Jewish Angels & Demons, Yesterday and Today
Three Tuesday Mornings
(May 13, 20, 27)
Time: 12-1:15 PM ET
Instructor: Rabbi David Greenspoon
Location:
Zoom Classroom
Standard Class Rate: $120
Base Rate: $80
(Subsidized by Haberman Institute donors)
All interested students are encouraged to join our classes. Should registration rates become a barrier to enrollment, please contact our Executive Director, Matthew Silverman.
Join us for a new three-week course, delving into the world of Jewish angels and demons from ancient times through today.
Session #1: Bible and Postbiblical Literature
How do you know an angel when you see one?
We will explore selections of Biblical literature to understand the underappreciated guises in which angels appear in the Hebrew Bible, notably Genesis and Psalms. We will also dig into selections of Postbiblical literature for a taste of the Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, and Qumran texts to find the creations of angels, the various categories of angels (including fallen angels,) and the Angelic Priesthood.
Session #2: Rabbinic Traditions
How did the sages of the Talmud and Midrash understand angels?
The Sages respond to earlier traditions with a dizzying array of angels and demons, angelic choirs, the determinations of angelic modalities and limits, and the bold suggestion of Angels as Demigods.
Session #3: Moses' Storming Heaven and Sandalphon
Angels of Fire are not the only challenge!
Moving into a sustained narrative text, we will explore the incredible tale of Moses's ascension to Heaven to claim the Torah, the beings he encountered, and especially Sandalphon, the twin brother of the archangel Metatron.
Rabbi David Greenspoon loves bringing the sweeping story of Jewish history and the Jewish people to life. His engaging style and contagious passion encourage students of all ages and backgrounds. Rabbi Greenspoon’s courses are designed to explore an inspiring world of ideas, values, and dreams of real people in the context of their time and place.
His innovative approach as an educator goes back to the earliest days of the public internet as the first rabbi teaching Torah on AOL’s Torah Chat. His writings have been published widely with appearances in the Washington Jewish Week, Baltimore Jewish Times, Jewish Bible Quarterly, and Navy Chaplain Magazine.
In 2021 Rabbi Greenspoon launched Jewtique Concierge Rabbinic Services to serve the needs of Jewish people not connected to a congregation. His warmth, compassion, and humor have made a difference in the lives of hundreds of clients since launch.
Rabbi Greenspoon is a twice veteran of the United States Navy, serving on enlisted active duty from 1981-1985, and as a reserve chaplain from 1989-1996