Kotzk Blog

by Rabbi Dr Gavin Michal

I have always been drawn to the teachings of the Rebbe of Kotzk. His approach was predicated upon uncompromising truth and intellectual independence. This allowed him to be fearless and never to succumb to societal pressures. He knew that Judaism was so much deeper and more profound than the way it was perceived by the masses and bent by religious populism. These essays, although not necessarily Kotzker in essence, are certainly Kotzk inspired.

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524) Editing Jewish texts: Between reverence and revision

501) Were some early Spanish Kabbalists defending a Maimonidean position?

461) Maimonides unplugged

460) Martyrdom in Sefaradi and Ashkenazi traditions

457) “Religion – the greatest cause of wars” (Gersonides)

456) The power (and strategy) of maintaining secret religious knowledge

454) Reconstructing the story of a Maimonidean student:

449) Maimonides on the authority of the rabbis

435) An ‘enlightened’ rejection of Maimonides

424) Avraham Ibn Chasdai's references to 'a certain Chacham'

398) Maimonides’ view on the parameters of ‘faith in the sages’

396) Which Ovadiah the Ger?

391) Does morality come from religion or does religion adopt morality?

374) Stagnation in the inquiry into reasons for the commandments

372) R. Yitzchak Arama and the subtle demise of Jewish rationalism

364) Who should lead – the rabbis or the representatives of the people?

363) Trying to define the theology of Abravanel

355) R. Moshe Ibn Gigatila: The Psalms are just prayers

339) DO SOME KABBALISTIC NOTIONS OF G-D VIOLATE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MONOTHEISM?

306) THE ZOHARIC EMPHASIS ON AVRAHAM AS DISSEMINATOR OF NON-JEWISH MYSTICISM: