading Judaism.

The fascinating convergence of technology and religion, from yeshivas in Brooklyn to the traditional family Seder.

The masculine and the feminine in Chabad thought, based on two discourses given by the seventh Chabad Rebbe in the winter of 1965.

Fascinating analysis of an account by the Baal Shem Tov of his ascent on-high, into the chamber of Moshiach.

In the Jewish tradition study and knowledge has always been seen as open to all, regardless of socioeconomic status or lineage. But where is the line between intellectual openness and anarchy, between interpretive licence and relativism?

Divine monism and creation: the paradox of otherness, human existence, and freedom of choice.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe's curious choice to print an obscure manuscript in the dark days following the Second World War.

Al-Kindi, Al-Razi and Ibn-Tufal were three influential Muslim thinkers who participated in a great intellectual endeavor alongside the most famous Jewish philosophers of the medieval era.

G-d has an inner longing to be made at home in the lowest levels of existence. It is the mission of man to achieve this through two complementary processes of personal worship, first drawing inspiration from above, and secondly raising the world up from below.

Tracing the history and significance of charity as a channel to influence a heavenly decree, examining Scriptural, Rabbinic, and Chassidic sources.

Some Jewish commentators saw the conflict between body and soul as insurmountable, others saw it as non-existent, yet others saw it as an opportunity for a step by step process of mystical synthesis

As well as a resource for knowledge and inspiration, manuscripts are points of connection between rebbe and chassid

A detailed look at Sefer Ha'chakirah, a book of philosophy by the third Chabad rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. Examining how the Tzemach Tzedek uses his own ideas as well as the works of other Jewish philosophers such as Maimonides and Joseph Albo to prove divine creation.

Looking at the structures of societies, Individual and collective, 'loose' and 'tight' hierarchical and egalitarian. Applying these ideas to Chassidic society; examples from Breslov, Kotzk and finally Chabad.

In the classic discourse known as "Derush Shalosh Shitot" the Tzemach Tzedek synthesizes three different interpretations of the sefirot and their relationship to the divine essence, as quoted in the thought of Rabbi Shneur Zalman: The sefirot as tools, as divine essence, and as divine names.

A world renowned philosopher of science debunks the common myth that science is at odds with religion, and explains how it is actually atheism that is incompatible with the scientific method.

The constant struggle to attain a deeper connection to G-d. Tracing the Kabbalistic dimensions of these stages and how they correspond to various aspects of our religious experience. (Based on a discourse of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.)

How the Lubavitcher Rebbe created leadership roles for women within the framework of traditional Judaism, and how that spread beyond Chabad.

Looking at various perspectives on the destruction of the 2nd Temple and two central approaches to tragedy. Is it proper to react with grief and mourning? Or can positivity be glimpsed through the darkness?

Once an evangelical pastor, Yaakov Parisi shares the fascinating story of his lifelong journey to becoming Jewish. Recorded at Chabad of Oxford University.

Speaking for the very first time outside Poland, former neo-Nazi Pawel Bromson tells the amazing story of how he discovered that he was Jewish and returned to the faith of his ancestors.

Lord Levy shares personal anecdotes of his commitment to donning tefillin in such challenging locations as Damascus and Saudi Arabia and of his bringing kosher food to a Shabbat dinner at No. 10 Downing Street.

Mentalist, Uri Geller, answers students' questions at the Oxford University Chabad Society.

Anti-Semitic comments of Helen Thomas, the so-called “dean” of the White House press corp, were exposed in a brief video encounter with Jewish filmmaker David Nesenoff. The video went viral and thrust Thomas’ bias into the spotlight, forcing her career to end. Here Nesenoff tells his fascinating story (with much humor), and makes a passionate plea for Jews to combat anti-semitism by “doing Jewish” in their own lives.

The complex planning, the myriad of emotions; a fascinating behind the scenes account.

A first-hand account of a refusenik's battle to practice Judaism in Soviet Russia. An incredible story of resilience and defiance.

The wife of Israel's legendary master spy Eli Cohen tells her story

How and why Isaac Israeli's 'Yesod Olam' (Toledo 1310) underwent textual changes.

The tragic story of the Iraqi Jewish Community: how an ancient community was destroyed.

The key to understanding the Kabbalah of the middle ages, though the lens of Nachmandies' commentary on the Pentateuch.

Exploring the Ramchal's life, his conception of creation, and his belief in societal perfection.

A detailed analysis of the famous 13th-century mikveh in Friedberg Germany, and other medieval mikvaot, looking at the architecture, and attempting to answer the question, why were they dug so deep?

The importance and uniqueness of Jewish education. How the Mishnah, arranged by Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, shaped generations of Jewish children.

Assessing the context of the biblical corpus through the lens of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

A close look at the composition of a typical study hall during the early Mishnaic period. Looking for clues in the Kaufmann Manuscript of the fifth chapter of Ethics of Our Fathers.

A fascinating look at the manuscripts of Rashi found in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Drawing conclusions from variations in the text.

