The first episode of David Solomon’s Elul Zoom lecture series, The Power of Change, the Challenge of Teshuva, considers early biblical figures whose individual examples of teshuva illustrate a range of human responses to this powerful idea of self-investigation, repentance, and remorse.
David examines four biblical stories, those of:
- Cain
- Avimelech
- King Saul
- King David
each of whom acknowledged their transgressions in varying ways, providing fascinating insights into how different people accept responsibility for their mistakes or misdeeds – and what complete teshuva looks like.
Drawing on biblical narratives and commentary from the prophets, the Talmud and more modern thinkers, David explores ideas of personal responsibility and genuine repentance. He also discusses how these biblical examples address questions of forgiveness and redemption.
As always, David provides biblical and historical context to the discussion and invites his audience to examine these big ideas in relation to the text and themselves.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:10 — 17.8MB)
This is the first lecture in a four-part series presented via Zoom for Caulfield Shule in 2020 as part of its scholar-in-residence program.