Who is Righteous?

Course Title: Who is Righteous?
Program: Hebrew College Open Circle Jewish Learning: Texts and Traditions
Instructor: Rabbi Eric Gurvis (Read bio)
Dates: July 11, 18, 23; August 1, 8, 2023 (5 sessions)
Day and Time: Tuesdays 7-8:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Online via Zoom
Session: Summer 2023
Fee: $180 Generous Financial Scholarships available

In Deuteronomy tradition we are taught, “Justice, justice shall you pursue.” Early in the Rabbinic period the legend of a quorum of righteous person developed as our Sages understanding of what it takes to sustain the world. Over time, this evolved into the tradition that in each generation there must be at least thirty-six righteous persons for the world to be sustained. These people, often hidden, became known as the lamed-vavnikim (lamed+vav=36).

• What do these teachings mean for us in our time?
• What does it mean to be a righteous person?
• Whom did tradition hold up as a model?
• How can these teachings inspire us to pursue righteousness in our lives, and in our time?

We will explore texts from across the breadth and depth of Jewish tradition (in translation).

Hebrew College Open Circle Jewish Learning is for learners of all backgrounds.