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January 31, 2024

Habits of the Heart: Rabbinic Perspectives on Human Temperament and Character

Rabbi Alex Israel

Rabbi Alex Israel

Rabbi Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi, Midreshet Lindenbaum and Matan, and director of Community Education, Summer Programs, and the Elmad online learning platform at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.

Born and raised in London, Rabbi Israel moved to Israel in 1991 and received S’micha (Rabbinic ordination) from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate following several years of study at Yeshivat Har Etzion. Rabbi Israel holds degrees from London School of Economics, the Institute of Education, London, and Bar Ilan University.

His first book “I Kings – Torn in Two” was published in 2013 to great acclaim, and its companion volume “II Kings – In a Whirlwind” in 2019. Rabbi Israel has lectured widely at campuses and communities on five continents. His writings may be found at www.alexisrael.org.

Click here to access podcasts recorded by Alex Israel.

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In this class we shall examine rabbinic voices on our human traits and dispositions. Topics to be discussed include Gratitude, Speech and Silence, Tension and Tranquility, Materialism, Thought vs. Action, Joy and Happiness, & Finding Meaning.

Sources will come from across the spectrum of the Rabbinic and philosophical bookshelf, from Torah and Pirkei Avot to Rebbi Nachman and Rabbi Sacks.

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Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4

Session 5

Session 6

Session 7

Session 1: Source

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Session 2: Source

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Session 3: Source

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Session 4: Source

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Session 5: Source

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Session 6: Source

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Session 7: Source

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