I have recently posted an online course on my website, “Judaism, Christianity, Islam.” The course, based on one that I developed and taught at Brown University, introduces these three “Abrahamic” traditions. You can follow the course in sequence, or dip into the many resources and ideas presented in it. In any case, I hope that you find it useful, and don’t hesitate to let me know what you think.
New Publications
Over the last few months a number of my essays and articles have been published; a result of the COVID induced backlog beginning to clear. Just an update on what is out there and perhaps even available, if you have database access:
1. “The Promise and Challenges of Digital Humanities for the Study of Jews and Judaism in Antiquity,” in New Approaches to Textual and Image Analysis in Early Jewish and Christian Studies, ed. G. Allen et al., (Brill, 2022), 26-43 (DOI: 10.1163/9789004515116_004). This article surveys the field of digital humanities projects in this area. My major point is that while there are a lot of resources already available, far more attention to data structure and the FAIR principles could really help us to do much more sophisticated work.
2. “The Rabbinic Citation Network,” AJS Review 46 (2022): 291-319 (DOI: 10.1353/ajs.2022.0043). This article, which I did with Michael Sperling, was a long time in coming.
Abstract: This article is the first academic attempt to apply quantitative
methods of social network analysis to the Babylonian Talmud. We make
three contributions. First, we introduce a digital methodology for finding
and analyzing the citation chains in the Bavli. Second, we use our
analysis to show the general characteristics of this network, which we
find to be limited, densely connected, and centered around just a few
rabbis at its center. Finally, we discuss three use cases that point toward
further research that could throw light on the redactorial process of
the Babylonian Talmud. This research lays the groundwork for much
future work in applying quantitative methods to rabbinic texts.
3. “Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine,” Jewish Studies Quarterly 29 (2022): 349-69 (DOI: 10.1628/jsq-2022-0021).
Abstract: This essay describes and traces the development of “Inscriptions of Israel/
Palestine,” a website devoted to collecting, making freely accessible, and analyzing
ancient inscriptions from the region of modern Israel/Palestine. The essay pays special
attention to some of the more important decisions that we have made and our
rationale behind them. One of the primary goals of this essay is to introduce the
process that we have used and the challenges that we have confronted (and continue
to confront) to scholars who are involved in or contemplating starting their
own digital humanities projects. At the end, I reflect more broadly on how what we
have learned might contribute to the development of digital humanities in the area
of Jewish studies.
4. “Does the Torah Prohibit Male Masturbation?”: Published at TheTorah.com, a short piece of the biblical story of Onan.
5. “Family/Fragments,” CCAR Journal: The Reform Jewish Quarterly 64:4 (Fall, 2022), 16-23. A bit more personal and experimental, reflecting on my academic interest in Jewish families.
Adam and Eve in the Jewish Tradition
I have typically taught adult education courses, particularly in Jewish settings. Since I do not enjoy teaching on Zoom, I have largely avoided doing so over the last few years. This semester, though, I am beginning a new one, a ten-class course on “Adam and Eve in the Jewish Tradition.” I wanted it to be fully in person but, alas, we ended up compromising on a hybrid format. In any case, my syllabus is here:
Adam and Eve in the Jewish Tradition
Spring, 2023
As the first human beings, Adam and Eve became for later Jews and Christians a rich source of reflection about the nature of humanity. Yet the biblical story of Adam and Eve is full of ambiguities. Do the first chapters of Genesis describe one creation, or two? Why did God create the first couple? Why would — or better, how could — creatures created “in the image of God” sin? What does the story teach us about human sexuality? This course will focus on how Jews, as well as the Christians with whom they were in dialogue, have interpreted this story and offered answers to these and other pressing questions.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this class, you should:
- Know the story of Adam and Eve better than you ever thought possible and, more seriously, see the many different ways it was understood in antiquity;
- Have a basic understanding of the wide range of literature produced by Jews in antiquity;
- Know the different interpretative techniques used by Jews and Christians in antiquity;
- Understand the role that the story of Adam and Eve played in the construction of gender roles among both Jews and Christians;
- Have more resources for thinking about some of the crucial issues raised in this short story, such as love and family.
Instructor
Professor Michael Satlow, Religious Studies and Judaic Studies, Brown University. My research specialization is in Jews and Judaism in antiquity, although I teach a wide range of classes. I have a blog at mlsatlow.com and I tweet @mlsatlow, and am the author of How the Bible Became Holy.
