Rav Tzadok and Rav Hutner

This course will explore the thought of Rav Tzadok Hakohen from Lublin (1833-1900) and Rav Yitzchak Hutner (1906-1980). The former was a hasidic rebbe for his last thirteen years whereas the latter was the long-time Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivas Chaim Berlin. R. Tzadok believed in the doctrine of “omnisignificance” which means searching for the maximum religious meaning in both halakhic details and in textual placement. In addition to that theme, we will explore R. Tzadok’s approach to the Oral Law, history, attitude to gentiles, and determinism.

R. Hutner chose to express his Jewish philosophy via commentary on the Jewish holidays. One exception, a volume of letters and essays, includes great profundity on matters of education and leadership. Among other topics, we shall analyze Rav Hutner’s ideas about devar reshut (the non-obligatory parts of religious life), emulating the Sinaitic revelation in our daily learning, and the unique nature of the Purim holiday.

Some have claimed to see R. Tzadok’s influence in R. Hutner’s thought. In our final shiur, we will test the cogency of this claim.