A look at the development of this iconic prayer based on manuscripts housed in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, one of the largest collections of Hebraic manuscripts in the world.

The Jewish moral code and the reason for the destruction of the Second Holy Temple.

An illuminating look at the Regenburg Pentateuch from 14th century Germany, housed in the Israel museum, Jerusalem, Israel.

Benjamin Wright takes an in depth look at manuscripts of Ben Sira's Sirach from the Cairo Genizah and part of the Dead Sea Scrolls, found in the caves at Qumran.

Textual analysis of fascinating manuscripts housed in Oxford's Bodleian Library, some written in Maimonides' own hand.

The interplay of positivity and negativity in the context of Jewish history and Sefirat Haomer.

A case study of how the close analysis of manuscripts yields new insights into the intellectual, social and cultural history of Chabad.

The reinvention of the Hebrew language in Europe and Israel in the mid 19th to early 20th centuries.

How a Tsarist ban on Hasidic books encouraged a boom in the dissemination of handwritten texts. Insights from a Hasidic manuscript collection in the Moses Gaster Collection of the John Rylands Library.

An interesting look at early manuscripts of the Megillah of Esther and its commentaries housed in the Bodleian Library at Oxford.

A fascinating look at the philanthropic work of the Montefiore couple. How their engagement with a wide range of Jewish communities strengthened their religious commitment.

The perceived conflict between legitimate Torah knowledge and secular knowledge and culture has often figured as a point of controversy around the publication of biographies of rabbinic figures. Following the work of historian Prof. Immanuel Etkes, Dr. Naftali Loewenthal argues that this black and white perception was not shared by rabbis in the pre-enlightenment era. Within this context he appraises recent biographical works on the Rebbe, culminating with "Early Years: The formative years of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, as told by documents and archival data, 1902-1929" by Boruch Oberlander and Elkanah Shmotkin.

A third generation Jerusalemite tells of life in Jerusalem and his personal experience liberating the Jewish quarter during the opening days of the war.

How thievery unwittingly led to a renewed interest in French Jewish History.

500 years after the Venice Ghetto was first established, scholars explore the intellectual, legal, and cultural history and legacy of the Jews of Venice and Italy.

Tracing the postwar history of Yiddish publishing in the Soviet Union, describing the infamous purge of Yiddish writers in the early 50's and the subsequent revival in the late 50's. Looking particularly at the history of the Journal 'סאוועטיש היימלאנד' (Soviet Homeland) launched in 1961, and ran until 1991, reappearing in 1993 under the title 'די אידישע גאס' (The Jewish Street.)

Dr Yossi Stepansky recounts the history of two important cities in Israel through fascinating archaeological finds.

Tracing the history and possible usage of the 'Bodleian bowl', discovered in a moat in Norfolk, east England in 1696. Examining the meaning of its Hebrew inscription and its connection to the famed Tosafist Rabbi Yechiel of Paris and his son Yosef.

Precious little is known of the tremendous devotion and self-sacrifice of Chabad activists in upholding Judaism against the oppressive Communists’ ruthless stamping out of religion. Rabbi Dovid Eliezrie shares fascinating insights and anecdotes to illustrate the clandestine and heroic activities of the Chabad underground that ultimately laid the foundation for the phenomenal rebirth of Jewish life in Russia today.

A series of talks responding to a new book on the Rebbe's social vision. Hosted by the Chabad Society at Oxford University, a group of renowned scholars offer thoughts and reflections on Social Vision: The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Transformative Paradigm for the World, by Professor Philip Wexler.

How the Chief Rabbinate of Israel can be effective in bridging the gap between religious and non-religious through a full understanding of its vitally important role.

3500 years ago Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, instructing them to ‘Remember this day on which you went out of Egypt.’ Does the retelling of the Exodus and the Passover story have relevance to contemporary events in the UK and Europe in terms of forming national identities and developing different concepts of freedom?

Daniel Mark is the Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and a professor of political science at Villanova University, where he teaches political theory, philosophy of law, American political thought, and politics and religion.

MP John Mann discusses the rampant issue of Anti-Semitism in the British Labour Party, detailing the extent and depth of the issue, his battle against it and what must be done further to combat it.

An academic analysis looking at neo-liberalism, globalization, and the rise of radical Islam as factors in the recent rise in anti-semitism in Europe, and of intolerance across the world.

Beginning with the Biblical account of Abraham's vision of the stars in the sky, the star has symbolized the enduring promise of a luminous future. But in the 20th century competing scholarly, cultural and political concerns lent this symbol new emphasis, and also caused some to discount its Jewishness entirely.

Marcus du Sautoy examines the confines of science; using props, he takes us on a journey to the edges of knowledge. Examples from the laws of probability, chaos theory, and radiation emitting uranium. This lecture explores the limitations of science from a purely non-religious standpoint.

