Theological Essays
Theological Essays by Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon.
Norah Alila : Divine Complicity in Human Malfeasance
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon explains the concept of Nora Alilut, attributed to the medieval scholar Moses Ibn Ezra. He traces the concept through the world of the chassidic masters and puts his own spin on its resonance in today's day and age.
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon weighs in on the dispute between Simkovich and Millikowsky on the subject of circumcision.
The Schechina Consciousness and Reb Nachman’s Lost Princess
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon draws a line from Rebbe Nachman's concept of the Heart and the Zohar's depiction of the anthropomorphized "Ayalta."
Sibling Romance As Metaphor For Divine Fracture
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon examines a Midrash from Eicah Rabbah in which a dramatic story is retold about two enslaved siblings. He draws our attention to the symbolic resonance between the intimacy of the siblings in the story and the Rabbinic understanding of the Divine.
The Absent Seventh Beggar: More Thoughts
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon revisits Reb Nachman's Tale of the Seven Beggars that he discussed here and offers some new insights
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 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
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"
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 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
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
In this essay, Dr. Julian Ungar-Sargon tackles one of Rabbi Nachman's most enigmatic parables.
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
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
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
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.
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?"
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.
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
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.
