x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind

Lobel Center for Jewish Classical Education

Welcome to The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind, a podcast that tells the story of the prophets, philosophers, and poets who created the West. In this podcast, Rabbi Dr. Mitchell Rocklin guides listeners through more than 3,000 years of Western history, offering a coherent, civilizational story of how the West came to be—along with a deepened understanding of the challenges it now faces. While many of the texts discussed will be familiar to students of the humanities, Rabbi Rocklin

history judaism

All Episodes

46:11

Gulliver's Travels: Satirical Criticism of the...

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/03/31

The first real criticism of the Enlightenment can be found in Jonathan Swift's satirical novel Gulliver's Travels. While we survey the book, we'll address the following questions: How does Swift's emphasis on human character critique the Enlightenment notion of homo universalis? In what way does Gulliver's Travels argue that man is not nearly as rational as Enlightenment philosophers have presumed him to be? Why does Swift seem to reject the concept of striving for immortality? Recommended

en

37:49

Robinson Crusoe II: Master of His Own Destiny

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/03/25

Daniel Defoe's Enlightenment experiment continues in the second half of Robinson Crusoe. As we continue our survey, we'll answer the following questions: How does the novel reflect the Enlightenment view of progress as vital for the development of human civilization? Why is there a notable lack of women throughout Robinson Crusoe? In what sense can the novel be considered an updated, Enlightenment version of the Christian story of the prodigal son? Recommended Reading: Defoe, Daniel. Robinson

en

31:33

Robinson Crusoe I: The Individual as a Thought...

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/03/18

Daniel Defoe will put Enlightenment thought to the test in his novel Robinson Crusoe. To help us explore the book, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How does Robinson Crusoe develop a rational response to the question of how man should respond to suffering? Why do Crusoe's labors on his island occupy a central role in the narrative? In what sense can Crusoe's religious experience in the novel be considered Jewish-inspired? Recommended Reading: Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. 1719

en

39:21

John Locke: Philosopher of Liberty

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/03/11

John Locke will take a different approach to society and government than Hobbes, one which will eventually be very important to the United States. As we dive deeper into the topic, we'll address the following questions: How does Locke's perspective on the state of nature inform his divergence from Hobbes in their respective views on sovereignty? How does Locke come to the conclusion that the individual has natural rights? According to Locke, why is absolute monarchy an illegitimate form of

en

38:29

Thomas Hobbes: A New Vision of Government

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/03/04

Thomas Hobbes will redefine the way we understand both government and society. Today, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: Why did Hobbes dispense with the Medieval notion of customary rights? According to Hobbes, why is the role of the sovereign to ensure the security of the people? In was sense did Hobbes break from the ancient understanding that government was natural and dedicated to the flourishing of man? Recommended Reading: Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan. 1651.

en

37:22

The Spirit of Liberty: The Enlightenment and Modern...

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/02/25

As the Enlightenment expanded to different areas of Europe, thinkers continued to focus on the liberty of the individual. As we continue our exploration of this era, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: Why was John Locke's view on property important in the development of the Enlightenment? How did Enlightenment philosophy create conditions for Jews to be able to assimilate into society? In what ways did Rousseau begin to break away from the Enlightenment?

en

33:05

The Enlightenment: Philosophy Par Excellence?

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/02/18

Western thought will begin to shift towards universal laws and individual rights with the advent of the Enlightenment. As we unpack that idea, we'll address the following questions: In what way was the notion of progress emphasized in the Enlightenment? Why did Enlightenment thinkers begin to see all human beings as fundamentally the same? How did the Enlightenment lead to the notion that the purpose of society is the preservation of individual dignity?

en

56:20

French Drama and Culture: Moliere and Racine

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/02/12

Out of the seventeenth century would emerge two of France's greatest playwrights: Moliere and Racine. To help us learn more about them, we'll address the following questions: How did French Neoclassicism develop in response to the political tension between France and Spain? In what sense did the Neoclassical spirit inspire French drama and distinguish it from English drama? Was Moliere truly the revolutionary that later republicans assumed him to be? Recommended Reading: Aslanov, Cyril. New

en

30:26

Milton, Selden, and Harington: Scholars of the...

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/02/04

The work of the major seventeenth century Christian Hebraists led to important advances in the development of the individual. As we learn more about this topic, we'll address the following questions: How does Milton's knowledge of Midrash support his retelling of the Biblical stories in Paradise Lost? In what sense were Milton's views on marriage and divorce informed by his love of the individual? Why did Selden turn to the Talmud to try to and reconcile reason, natural law, and tradition?

en

33:22

Donne, Dryden, and Pope: 17th Century English Poets

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/01/28

The great poets of the seventeenth century are noteworthy in their innovations in engaging with earlier literature to promote their own ideas. As we explore why they are still relevant, we'll also answer the following questions: How did John Donne's love poems reflect the inward shift from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance? What was particularly innovative about John Dryden's translation of Virgil's Aeneid? How did Alexander Pope use poetry to transform the medieval story of Abelard and Heloise?

