Jewish Philosophy of Religion

Tsimtsum In Life Of Pi, Part 4 (Daniel Reiser)

The following is the last of a four-part series. The first can be found here, the second here, the third here. Is what Martel presents his readers only a pragmatic approach which demonstrates the utilitarian value of religion? Is religion “false” but nevertheless worth adopting because it provides a better (story) way of life?[1] Is God just another […]

Jewish Philosophy of Religion

Tsimtsum In Life Of Pi, Part 2 (Daniel Reiser)

The following is the second of a four-part series. The first can be found here. Hasidism, which translated Kabbalah into psychological categories, was a target of Elyashiv’s criticism.[1] He likewise opposed Kabbalists active in Jerusalem, such as R. Abraham Isaac Kook and R. Yehuda Leib Ashlag, who offered sociological or nationalistic interpretations of kabbalistic notions.[2] […]

Jewish Philosophy of Religion

Tsimtsum In Life Of Pi, Part 1 (Daniel Reiser)

The following is the first of a four-part series. Introduction* Yann Martel’s 2001 bestselling novel Life of Pi, later released in 2012 as a prize-winning box office hit, addresses themes such as religion, faith, imagination, and their relation to psychology and human life; hope and despair; and the struggle with human nature. The author promises […]