In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon presents a survey of literary, religious, and cinematic sources to support the radical idea that blasphemy may actually be an important spiritual tool.
The Month of Iyar: Rosh Codesh
The Month of Iyar: Rosh Chodesh
In this short essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon shares an insight from Rebbe Nachman about the first letters of Psalm 6:11 and the Hebrew month of Iyar.
Confronting Evil Out There and Within: Lizensk 2013
Confronting Evil Out There and Within: Lizensk 2013
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon narrates a recent pilgrimage to the burial place of Reb Elimelech of Lizensk. He reflects on the comodification of the Holocaust and the recent local appropriation of Jewish culture.
Der Schvindel Trep: The Swindling Spiral Staircase
"Der Schvindel Trep: The Swindling Spiral Staircase"
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon discusses the Baal Shem Tov's metaphor of the spiral staircase and the manner in which Rebbe Nachman stretches its meaning to include not only the divine, but also the depths of despair.
Michaelangelo’s The Creation of Adam
Adam vs. Jacob: A Study in Loneliness
Adam vs. Jacob: A Study in Lonliness
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon meditates on the different kinds of loneliness represented by the Biblical archetypes of Adam and Jacob. Dr. Ungar uses these archetypes to draw a distinction between loneliness and aloneness.
The Gartel by Shoshana Brombacher
Nakedness and Sanctity
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon explores different Jewish ideas about nakedness and the sacred. Dr. Ungar compares these ideas to those found in Herodotus and ties it all back to the Hasidic practice of wearing a gartel.
The Absent Seventh Beggar: Rabbi Nachman’s Final Parable
The Absent Seventh Beggar: Rabbi Nachman’s Final Parable
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon tackles one of Rabbi Nachman's most enigmatic parables.
Moshe's Humility
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon meditates on the meaning of Moses' humility. From the Talmud, to the Netziv, to the Kotzker Rebbe, Dr. Ungar presents a range of opinion on this topic before he circles back to offer an original interpretation of humility.
Painting by Yom Tov Blumenthal
Shlomie Toirah: The Legacy
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon attempts to describe what made Shlomo Carlebach's Torah so unique.
Rabbi Akiva Teaches Us How to Suffer
Rabbi Akiva Teaches Us How to Suffer
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon looks at the Rabbinic character of Rabbi Akiva and Reb Shimshin Ostropoli's radical understanding of him as the person who accepted responsibility for God's complicity in the sale of Joseph.
The Space Upon Which the Torah Hinges
The Space Upon Which the Torah Hinges
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon expounds upon the passage in Leviticus where Aaron's two sons are killed by God for bringing a strange fire. Dr. Ungar argues that this story points to the situation that we all too often find ourselves in facing the divine silence and being unable to make sense of the text of our lives.
Faith and Doubt: A Reading of Exodus 17
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon confronts the question of faith after the Holocaust through the Biblical text of Exodus 17:7 "Is the Lord present among us, or not?"
Quantum Hassidut- Hitbodedut
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon explains the centrality to Breslov Hassidut of the practice of Hitbodedut and provides a theoretical basis for the incorporation of both silent meditation and melodic singing into the practice.
Notes to Parshat Massei
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon discusses the wandering of the Israelites in the desert as a metaphor for our own personal struggles. Dr. Ungar's encyclopedic knowledge of Kabbalah and Hassidut serve as a touchstone for this moving metaphor.
Two Types of Managing Divine Wrath: Moses vs. Pinchas
Two Types of Managing Divine Wrath: Moses vs. Pinchas
In this essay, (which is a companion piece to this podcast), Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon examines two archetypal Biblical characters and their different approaches to managing the divine rage. Moses, with his willingness to sacrifice himself on behalf of the people and Pinchas with his willingness to kill.
Jonathan and Allenby: A Tale of Two Tricksters
Jonathan and Allenby: A Tale of Two Tricksters
In this illuminating essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon explores a little known episode in the history of British Mandate Palestine and discusses its archetypal resonance.
Phillips Machine and the Plumbing of Kabbalah
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon looks at the MONIAC (Monetary Income Analogue Computer) created by the New Zealand economist William Phillips in 1949. Dr. Ungar uses this fascinating machine as an analogy to the literal metaphors used for the Divine in Kabbalah and Hassidut.
ESTHER’S PLEA : Reading the Self in Her Struggle
ESTHER’S PLEA: Reading the Self in Her Struggle
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon takes us through the sources that deal with Esther's seduction of the Persian King Achasverous from the Midrash and Talmud up through the Hassidic Masters. A portrait of innovation and courage emerges from this brave character who demands change.
Priestly Robes and the Archetypes of Moses and Aaron
Priestly Robes and the Archetypes of Moses and Aaron
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon examines the relationship between Moses the political leader and his brother Aaron, the High Priest. Dr. Ungar weaves a reading between the lines and against the grain to help us navigate these sacred archetypes.
The Plague of Darkness
Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon launches into this textual exploration of the Dark Side with Rebbe Nachman's Tale of the Thief.