I can be reached at msatlow@gmail.com and try to respond to emails within 2 business days. I am always interested in your feedback.
Hybrid Format
You may all have had more experience learning in a Zoom environment than I have! I largely avoided Zoom and hybrid teaching, in large measure because I find the in-person learning experience to be much more productive and exciting. That said, I do realize that these are complex times, and that the use of video learning environments opens access to many.
We will thus be holding this course in hybrid format, which is something I have never done. So I beg your indulgence in advance as I figure out how best to manage a class like this. We will go over the technical details during our first class, although I have little doubt that we will have to make adjustments in the course of the semester.
Resources
We will be reading one book in its entirety, Bruce Feiler, The First Love Story: A Journey through the Tangled Lives of Adam and Eve. I would characterize this book as a meditation on the story of Adam and Eve through the lens its later interpreters, Jewish and Christian, religious and secular. I think that it will help you to see this story in a new way that might be particularly relevant.
Other readings will be posted in our shared Google Drive Folder at least a week in advance. You should print these out and bring them to class. It may also be helpful for you to always have a Bible handy. Since we’ll be referencing some New Testament texts, I would recommend Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (ISBN: 978-1585160303), but really any version would work (including only a Tanakh).
Expectations
It is a pleasure for me to teach adults, who have actual, fully-developed social skills. While you all know these things, just a few reminders:
- You are all adults with big, messy lives. I have tried to keep the readings manageable, but even so, I realize that not all of you will be able to prepare for every class, and that’s fine. Moreover, some of these readings, particularly of ancient primary texts, are complicated and difficult to understand. Do what you can; don’t work to the point of frustration. We will often go over these texts slowly and in detail in class.
- I like to run a lively class that gives you space to discuss, disagree, and develop ideas. I will typically begin class with an open-ended question about the readings, just to get an idea of what you, as a class, found interesting, confusing, etc. You should be prepared each class to say something about the readings, but since I like to hear from everyone, be concise!
- Sometimes I might break you up into smaller groups to discuss a text or issue, or work on a project. As we gel as a class, I will have a better sense of how to handle this.
- I anticipate spending some time each class lecturing, but it will not be for the majority of the class. As I speak, I welcome questions that ask for clarification. Most comments and responses, though, should wait until I finish.
- Please silence your phone during class or, even better, turn it off if you can. If you are on Zoom, please stay muted unless called upon to speak. We will figure out together how to use the Zoom chat to effectively further our discussionsyou’re your participation.
- We will have ample time for discussion. Your participation is important! I only ask that you are respectful of the opinions of others and of the time. We are all responsible for everybody’s learning, so let’s make sure that everybody has an opportunity to contribute.
- We will usually have a 10-15 minute break in the middle of the class.
- Have fun!
Tentative Schedule
| January 19 | Introduction Course introduction, and a preliminary reading of the Adam and Eve story. Please bring a copy of the Bible to class, and if you have time, reread Genesis 1-5 in advance.
You might also read the introduction (pp. 3-16) of The First Love Story.
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| January 26 | The Bible This class is a deeper dive into the story in order to better understand its complexities. Read: 1. Genesis 1-5 (again!); 2. The First Love Story, chapter 1 (pp. 19-44); 3. Ziony Zevit, What Really Happened in the Garden of Eden?, pp. 239-242 4. Optional: For an overview, Prof. Shawna Dolansky, “The Immortal Myth of Adam and Eve,” at: https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-immortal-myth-of-adam-and-eve.
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| February 2 | The Earliest Interpretations Adam and Eve are barely mentioned, if at all, in the Tanakh outside of Genesis 1-5. They do, however, appear in Jewish literature produced during the Second Temple period (520 BCE – 70 CE). Today we look at two specific examples, one from the book of Jubilees and the other from one of the Dead Sea Scrolls. I’ll give more information about these texts in class.
Reading: 1. The First Love Story, chapter 2, pp. 47-72 2. Jubilees 1-4 3. Damascus Document IV-V 4. Optional: Nir, “Did Adam and Eve have Sex before Entering the Garden of Eden? Rethinking Jubilees 6:6-12,” Henoch 36 (2014): 50-63
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| February 9 | Life of Adam and Eve Another Jewish text from the Second Temple period is more directly concerned with Adam and Eve (actually, there are several such texts but we will focus only on one), today called The Life of Adam and Eve.
