Truth emerges from disagreement and debate (thought for the Day)
This is a recording of Rabbi Sacks' 'Thought for the Day', delivered on BBC Radio 4 on Friday 10th November 2017.
Nov 13, 2017•3 min
The Rabbi Sacks Legacy
Follow the audio shiurim, lectures and speeches of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, global religious leader, philosopher, author of over 30 books and moral voice for our time. Rabbi Sacks served as Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth between September 1991 and September 2013. A full biography - together with an extensive online archive of Rabbi Sacks' work - is available at www.rabbisacks.org or you can follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @rabbisacks.
Last refreshed: ⓘ
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episodes
C&C 5778 - Chayei Sarah - The World's Oldest Man
What is Judaism? A religion? A faith? A way of life? A set of beliefs? A collection of commands? A culture? A civilisation? It is all these, but it is emphatically something more. It is a way of thinking, a constellation of ideas: a way of understanding the world and our place within it. Judaism contains life-changing ideas. Each week as part of his Covenant & Conversation series for 5778, Rabbi Sacks will explore a single life-changing idea in the Hebrew Bible. You can download a written ve...
Nov 07, 2017•8 min
Fake news erodes the moral ecology on which liberty depends (Thought for the Day)
Rabbi Sacks delivered the 'Thought for the Day' on BBC Radio 4 on Friday 3rd November in which he spoke about the challenged posed to society by the phenomenon of "fake news".
Nov 06, 2017•3 min
C&C 5778 - Vayera - The Space Between Us
What is Judaism? A religion? A faith? A way of life? A set of beliefs? A collection of commands? A culture? A civilisation? It is all these, but it is emphatically something more. It is a way of thinking, a constellation of ideas: a way of understanding the world and our place within it. Judaism contains life-changing ideas. Each week as part of his Covenant & Conversation series for 5778, Rabbi Sacks will explore a single life-changing idea in the Hebrew Bible. You can download a written ve...
Nov 01, 2017•7 min
Rabbi Sacks accepts The Irving Kristol Award from the American Enterprise Institute
On 24th October 2017, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks received the American Enterprise Institute's Irving Kristol Award at a gala dinner in Washington DC. The Irving Kristol Award is the highest honour conferred by the American Enterprise Institute. AEI gives the award annually to an individual who has made exceptional intellectual and practical contributions to improve government policy, social welfare, or political understanding.
Oct 30, 2017•25 min
Inner-Directedness | Lech Lecha, Covenant & Conversation 5778
What is Judaism? A religion? A faith? A way of life? A set of beliefs? A collection of commands? A culture? A civilisation? It is all these, but it is emphatically something more. It is a way of thinking, a constellation of ideas: a way of understanding the world and our place within it. Judaism contains life-changing ideas. Each week as part of his Covenant & Conversation series for 5778, Rabbi Sacks will explore a single life-changing idea in the Hebrew Bible. You can download a written ve...
Oct 23, 2017•8 min
The Trace of God | Noach, Covenant & Conversation 5778
What is Judaism? A religion? A faith? A way of life? A set of beliefs? A collection of commands? A culture? A civilisation? It is all these, but it is emphatically something more. It is a way of thinking, a constellation of ideas: a way of understanding the world and our place within it. Judaism contains life-changing ideas. Each week as part of his Covenant & Conversation series for 5778, Rabbi Sacks will explore a single life-changing idea in the Hebrew Bible. You can download a written ve...
Oct 17, 2017•7 min
The Faith of God | Bereishit, Covenant & Conversation 5778
What is Judaism? A religion? A faith? A way of life? A set of beliefs? A collection of commands? A culture? A civilisation? It is all these, but it is emphatically something more. It is a way of thinking, a constellation of ideas: a way of understanding the world and our place within it. Judaism contains life-changing ideas. Each week as part of his Covenant & Conversation series for 5778, Rabbi Sacks will explore a single life-changing idea in the Hebrew Bible. You can download a written ve...
Oct 10, 2017•11 min
Judaism's Life-Changing Ideas | An Introduction to Covenant & Conversation 5778
What is Judaism? A religion? A faith? A way of life? A set of beliefs? A collection of commands? A culture? A civilisation? It is all these, but it is emphatically something more. It is a way of thinking, a constellation of ideas: a way of understanding the world and our place within it. Judaism contains life-changing ideas. Each week as part of his Covenant & Conversation series for 5778, Rabbi Sacks will explore a single life-changing idea in the Hebrew Bible. You can download a written ve...
Oct 10, 2017•12 min
Lessons From Kohelet - A Sukkot Shiur By Rabbi Sacks
Listen to a Sukkot shiur by Rabbi Sacks to discover what it is about the book of Kohelet that makes it such a relevant text for today's society.
Oct 03, 2017•53 min
Confusing Satan - Pre-Rosh Hashanah shiur by Rabbi Sacks
To mark the launch of 'Ceremony and Celebration: An Introduction to the Holidays' (published by Maggid Books), Rabbi Sacks delivered a pre-Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur shiur entitled 'Confusing Satan'. Before listening, please download the accompanying source sheet here: http://rabbisacks.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/RH-5778-source-sheet.pdf.
Sep 17, 2017•1 hr 1 min
Understanding Prayer: Heart, Mind and Soul
This track is the audio versions for a series of ten videos Rabbi Sacks produced called 'Understanding Prayer: Heart, Mind and Soul'. These videos - and transcripts - can be viewed at www.RabbiSacks.org/Prayer. Jews around the world are approaching the High Holy Days of the Jewish year - Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is the spiritual high moment of the Judaism and a time when we focus intensely on our prayers and how we want to live our lives, where we have succeeded and where we might have f...