en

35:35

Newton and Leibniz: Of Universal Laws and Geniuses

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/01/21

Many people know about Isaac Newton and his proverbial apple, but he and his contemporary, Leibniz, were responsible for a much wider array of scientific and mathematical advances. As we learn about these two thinkers, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: How did Isaac Newton build on the newer tradition of inductive reasoning rather than the older, scholastic method of assumptions? According to Newton, how do the universal laws of nature bolster one's faith in and

en

39:20

Empiricism and Astronomy: Copernicus, Galileo, and Bacon

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/01/14

There are some figures of the Scientific Revolution who stand out in the annals of history. As we study a few of those monumental figures, we'll explore the following questions: Why did Copernicus dedicate his scientific book, On the Revolutions, to the pope? How did Galileo mount a religious defense of Copernicus' heliocentric model of the solar system? According to Bacon, in what sense did logic become a problematic discipline within the study of philosophy? Recommended Reading: Copernicus,

en

38:15

From Natures to Nature: The Scientific and...

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2026/01/07

The Scientific Revolution will change the way humanity understands and relates to the natural world. As we learn more about this period, we'll uncover answers to the following questions: How did the Scientific Revolution lead to an English sensibility that things ought to be useful? In what sense did Newton's universal laws lay the groundwork for a decline in religious observance? Why was the Julian calendar replaced with the Gregorian calendar during this period?

en

38:37

Europe Goes to War: The Shift from French to British...

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2025/12/31

A series of wars in the eighteenth century will eventually lead to a recently-unified Britain as the new, dominant world power. As we move forward in history, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: How did the French and English responses to their respective financial crises pave the way for future English dominance? Why were the wars of the eighteenth century characterized by fewer casualties overall than the wars of both prior and later centuries? How did Maria Theresa manage

en

43:03

Of Manners and Mores: The Socioeconomic Modernization...

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2025/12/24

As culture changed across Europe, social and economic expectations shifted accordingly. On today's episode, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: How did the growth of high culture lead to a decline in local dialects and a rise in vernacular languages? Why was there a crackdown in the seventeenth century on carnivals and similar types of entertainment? When it came to changing European diet and culture, why was sugar crucial?

en

38:47

Austria, Prussia, and Russia: The Rise of Central and...

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2025/12/17

While Poland will weaken and will eventually collapse, Austria, Prussia, and Russia will rise as they begin to consolidate power. To help us dive deeper into the topic, we'll address the following questions: Why were Poland and the surrounding territories particularly conducive for Jewish life to flourish? Even as European society modernized, why were Prussian aristocrats still drawn to military service? Why had Russia historically been culturally distinct from western Europe, and why did Peter the

en

41:51

Descartes and Pascal: The Emergence of the French Mind

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2025/12/10

The fields of modern mathematics and philosophy owe a great deal to René Descartes and Blaise Pascal. As we learn more about the two thinkers, we'll explore the following questions: How did Descartes balance the tension between skepticism and certainty in his philosophical writings? According to Descartes, why is it important to study foreign languages? Why did Pascal sharply criticize Descartes' approach to reason? Recommended Reading: Decartes, René. Discourse on Method. Barzun, Jacques. From

en

27:35

The Rise of Western Europe II: Revolutionary England...

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2025/12/03

While the king in France amasses more power and splendor to himself, the English monarchy undergoes a drastic change. To help us unpack the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How did the English Bill of Rights establish the strength of the English parliament? Under the leadership of Louis XIV, how and why did France become the envy of Europe? How did the War of Spanish Succession threaten to reshape Europe?

en

40:17

The Rise of Western Europe I: The Netherlands and...

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2025/11/26

The balance of power in Europe will shift dramatically in the seventeenth century. On today's episode, we'll uncover answers to the following questions: For such a small country, how did the Netherlands succeed in becoming a dominant power in Europe in the seventeenth century? Why did Englishmen place great value in this time on being a landowner? What brought about the English Revolution? Why was the monarchy restored after the death of Oliver Cromwell?

en

38:35

Don Quixote II: Towards A New Model of Heroism

The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind ·

2025/11/19

Miguel de Cervantes will propose a new type of hero for an age that has moved beyond the knight in shining armor. As we continue our survey of Don Quixote, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How does Don Quixote's title, "Knight of the Sorrowful Face," reflect Cervantes' critique of modernity? In what sense is there a small piece of Don Quixote in every man? In spite of all his antics and madness, how can Don Quixote be a model for behavior for the reader? Recommended Reading:

en

119 results

Similar Podcasts

The Old Front Line

Paul Reed

Today In History with The Retrospectors

The Retrospectors

جنود خلدهم التاريخ

ALSUMOOD PODCAST

Film History - Daily

Inception Point Ai

Madonna - Biography Flash

Inception Point Ai