Reading: 1. The First Love Story, chapter 3, pp. 75-100 2. The Life of Adam and Eve
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| February 16 | Philo Philo was a Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, Egypt, around 20 BCE – 50 CE. He has a very different understanding of the story of Adam and Eve. This is not particularly easy reading, so don’t worry if you get stuck – we’ll go over it in class!
Reading: 1. The First Love Story, chapter 4, pp. 103-125 2. Philo, Allegorical Interpretation II
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| February 23 | New Testament Adam and Eve play an important role in the New Testament which was, after all, written largely by and for Jews. Today we survey those passages.
Reading: 1. The First Love Story, chapter 5, pp. 129-151 2. Matthew 5:32, 19:3-9 3. Mark 10 4. Luke 16:18 5. Romans 5 6. 1 Corinthians 7:10-15 7. 1 Timothy 2 8. Optional: Goulder, “Exegesis of Genesis 1-3 in the New Testament”
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| March 2 | Art Whew – that was a lot of complicated reading. And there is more to come. So let’s take a break today and do something completely different.
Prior to class, find an artwork – from any artist, any time, and any place – that has to do with Adam and Eve. Send it to me by, say, Tuesday night and I’ll add them all to the Drive. Think about how your artist interprets what part of the story. Bring a printed copy of your artwork to class as well. We’ll discuss these in class.
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| March 9 | The Rabbis Rabbinic literature is foundational to all forms of modern Judaism. The story of Adam and Eve offered a challenge for the rabbis: it is explicitly not a story about Jews. As such, they had surprisingly little to say about the story. We’ll look at selected passages, though, in early rabbinic literature (e.g., Midrash and Talmud)
Readings: 1. The First Love Story, chapters 6-7, pages 155-205 2. Selections of rabbinic literature (you don’t really need to read these in advance; we’ll go over them in class 3. Optional: D. Boyarin, Carnal Israel, chapter 1z
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| March 16 | The Alphabet of Ben Sira The Jewish interpretation of the story of Adam and Eve took a very strange turn in the early Middle Ages. Today we look at a Jewish text and its important legacy.
Reading: 1. The First Love Story, chapter 8, pages 209-235 2. The Alphabet of Ben Sira
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| March 23 | The Zohar There is nothing I would prefer to do today than sit back and spend the entire class synthesizing what we have done, processing, and thinking deeply about Feiler’s book. We will do some of this today, but there is work yet to do! Adam and Eve play an important role in the Zohar, Judaism’s preeminent mystical text. We’ll spend some time surveying with the Zohar has to say.
Reading: 1. The First Love Story, conclusion, 239-269 2. Selections from the Zohar
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Happiness and Pursuit of the Good Life
As the new semester approaches, I have “finalized” (at least in tentative form) my syllabus for my course on “Happiness and Pursuit of the Good Life”. I previously blogged about this course here, and I thank all who responded to my questions. The syllabus is below, and also available in pdf. Note that I do not give the fully bibliographic information for many of the readings, but they should be easy enough to look up (although without good library access, perhaps not so easy to acquire).
Happiness and the Pursuit of the Good Life
Brown University: RELS 0010
Spring, 2023
What is happiness, and how does it relate to the “good life,” or a life well-lived? This is an age-old question, and in this course we will investigate religious and philosophical answers alongside insights drawn from modern positive psychology. A major goal of the course is to give you intellectual tools that will help you to construct a meaningful life. Areas of study will include value determination; gratitude; status and wealth; and mindfulness.
The course has three major parts:
In the first part, we consider issues of definition: What is “happiness,” “flourishing,” and “the good life”? This is a higher-level exploration of the basic problem of how we might live our lives and find meaning (if meaning is to be found) in the world and our role within it.
The second part focuses on the human. Who are we? In these classes we focus more on a range of psychological issues. We are “wired” in ways that often get in the way of our ability to be happy. Following the metaphor used by some of the writers that we will be reading, we will refer to this as our “elephant,” the great and complex mass of biological, psychological, and barely-changeable components that drive us.
Finally, we focus on the “rider” of the elephant, those things that we can control to deliberately move our elephants so that we can live the kind of life that we desire. This section is more oriented toward specific techniques and exercises that help us to better train our elephants.
