Author: Mark
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Interview on “Dangerous Speech” Podcast
Pleased to say that I very recently had a stimulating discussion of my book’s primary themes on Obaid Omer’s popular podcast “Dangerous Speech.” Omar, residing in Montreal, is interested in exploring illiberal trends in Canada and the US and their repercussions for our lives and liberties. Roughly the first half of this 53 minute conversation Read more
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Interview on “Third Opinion” Podcast
I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Mike Deeson, an Emmy-award winning investigative journalist, on the above podcast. It was an open-ended discussion that gave me ample opportunity to describe the main themes of of my book. I appear around the 34th minute of this 56 minute episode. I invite you to listen Read more
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How Haredi Judaism Became Illiberal
In Come Now, Let Us Reason Together I present an extended argument that rabbinic Judaism, the iteration that emerged following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE and reigned until the closing of the (Babylonian) Talmud at the start of the 7th century, was liberal in the classical sense. That is, open-minded, tolerant, Read more
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My Guest Appearance on the “Madlik [Lighting]: Disruptive Torah” Podcast
![My Guest Appearance on the “Madlik [Lighting]: Disruptive Torah” Podcast](https://uncoveringauthenticjudaism.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/pexels-photo-6549344.jpeg)
How Karl Popper’s philosophy can enhance our understanding of Torah. Read more
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Hillel: the First Great Classical Liberal
Hillel was almost certainly the most respected Jewish leader in the four decades following the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. This was, of course, the period in which rabbinic Judaism was born. Hillel is known for a number of things, but here I wish to focus on three Talmudic stories about Read more
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Another Strong Endorsement of “Come Now, Let Us Reason Together.”
I’m very pleased to have received a very favorable review of my book from Julian Ungar-Sargon, M.D. Ph.D. Dr. Sargon is a renowned neurologist, specializing in pain management. He was raised in an Orthodox household and is quite familiar with Judaism’s classic sources, including the Kabbalah and other texts of Jewish mysticism. Here is a Read more
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Rabbinic Judaism was Bold and Innovative!
In stark contrast to today’s Orthodoxy, the Judaism invented by the rabbis following the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE was willing to adapt halakhah (Jewish law) to new social conditions. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the dramatic action taken the great sage Yohanan ben Zakkai in nullifying a biblical commandment on Read more
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Non-Literal Biblical Interpretation
In Chapter 1 of my Come Now, Let Us Reason Together I propose a theological framework for interpreting the Torah (also known as the Five Books of Moses or Pentateuch) that rejects the idea that this foundational text is a factually accurate history of the Jewish people from the dawn of creation until their impending Read more
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The Oral Law from Sinai
The doctrine of the Oral Law from Sinai is one of the essential theological principles of Orthodox Judaism. The basic idea is that in addition to the written Torah (Pentateuch) handed down by God to Moses at Mt. Sinai, God also conveyed the oral Torah, that explained in detail how the 613 laws of the Read more
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Strong Recommendation for “Come Now, Let Us Reason Together”
I am very pleased to have received the enthusiastic endorsement of my book, quoted below, from Rabbi Scott A Hoffman Ph.D, the spiritual leader of Congregation Adath Jeshurun in Louisville, KY. Rabbi Hoffman received his doctorate in rabbinics from NYU. I am very grateful that he invested his valuable time to read this text carefully Read more