Torah as Access Codes to the Divine: Divine Script
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon discusses a passage from the Degel, the grandson of the Bal Shem Tov, in this essay on the power of the divine script to heal broken souls.
The Fugue and Reading the Text and Myself
The Fugue and Reading the Text and Myself
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon offers a meditation on the Bach C Sharp minor fugue from the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier. Through a a close reading of the musical scholarship on this fugue, Dr. Ungar illuminates the process of reading sacred texts.
Tikkun Olam
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon reads the concept of "Tikun Olam" against the grain in this illuminating essay.
The Tears of Moses
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon juxtaposes two instances in which tears are said to have written a text. The first is from Rabbi Nachman's Story of the Lost Princess and the second is Moses writing the last 8 verses of the Torah.
The Divine Wound
In this stream of consciousness essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon moves effortlessly from Caravaggio, to his son, Naftali Zvi's writing, to the Hasidic master Rebbe Kalonymous Kalman Schapira.
Lessons for the Foetus
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon presents a series of Talmudic passages about the fetus. As he guides us through these fascinating teachings, a series of lessons emerge.
The Great Brotherly Argument
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon examines two approaches to the service of God: The bottom-up approach and the top-down approach.
Frogs and Self-Sacrifice
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon explores the symbolism of frogs in the mythology of different cultures.
The Music of Midnight
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon shares some Torah on the occasion of the yartzheit of Rabbi Noam of Elimelech.
Matriarchs and Martyrdom: From Sarah to Rabbi Akiva
Matriarchs and Martyrdom: From Sarah to Rabbi Akiva
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon meditates on the history of martyrdom in the Jewish tradition.
The Tears of Rashi
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon offers a radical new reading of the first Rashi on the Torah and in so doing, he sheds light on the Midrashic imagination.
Parable of the Banished Wife
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon argues that both faith and disbelief have an important place in the Jewish tradition in this riveting essay that draws on a parable from Rabbi Nachman of Breslov.
Dancing With the Pain at the Footstool of God
Dancing With the Pain at the Footstool of God
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon explores the radical idea shared by both Simone Weil and Rabbi Nachman of Breslov that God hides in suffering and pain.
Middot
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon provides an in-depth exploration of the 13 principles that animate the Oral Tradtion.
Re-visioning God: Acceptance After Sin
Re-visioning God: Acceptance After Sin
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon tries to articulate a non-toxic vision of the Divine through Hasidic and Kabbalistic sources.
The Alexanderer Rebbe’s Three Tales
The Alexanderer Rebbe’s Three Tales
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon presents three Hasidic tales that offer insight into the question of evil and its role in a post-Holocaust age.
The Kabbalah of Pain
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon explores a Kabbalistic approach to suffering and describes the post-Holocaust theology that emerges from it.
Rabbi Akiva and Suffering
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon looks at the figure of Rabbi Akiva and through a combination of sources examines the manner in which he serves as a lens to different approaches to suffering in the Jewish tradition.
Yom Kippur 2006
On Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon spends time in his beloved study surrounded by his burgundy books before his pregnant daughter joins him. They share a moment reading and interpreting a text before he leaves. Despite the sacredness of the holiday, the author feels elated and calm, and reflects on the intersection of personal instinct and religious law.
The Agony of the Yarmulka
In this personal essay, Julian Ungar-Sargon discusses his discomfort with wearing a yarmulke in public as an observant Jew in a secular world. He explores the history and significance of the tradition, and reflects on the tension between standing out as a Jew and the desire for anonymity. He also considers the cultural context of living among millions of Jews in New York and Israel, and the meaning of ritual in that context.