Mesorah or Moment?

About this episode

Rabbi Adlerstein and Rabbi Lerner discuss the complexities of interpreting Torah in light of contemporary values and the role of authority in religious belief.

Is the chain from Sinai linear? Or are there twists and turns - and sometimes reversals? Rabbi Adlerstein and Rabbi Lerner tackle a difficult but unavoidable question: how to understand statements by gedolei Torah that feel troubling, outdated, or out of step with contemporary values. Were those ideas always correct? Contextually necessary? Or sometimes simply mistaken? This candid conversation explores the tension between reverence and honesty, the danger of turning leaders into infallible symbols, and the responsibility each of us has in deciding what to embrace and what to set aside. Along the way, they ask a deeper question: if Torah is eternal but its application shifts, who gets to decide how—and how much?

People in this episode

Host: Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein

Guest: Rabbi Lerner

Topics covered

• Torah interpretation
• gedolei Torah
• contemporary values
• reverence vs honesty
• responsibility in belief

Keywords

• Torah
• gedolei Torah
• interpretation
• values
• religion
• spirituality
• Judaism
• authority
• tradition

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Mesorah or Moment?

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