Course Goals
By the end of this course, you should:
- Have acquired a range of approaches that religious thinkers and philosophers through the ages have grappled with the question of life’s purpose, and how to live in accordance with it;
- Have acquired a basic knowledge of the tenets of positive psychology, in both its applied and scientific aspects;
- Have the ability to develop your own connections and applications between these two domains of knowledge;
- Have a much richer intellectual toolbox for increasing your own happiness and sense of emotional and psychological well-being
Instructors
Professor Michael Satlow, Religious Studies and Judaic Studies.
Resources
You should buy a blank journal and bring it to every class. Most classes you will be asked to make an entry; sometimes more than once. You should also use this journal to reflect on your own. We will occasionally make journal checks, but if there are parts of the journal that you prefer to keep private we can figure out a way to accommodate that.
While much of what we read will be available online through our Reserve system, there are a few books that we’ll be reading in their entirety (or close to it). If you should thus consider making the following purchases:
- Jonathan Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom (Basic Books, 2006; 978-0465028023)
- Martin Seligman, Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being (Atria, 2012; 978-1439190760)
- Victor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning (Beacon, rpt 2006; 978-0807014271)
- Terese of Avila, Interior Castle (Dover; 978-0486461458)
Requirements and Evaluation
- Attendance in lecture, prepared with journals (10%);
- Attendance and participation in section (10%);
- First written assignment, due February 25. This will take the form of writing (1) a letter to your future self; and (2) a paper, to the course instructors, unpacking what you have written and justifying it in the readings. Each will be about 3 pages (20%);
- Second written assignment, due March 24. This will be a 4-5 page paper about your “elephant.” What are your strengths and weaknesses? (20%);
- Third written assignment, due May 7. A 1500 word final essay in which you engage a single religious text; put it into dialogue with positive psychology (as we have done throughout the semester); and reflect on how you might use its insights productively in your own life (30%);
- A final, reflective, paper of about 500 words (10%).
As you will see in this course, overly focusing on grades will make you less happy, impede your actual learning, and simply undermine your quest for a better and more purposeful life.
Section
Every other week, you will have an hour-long Section meeting with a TA. You may have a light assignment or reading to prepare for your section meeting (e.g., a video), but mainly they are an opportunity to continue discussion of class material in smaller groups. Attendance at, and participation in, these Sections is mandatory.
On the alternative weeks, Professor Satlow will hold an optional group meeting, also for an hour. The structure will be similar to a section, where you have a chance to pose questions and develop ideas in greater depth. You may attend any, all, or none of these, but if you do attend please arrive on time and stay through the entire session.
More details about the timing of these meetings will be forthcoming after Shopping Period.
Additional Policies
- Class will actually begin at 2:35, giving you an extra 5 minutes to get to class and get settled. We will begin at 2:35 sharp, and no latecomers will be admitted for the first 15 minutes of class, at which time we will work on some focus exercises (including journaling). When those exercises are completed, latecomers can enter and sign in. For purposes of maintaining eligibility in the alternative grading plan, coming late is equivalent to an absence.
- Research shows that the use of electronic devices in class impairs learning. Accordingly, unless you specifically receive an exemption, the use of all such devices is prohibited, except when expressly allowed (e.g., if we do a poll on Kahoot I might have you use your phone). If you feel that this policy presents a major impediment to your learning, please come and see Professor Satlow at the beginning of the semester.
- Because you will access most of your readings online but will not have access to them online during class, you will want to print them out and bring them to class and section. Note that there is a Brown University program to assist eligible students for paying for this. More details are available here.
- It is a bit hard in a course like this to know what cheating would look like, but if you have any question or suspicions about an act, don’t do it. This includes use of ChatGPT and other AI tools. Cheating is not just bad generally, but flies in the face of everything that this course is about. Any case of cheating or violation of course policies will result in an automatic NC for the course and possibly referral to the Dean.
- I believe strongly that this should be a space accessible to all. We seek to cultivate an atmosphere that is fully inclusive and open to all kinds of diverse viewpoints; it should be both safe and challenging. If anything, at any time, is hindering your learning, please let us know immediately and we will seek to make whatever adjustments are required.
Wellness
One of the most important components for happiness is health, both physical and mental. I expect that by signing up for this class you are committing to take care of yourself: eat (and drink) healthily; get enough sleep; and exercise. If in order to do so you need to change the way that you are living, be reflective (in your journal) about the process and results.