After successfully arguing that "The BDS Movement Against Israel is Wrong" at the Oxford Union debating society, Alan Dershowitz talks about how he integrated his yeshiva education into his career as a Harvard law professor, about the past and future of advocacy for Israel, and about why he loves Chabad.

There are many approaches to the relationship between science and religion. But Einstein didn't take one consistent approach. He grappled with scientific mystery and religious wonder in different ways throughout his life.

In Isaiah Berlin's 1962 essay, The Purpose of Philosophy, he wrote that enlightenment philosophers were tormented by the same ancient questions as their ancestors "in Greece and Rome and Palestine." He clearly believed that the Jews of ancient Israel had as much to contribute to philosophy as anyone else. Yoram Hazony calls for a contemporary renaissance of a uniquely Jewish philosophical vision for all of society.

His great grandfather was a revered rabbinic scholar imprisoned by the Soviets, his grandson a card carrying communist party member who filled his London home with thousands of rare works representing vastly different worlds.

The early development of psychiatry led to medical reductionism, allowing no place for a positive interchange with religion and spirituality. But modern advances show that a sympathetic understanding of a patient's religious orientation greatly increases the practitioner's ability to effectively heal.

The effort to find common ground between psychiatry and religion, involves a search for corresponding language that is as meaningful to secular people as it is to those of religious persuasion. Historical precedent provides several intellectual and emotional avenues via which this can be achieved.

While some have debated the primacy of religion, culture, ethnicity and other factors in forging a strong Jewish identity, Professor Chaim Waxman conclusively demonstrates that Jewish identity in America is stronger, more vibrant and more durable amongst those who practice traditional Judaism.

Renowned astronomer and astrophysicist, Professor Tzevi Mazeh, is interviewed at the Oxford Chabad Society by its co-director, Freidy Brackman.

Rhodes scholar at Oxford University, Zohar Atkins, presents a paper on the unique roll of prayer and poetry in the Jewish tradition.

A musical historian provides a "show-and-tell" of various types of musical instruments mentioned in the Bible.

Exploring various interpretations of the light created on the first day and how it differs from the luminaries created on the fourth day of creation, with special attention to Rashi’s commentary as illuminated in nuances found in the manuscripts.

A detailed analysis of the Torah status of the Patriarchs and the 12 Tribes. Were they merely in the category of Noahides with extra personal commitments or did they actually convert to be Jewish? Examining many pre-Sinai narratives, as well as the commentary of Rashi, as recorded in the manuscripts, sheds light on this query.

A closer look at the manner in which Abraham approached G-d to reconsider destroying the cities of Sodom. Examining the commentary of Rashi, as recorded in the manuscripts, sheds light on the narrative.

A closer look at the opening narrative in the Torah portion of Toldot about Isaac and his offspring—examining the differencing approaches in the commentaries, with special emphasis on Rash’s interpretation through the lens of the manuscripts.

The Torah portion begins with Jacob’s return to his father’s home, “And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojourning…These are the generations of Jacob… Following a brief overview of the different interpretations in the commentaries on this verse, we focus on Rashi’s commentary, which explains with a parable of a pearl lost in the sand. When examining nuances in the manuscript, we can attempt to better understand the precise details employed in the parable.

The verse statses: “Pharaoh’s heart is heavy (kaved); he has refused to let the people out.” A closer look at the two interpretations of the word Kaved found in the commentaries, and the reason Rashi chose to translates it as ‘heavy’ (adjective), instead of ‘has become heavy’ (verb).

An examination of Rashi’s commentary on contributing a half shekel and a closer look at some discrepancies between our printed version of Rashi and an ancient manuscript housed in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

An analysis of Rashi’s second commentary in Parshat Pekudei, which addresses the repetition of the word Mishkan, and examining the nuances of the printed version in contrast to other manuscripts. (Based on Likkutei Sichot, vol. 11, pg. 175 and manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford)

Analysis of Rashi's first comment on the book of Leviticus – G-d calling Moses prior to speaking to him – through the lens of ancient manuscripts of Rashi.

Why were the sons of Aaron punished? What exactly was their sin? Rashi, as recorded in the Manuscrips, sheds light on this curious episode.

Why is the list of encampments repeated? Rashi seems to offer two different reasons; his choice of commentary is better understood upon analysis of six early manuscripts of Rashi.

Why the uncommon term for prayer for Moses’ appeal to G-d to allow him to enter the Land of Israel. Rashi, as recorded in the manuscripts, sheds light on the interpretation.

The Torah commands us against seeking out diviners, soothsayers and sorcerers. Rather, we should be “Tamim” (wholehearted) with G-d. Exploring the different interpretations of Tamim based on the commentary of Rashi through the prism of the variations in the manuscripts.

A closer look into Rashi’s commentary on the prohibition to borrow money with interest as elucidated through examining varying nuances in ancient manuscripts.

G-d tells Moses to instruct the people to take for Me an offering i.e. contributions towards building the Mishkan. Explore Rashi’s terse commentary on the words “take for me”, through the lens of the classic commentaries and variations in the manuscripts.