Who was this iconoclast?

A Rabbi addicted to gambling, who spoke out against Kabbalah. A Halachic authority and expert in Hebrew. Innovator in Jewish music, survivor of a devastating plague and speaker of great acclaim...

The 17th century provided plenty of Jewish drama - much of it unfortunate.

But no individual lived through more personal twists and turns than Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Mi’Modena. Respected and reviled, acclaimed and attacked both during his lifetime and beyond… he remains an enigma to this day.

Raised in Orthodox Jewish Amsterdam and buried in a church graveyard, Spinoza unleashed the most destructive attack on Judaism for 1,000 years.

But was he betrayed or did he betray?

Christians are in shock while the Moslem world awaits instruction from the Turkish Sultan.

In the second half of the Gaon's life, he was imprisoned twice, he initiated a ban against Chassidus and he gave direction to future generations of leaders. 

Why was the Gaon unable to carry out certain ideas? Why remain neutral in the dispute that engulfed the 1700s? And who is buried next to him?

Rabbi Hersh & Rabbi Akiva Tatz have teamed up again - bringing to life the Origins, Events, Ideas & Impact of this towering genius, in a 3-part series.

Monarchy and Power have bred controversy throughout the centuries.

Jews were often impacted by association: the Abarbanel in Portugal, Richard the Lionheart & advice from a Chief Rabbi.