Sep 15, 2017•46 min
CC 5777 - Nitzavim-Vayelech - Why Be Jewish?
Vayelech-Nitzavim. Rabbi Sacks continues the conversation from last week on the eternal covenant between God and the Jewish people, and how it affects every one of us. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Sep 13, 2017•11 min
C&C 5777 - Ki Tavo - Covenant and Conversation
Ki Tavo. Rabbi Sacks speaks this week of the eternal covenant between God and the Jewish people, which is formed and maintained through conversation and loyalty. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Sep 06, 2017•13 min
C&C 5777 - Ki Teitse - Two Types of Hate
Ki Teitse. Rabbi Sacks speaks this week of the seemingly strange command against Amalek. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Aug 30, 2017•10 min
C&C 5777 - Shoftim - The Consent of the Governed
Shoftim. Rabbi Sacks speaks this week of how the Torah is the eternal voice on ideals for society, democracy, politics, freedom and human dignity. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Aug 22, 2017•11 min
C&C 5777 - Reeh - The Limits of Grief
This week we read the parsha of Re'eh, where Rabbi Sacks will discuss how Jewish law (Halakhah)sets clear guidelines for mourners, allowing us to honour both the dead and the living, sustaining the delicate balance between grief and consolation, the loss of life that gives us pain, and the re-affirmation of life that gives us hope. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Aug 16, 2017•10 min
Lessons in Leadership - Responses for the Harvard Business School's Executive Education Programme
Rabbi Sacks was recently asked some questions on the subject of leadership by a student on the Executive Education Programme at the Harvard Business School. The questions focussed on his own leadership journey and the lessons he has learnt along the way. The video, originally intended just to help the student with her assignment, ended up being shown to her entire course (with our permission!). So we thought we would share the audio of it with you here. In this recording, Rabbi Sacks offers answ...
Aug 11, 2017•15 min
C&C 5777 - Eikev - Why Civilisations Fail
Eikev. What is the real challenge of maintaining a free society? Rabbi Sacks takes a look at this week's parsha of Eikev, to emphasise the key ways that religion strengthens a sustainable society. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Aug 08, 2017•9 min
C&C 5777 - Vaetchanan - Philosophy or Prophecy?
Va'etchanan. Rabbi Sacks enters into the ages old debate on whether the first of the ten commandments is truly the first of the 613 mitzvot, and by breaking down this question, he examines how we view the essence of commandments. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Aug 02, 2017•10 min
C&C 5777 - Devarim - The Book of the Covenant
Devarim. Rabbi Sacks raises and answers three fundamental questions about the book of Devarim. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Jul 26, 2017•11 min
Cultural Climate Change: The Role of Religion in a Secularised West
On Thursday 13th July, Rabbi Sacks delivered a keynote lecture on the concept of what he called 'Cultural Climate Change' and what religion has to offer in an increasingly secularised West. The lecture was hosted by The Chautauqua Institution, an arts and cultural lifelong learning community on the shores of Lake Chautauqua in Western New York.
Jul 21, 2017•55 min
How we can face the future without fear, together (Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, TED2017)
It's a fateful moment in history. We've seen divisive elections, divided societies and the growth of extremism -- all fueled by anxiety and uncertainty. "Is there something we can do, each of us, to be able to face the future without fear?" asks Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. In this electrifying talk at TED2017, the spiritual leader gives us three specific ways we can move from the politics of "me" to the politics of "all of us, together."
Jul 19, 2017•13 min
C&C 5777 - Mattot Masei - The Prophetic Voice
Mattot-Masei. Jewish prophets were the world’s first social critics and their message continues through the centuries. Rabbi Sacks takes a look this week at prophetic truths, and what we must learn from them today. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Jul 18, 2017•11 min
C&C 5777 - Pinchas - Influence and Power
Pinchas. When Moses asks for God to appoint a successor to lead the people, God gives him precise instructions for a three-step process. What is the significance of these detailed instructions? What does it tell us about the nature of leadership in Judaism? Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Jul 11, 2017•8 min
C&C 5777 - Balak - A People That Dwells Alone - OR - The Exception to the Rule
Balak. "How and why are Jews different. The biblical answer is surprising and profound..." Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Jul 05, 2017•8 min
C&C 5777 - Descartes Error - Chukkat
Chukat. The Jewish laws known as chukkim are not meant to be necessarily understood by us, but nevertheless they should be followed. In the light of recent neuroscience we can suggest that they are laws designed to bypass the prefrontal cortex, the rational brain, and create instinctive patterns of behaviour to counteract some of the darker emotional drives at work in the human mind. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice...
Jun 28, 2017•8 min
C&C 5777 - Korach - A Lesson in Conflict Resolution
Korach. "The Korach rebellion was the single most dangerous challenge to Moses’ leadership during the forty years that he led the people through the wilderness." How was this conflict resolved? Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Jun 21, 2017•9 min
C&C 5777 - Shelach Lecha - Freedom Needs Patience
Shelach Lecha. You can take the Jewish people out of Egypt but it's far harder to take Egypt out of the Jewish people. Rabbi Sacks explores how the people changed their mindset after being freed from slavery. Covenant and Conversation 5777 is kindly supported by the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl z”l.
Jun 12, 2017•8 min
C&C 5777 - Behaalotcha - Leadership Beyond Despair
Beha'alotecha. "We identify with the heroes of the Bible because, despite their greatness, they never cease to be human, nor do they aspire to be anything else. Hence the phenomenon of which the sedra of Beha’alotecha provides a shattering example: the vulnerability of some of the greatest religious leaders of all time, to depression and despair." Rabbi Sacks takes a look at this week's parsha, to learn from biblical leaders like Moshe, who continued on to greatness even after reaching their low...
Jun 05, 2017•9 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android