Objective of “Unapologetics”
I aim to elevate human consciousness through powerful Torah concepts.
The Torah teaches profound ways of thinking about what it means to be human, how to understand the universe, and how to conduct our lives. These ideas are hidden in the texts, often under multiple layers of surface-level meanings; I aim to bring those ideas to light and present them in a manner accessible to people of various backgrounds and training. I aim to explore the Torah’s lessons and present them with no embellishment, articulating the core points and presenting them in a clearcut and actionable way.
A reader phrased it best: Think of these essays as a cheat code to a deeper reality.
Reflecting my objective to present core Torah ideas in their essential, inner form, this essay series is named “Unapologetics.” It is important, now more than ever, that we explore, discuss and disseminate the core truths of the Torah with no apology, in a manner that is explicit about its ends and universal, and not bound to a particular culture or experience.
What to Expect
I plan to write a bi-weekly essay, usually about a topic related to the week’s Torah-portion. In order to focus on the core ideas and keep the essays accessible to a wide audience, I will develop only the idea itself, in plain English, without providing the sources. I won’t quote philosophers or philosophies with which the Torah agrees or disagrees, which might distract from the focus of the essay; I will present only the Torah’s point of view, on its own terms.
Subscriptions
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The fee for subscriptions is $7.50/month, cancellable at any time. If you believe in this project and want to support it even further, consider becoming a founding member. Information for that option is available in the link below. If this is something you want to learn more about, please feel free to contact me.
I understand that paying a subscriber’s fee is not for everyone. Maybe you’re just browsing, maybe you need some time until you feel that a subscription is right for you, or maybe this is not something you can afford right now. That’s perfectly okay, and it would be a shame to restrict the wide and further widening readership of these important ideas by demanding a subscription fee. With this in mind, I have decided to allow free subscriptions the same access as paid subscriptions. Please continue reading, enjoying and growing, until you are ready to upgrade to paid. Meanwhile, you can support the growth and popularity of “Unapologetics” by liking, commenting and – even more importantly – by sharing essays with friends and acquaintances.
Sources
Every word of these essays is Torah, or at least my interpretation thereof, based on Tanach, Midrash, Talmud and all of Torah literature. I will provide a few references after each essay, but those alone won’t be sufficient – for most people – to fully reconstruct the derivation of the idea from the Torah.
If you’re interested in a fuller understanding of how these Torah-ideas developed, I recommend that you explore my books and lectures.
My 3 books in Hebrew – Oros Yaakov, NY 2017, Mishnas Yaakov, NY 2019, and Ha’Aretz asher Areka, NY 2023, are good sources for learning about my thought process and techniques, and present many of the ideas that you will read about here.
Oros Yaakov is available for purchase here: Oros Yaakov | ebay; Mishnas Yaakov is available for purchase here: Mishnas Yaakov | eBay; Ha’Aretz asher Areka is available for purchase here: Ha'Aretz asher Areka | eBay.
My weekly lectures on Chumash are accessible here: The Secrets of Chumash with Rabbi Shnayor Burton on Apple Podcasts and on YouTube (Shnayor Burton - YouTube); lectures on fundamental subjects in Jewish thought are accessible here: The Great Sources with Rabbi Shnayor Burton on Apple Podcasts; and conversations on select topics are accessible here: The Book of Memories on Apple Podcasts.
Everything is accessible from here: Rabbi Shnayor Burton | Linktree.
Exodus, Exile and Redemption
In addition to the Unapologetics essay series, I have begun publishing a book in serial fashion, bi-weekly. For more about this exciting new project, see here:
The Land I Will Show You
I have also begun posting an English translation of my recently published book, Ha’Aretz asher Areka.
If you would like to receive emails with the ongoing translation of my new book, you will need to adjust your subscription settings.
Click on “Subscribed” above, scroll down to “Notifications,” and turn on “The Land I Will Show You.”
Contact me
Feel free to contact me with questions or comments, at: jacoblightsfoundation@gmail.com.
