The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Lobel Center for Jewish Classical Education
Welcome to The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind, a podcast that tells the story of the prophets, philosophers, and poets who created the West.
In this podcast, Rabbi Dr. Mitchell Rocklin guides listeners through more than 3,000 years of Western history, offering a coherent, civilizational story of how the West came to be—along with a deepened understanding of the challenges it now faces. While many of the texts discussed will be familiar to students of the humanities, Rabbi Rocklin offers a new framework for understanding them—a framework in which the teachings of the Jewish religious tradition play a central role. For, as Rabbi Rocklin explains, Western civilization can only be understood as the product of a transformative and ongoing collision between the great traditions of Jerusalem and Athens—between the religious spirit of the Jews and the philosophical spirit of the Greeks.
In this podcast, Rabbi Dr. Mitchell Rocklin guides listeners through more than 3,000 years of Western history, offering a coherent, civilizational story of how the West came to be—along with a deepened understanding of the challenges it now faces. While many of the texts discussed will be familiar to students of the humanities, Rabbi Rocklin offers a new framework for understanding them—a framework in which the teachings of the Jewish religious tradition play a central role. For, as Rabbi Rocklin explains, Western civilization can only be understood as the product of a transformative and ongoing collision between the great traditions of Jerusalem and Athens—between the religious spirit of the Jews and the philosophical spirit of the Greeks.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 13, 2025 • 40min
Josephus I: The Jewish Revolt
Josephus’ chronicling the story of the Jewish revolt would reverberate across the next two millennia of Jewish history. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: How does Josephus justify the Jewish revolt? Why should we take seriously the position of the Sicarii, the most extreme faction during the Jewish revolt, as it pertains to the spirit of the west? According to Josephus’ account, just how Jewish is the martyrdom at Masada? Recommended Reading: Josephus. Complete Works. Translated William Whiston, Grand Rapids Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1960.
Mar 11, 2025 • 37min
Colossal Split: The Separation of Judaism and Christianity
Christianity and Judaism eventually split in a fundamental way. To help us explore that rift, we’ll focus on the following questions: If the early Christians were Jewish and early Christianity was similar to Judaism, when and why did Christians develop such animosity towards Jews? How did the Romans relate to the Christians? Why was it so important for the Council of Nicaea to define Christianity and its heresies?
Mar 6, 2025 • 45min
The Dawn of a New Era: Christianity and the New Testament
It is impossible to understand the west without understanding Christianity. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: Why is the Book of Matthew considered one of the most Jewish books of the Gospels? How does Christianity fundamentally shift the covenant? What makes Christianity reject Jewish ritual law?
Mar 4, 2025 • 37min
Plutarch: Honor, Wisdom, and Duty
Plutarch’s writings remain just as relevant today as they were when he wrote them. As we survey this great Roman writer, we’ll focus on the following questions: Why are we indebted to Plutarch for the prominence of poetry in our literary canon? According to Plutarch, why should parents invest in the education of their children? How are Plutarch’s guidelines on how to learn as relevant today as they were to the imperial Roman? Recommended Reading: Plutarch, The Education of Children. Plutarch, On Listening to Lectures.
Feb 27, 2025 • 44min
From Trajan to Marcus Aurelius: Rome at its Peak
The height of the Roman Empire will come during the second century of the common era. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: What caused the Third Jewish Revolt and how did the Romans respond? What made Marcus Aurelius great as a Roman emperor? Why were Jews and Christians persecuted under Rome if the empire was largely tolerant to other religions?
Feb 25, 2025 • 31min
From Tiberius to Domitian: First-Century Rome in Turmoil
The period following the reign of Augustus was a tumultuous one in Rome. As we explore that time period, Rabbi Rocklin will help us with the following questions: Was Nero actually fiddling while Rome burned? What happened in Judea that caused the destruction of the Jewish temple? Why were the Pharisees willing to live under the yoke of Roman rule?
Feb 20, 2025 • 47min
Roman Poetry: Horace, Ovid, and Seneca
The legacy of Roman poetry is one that has stayed with us for generations. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: How did Roman poetry differ from Greek poetry, and how did it come to surpass Greek poetry? What makes Horace the most professional of the Roman poets? Why is Roman poetry and drama so important in the development of western civilization? Recommended Reading: Poetry of Dr. Hava Korzakova
Feb 18, 2025 • 31min
Rome Meets the Jews: The First Challenge to Paganism
The relationship between Rome and the Jews is critical to the further development of western civilization. As we learn about their clash, we’ll explore the following questions: How did the Jews end up in Rome and how did they deal with Roman paganism? What are the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, and why were the Pseudepigrapha important towards Rome’s relationship with the Jews? How can the relationship between Rome and the Jews be characterized as a rivalry of sorts? Recommended Reading: Judaism and Rome
Feb 13, 2025 • 39min
The Aeneid II: Rome will Rise
Rome’s founding narrative continues to take shape as we move forward in The Aeneid. Together, we’ll explore the following questions: How does Virgil use the story of the Trojan horse to show that the Romans are more virtuous than the Greeks? Why does Virgil place such an emphasis on the fact that Rome is not new? What role does history play in Virgil’s Aeneid, as contrasted with Homer’s focus on natures? Recommended Reading: Virgil. The Aeneid. Translated by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Classics, 2008.
Feb 11, 2025 • 41min
The Aeneid I: The New Hero
The Roman Empire will find its destiny rooted in Virgil’s epic, The Aeneid. As we explore the poem, Rabbi Rocklin will help us address the following questions: How is Virgil’s storytelling in The Aeneid different than Homer’s storytelling in The Iliad and The Odyssey? What was Virgil’s goal in telling the story of The Aeneid? Why is Aeneas seen as a more compelling hero than the Homeric heroes? Recommended Reading: Virgil. The Aeneid. Translated by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Classics, 2008.
