Pirkei Avot—The Misunderstood Masterpiece Ep. 4: The Majesty and Humility of Judah the Prince

A free, 6-part audio course

Traditionally studied each week between Passover and Shavuot, Avot may be the most beloved tractate in the rabbinic cannon; but its purpose and teachings may also be misunderstood. In this new audio course from the Tikvah Fund, Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik provides learned insight into the unique lives and worldviews of the rabbinic sages featured in the tractate. He thereby shows how to understand Avot as what it really is: an intellectual history of Jewish minds that were often in debate, and who offered solutions to challenges in a post-Temple world that was in many ways not unlike our own.

Episode 4: Great historical figures often cannot imagine the world without them. Rabbi Judah the Prince, one of the greatest leaders of Jewish history, presents a stark exception to the rule. Rabbi Soloveichik tells his story and examines the relationship between authority and mortality, greatness and humility.