Text-based study enhances Torah study skills
Developed specifically for online, in-depth learning
Taught by scholars with a personal interest in the subject
Engaging topics made relevant to real life issues
About the Course
The Song of Songs is truly a beautiful story, but does this romantic rollercoaster of love really belong in the Bible? According to the great sage Rabbi Akiva, not only does it belong - but it is the holiest of all the books! In this course, we will look at it through three distinct prisms. One, the literal interpretation. Two, the historical interpretation which celebrates the connection between G-d and the Jewish people, and third, the mystical interpretation, which connects the individual soul with G-d. Roses and chocolate sold separately.
Course syllabus
In our first class, we lay the groundwork by understanding the lenses we will use to understand the book about which Akiva declared that “the world was never as worthy as the day the Song of Songs was given to Israel.” A woman in search of her love, a cryptic response, furniture shopping, and then suddenly the tables turn, he is searching for her, but she is hiding, and finally the wedding, a locked door, an anxious midnight search, and much more, let’s dive in.
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Who is courting whom in the Song of Songs? How does a heavenly soul connect to G-d in a physical world dominated by earthly wants and distractions? Is prayer about speaking or listening? What do you yearn for? Are we alone in all this? Doves, snakes, Moses, Aaron, darkness, light, wandering in the desert, coming home, the power of mirrors, and Torah—we’re bringing it all together in class two.
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We open in a beautiful garden, but whose? Why did the owner abandon it, and how does it connect to the Temple in Jerusalem? If the world is a glamorous garden, then why is it seemingly such a dark and unforgiving place? What happens when the honeymoon is over? And how can we, seemingly lowly physical beings, serve G-d on high here in exile? Let’s find out the answers in class three.
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Time flies when you’re in love, and with that we've reached our fourth and final class.
Can we be tempted by the nations of the world? How do we overcome the animal soul when it has home field advantage? What is the top down approach to prayer? What is the difference between brotherly love and marital love? Does distance make the heart grow fonder? Does G-d prefer mountains or gardens? And how can we use distance to foster connections? Let’s find out as we wrap up this epic love story.
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Level: Intermediate -
Length/Effort:30 - 45 Min/ Per Week
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Category: Tanach, Kaballah
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Institution: Chabad.org - Chabad of Greenwich
Meet the Instructor
Rabbi Menachem Feldman serves as the director of the Lifelong Learning department at the Chabad Lubavitch Center in Greenwich, Connecticut.