YUTOPIA

In the Spring Semester of 2011 I had the honor of addressing the NYU Jewish Law Students Association for a weekly series covering Economics and Social Justice in Jewish Law. Below are the links to the specific lectures in the order given with audio and PDF source sheets available. As always, comments are welcome. If there is interest in me delivering any of these lectures or the entire series in person, please contact me directly.

1. Free Market Ethics in Torah
2. Halakhic Market Controls
3. Halakhic Labor Laws
4. Social Welfare Programs
5. Taxes and Tzedakah (Charity)
6. The Laws and Ethics of Universal Health Care in Torah
7. Tikkun Olam

The rabbinic idiom "Tikun Olam" literally means "repairing/fixing the world" and has been invoked to promote advocacy for numerous causes and policies. But what did "Tikun Olam" mean to those who coined the phrase? In the final installment of his Economics and Social Justice in Jewish Law series, Rabbi Yuter explores the specific instances of Tikkun Olam to extrapolate and infer the ideal social system as understood by the Rabbinic Sages.

Economics and Social Justice in Jewish Law - Tikkun Olam Sources (PDF)

Economics and Social Justice in Jewish Law - Tikkun Olam

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

While the current iteration and recording of the Economics and Social Justice series is being delivered to the Jewish Law Students Association at NYU, I thought I gave a better presentation of the material in 2009. However, to complete the series, I'm reposting the audio along with the sources.

Enjoy!

Economics and Social Justice in Judaism Part 6 - The Halakhot and Ethics of Universal Health Care in Torah

Economics and Social Justice in Judaism Part 6 - The Halakhot and Ethics of Universal Health Care in Torah

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Rabbi Yuter's Politics of Exclusion class wraps up the segment on Germany with R. Jacob Ettlinger and the emergence of "Hierarchical Judaism."

Politics of Exclusion - R. Jacob Ettlinger and Hierarchical Judaism Sources (PDF)

Politics of Exclusion - R. Jacob Ettlinger and Hierarchical Judaism

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

In the fifth installment of his Economics and Social Justice series, Rabbi Yuter explores the relationship between Taxes and Tzedakah (Charity) in Jewish Law and the halakhic implications of one's perspective.

Econ and Soc Justice in Jewish Law Part 5: Taxes and Tzedakah Sources (PDF)

Economics and Social Justice Part 5 - Taxes and Tzedakah (Charity)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Rabbi Yuter's Politics of Exclusion series continues by contrasting R. Akiva Eger's positions regarding exclusion non-observant Jews with those of his son-in-law, the Hatam Sofer.

Politics of Exclusion - R. Akiva Eger Sources (PDF)

Politics of Exclusion - R. Akiva Eger

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

In the fourth installment of his Economics and Social Justice series, Rabbi Yuter discusses the concept of charity / tzedakah in Judaism from a holistic perspective, exploring the parameters of charity in creating a just social order.

Economics and Social Justice in Jewish Law - Social Welfare Programs Sources (PDF)

Economics and Social Justice in Jewish Law - Social Welfare Programs

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Rabbi Yuter's Politics of Exclusion series continues with an exploration of Hatam Sofer surprisingly nuanced approach to Judaism's perceived threats.

Politics of Exclusion - Hatam Sofer Sources (PDF)

Politics of Exclusion - Hatam Sofer

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Rabbi Yuter discusses the passage in B. Chagiga 15a-b regarding the rabbinic heretic Elisha Ben Avukah aka "Acher" and his relationship with R. Meir, focusing on the particularly Babylonian influence of the narrative.

R. Meir and Elisha Ben Avuyah / Acher Sources (PDF)

R. Meir and Elisha Ben Avuyah / Acher

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

In part 3 of his Economics and Social Justice series, Rabbi Yuter addresses the topic of Jewish Labor Laws from a holistic perspective, balancing the rights and obligations of both the employer and the employee.

Economics and Social Justice in Jewish Law - Halakhic Labor Laws Sources (PDF)

Economics and Social Justice in Jewish Law - Halakhic Labor Laws

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.