Episode 139: Rabbi Moshe Lichtman "Is Modern-Day Israel a Fulfillment o Prophecy?" (Audio)
About this episode
Rabbi Moshe Lichtman discusses the religious implications of Zionism and the founding of the State of Israel, exploring theological debates within the Jewish community.
Rabbi Moshe Lichtman joins us for a deep and sensitive conversation on the religious meaning of Zionism, the founding of the State of Israel, and the theological debates that continue to divide the Jewish world. We explore the widespread misconception that Zionism began with Theodor Herzl, tracing the ideological roots of the movement decades earlier and examining which rabbinic figures supported a return to the Land of Israel and why others fiercely opposed it. The discussion tackles some of the most difficult questions surrounding Religious Zionism: Can redemption begin through secular Jews who are not fully observant? What value is there in building the Land without Torah? Did Zionism unintentionally contribute to religious decline among Jews, and if so, how are we to understand the recitation of Hallel on Yom Ha’atzmaut? We also address the claim that Rav Kook stood virtually alone against the majority of rabbinic opinion and whether “following the majority” applies to these historical and theological questions. Finally, we turn to the words of the prophets themselves. Is the modern State of Israel a fulfillment of biblical prophecy? How can one identify the beginning of the…
People in this episode
Hosts: Ben Koren, Benzi Siouni
Guest: Rabbi Moshe Lichtman
Topics covered
- Zionism
- State of Israel
- Religious Zionism
- Jewish thought
- biblical prophecy
- theological debates
Keywords
- Zionism
- Israel
- prophecy
- Rabbinic opinion
- Hallel
- redemption
- messianic process
More episodes of JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED | A Guide for Today's Perplexed: Torah Foundations, Reason, and Tradition
- Episode 137: Rabbi Dr. Yosie Levine "Battlegrounds of the Early Modern Rabbinate"
- Episode 136: Rabbi Zach Millunchick "Exploring Rambam's Political Theory"
- Episode 135: Rabbanit Yael Leibowitz "Ezra-Nehemiah and Covenantal Responsibility"
- Episode 134: Alan Niku "The Forgotten History of Persian-Jewish Hakhamim"
- Episode 133: Rabbi Chaim Eisen "Why the Torah's Theology Needs to Make Sense"
- Episode 132: Rabbi Shnayor Burton "Rambam on Mashiach & Redemption"
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED | A Guide for Today's Perplexed: Torah Foundations, Reason, and Tradition podcast page.