Prague at the turn of the 17th century was the site of a critical period in the development of pre-modern Jewish thought. The great rabbis of that city developed a unique theology, synthesizing the rational philosophical tradition that shaped religious thought in the Middle Ages with the growing influence of Kabbalah. In doing so, they created a new kind of religious language - one that set the stage for the emergence of Hasidism in the following century. This series will explore this unique period of Jewish thought through three of its greatest representatives: the Maharal, the Keli Yakar, and the Shelah. These thinkers  provide unique and surprising ways of thinking about the nature of God, the purpose of the mitzvot, and how literally to read our sacred scriptures. Recorded in Winter 2025. 

Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mh_torah_source_sheets/WinterLectureSeries2025KasherGolemPart3.pdf