If you are sick, take care of yourself and do not come to class (but do let us know through an email to your TA). Documented absences for health reasons will not have an impact on your grade.
Tentative Schedule
Note that this schedule may, and probably will, be adjusted as the semester progresses. Please consult our Canvas site for the most up-to-date information. When there is a conflict between the syllabus and Canvas, Canvas takes precedence.
| January 26
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Introduction |
| January 31
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What is Happiness? (1) Reading: Seligman, Flourish, Chapter 1 Deresiewicz, “Don’t Send Your Kid to the Ivy League” L. Davis, “The Ivy League, Mental Illness, and the Meaning of Life”
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| February 2
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What is Happiness? (2) Reading: Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, Books 1, 7, and 10
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| February 7
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Flourishing Reading: R. Harris, The Happiness Trap, pp. 1-18 Besser and Oishi, “The Psychologically Rich Life”
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| February 9
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The Purposeful Life Reading: Excerpts of Aquinas, Summa (Read the biographical introduction in the packet and pp. 19-32 M. Joshanloo, “A Comparison of Western and Islamic Conceptions of Happiness”
First Section Meeting View: Randy Pausch, “The Last Lecture”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo
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| February 14
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A Life of Purpose Reading: Ecclesiastes (biblical book) Victor Frankl, Man’s Search Meaning
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| February 16
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Happiness and Purpose TBD
Optional Group Meeting
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| February 23
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The Self: A Psychological Overview Reading: Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis, pp. 1-44 Cheshbon Ha-Nefesh, part 1
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| February 28
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The Primal Self Reading: Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis, pp. 45-80 D. Ariely and G. Loewenstein, “The Heat of the Moment: The Effect of Sexual Arousal on Sexual Decision Making,” Journal of Behavioral Decision Making 19 (2006): 87-98 D. Kahneman, Nobel Lecture
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| March 2
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The Religious Self Reading: Genesis, 1-4 M. Satlow, “Talmud Torah and Rabbinic Asceticism” P. Brown, The Body and Society, Chapter 19
Second Section Meeting For Section: Dan Gilbert: The surprising science of happiness | TED Talk
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| March 7
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Elephantal Differences Reading: Seligman, Flourish, Chapter 3 Nes and Roysamb, “Happiness in Behavior Genetics”
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| March 9
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Religion and Gender Reading: A. Fausto-Sterling, “On the Critiques of the Concept of Sex” S. Guimond, “Psychological Similarities and Differences between Women and Men across Cultures” J. Dahlvig and K Longman, “Influences of an Evangelical Christian Worldview on Women’s Leadership Development”
Optional Group Meeting
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| March 14
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Money Reading: Seligman, Flourish, chapter 10 Catapano, et al., “Financial Resources Impact the Relationship between Meaning and Happiness”
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| March 16
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Money Reading: Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, “Gifts to the Poor,” chapter 10 The Zakat Handbook
Third Section Meeting Watch video on “aliefs”: https://www.wi-phi.com/videos/cognitive-biases-alief/
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| March 21
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The Rider Reading: Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis, pp. 81-106 R. Thaler and C. Sunstein, Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness, pp. 1-104
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| March 23
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Meditation Reading: S. Young, “How Meditation Works” A. Newberg and G. d’Aquilio, “The Neuropsychology of Religious and Spiritual Experience”
Optional Group Meeting
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| April 4
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Love and Community Reading: Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis, pp. 107-134 Dorff, “Loneliness, Family, and Community During the Pandemic” A. Piwko, “Islam and the COVID-19 Pandemic”
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| April 6
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Canceled
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| April 11
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Values Reading: Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis, pp. 135-79 Harris, The Happiness Trap, pp. 167-79
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| April 13
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Developing the Virtues Reading: Cheshbon Ha-Nefesh, Second part
Fourth Section Meeting Assignment TBD
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| April 18
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Gratitude Reading: Wood, et al., “Gratitude and Well-Being: A Review and Theoretical Integration” Take the Gratitude Survey, available at: https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/testcenter
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| April 20
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Gratitude Reading: S. Schimmel, “Gratitude in Judaism” Psalms 6, 9, 10, 13, 18, 22, 28, 30, 31, 34, 36, 40, 41, 66, 67, 111, 118, 138, 144
Optional Group Meeting
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| April 25
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Transcendence Reading: Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis, 181-211 J. Shook, “Are People Born to be Believers”?
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| April 27
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Transcendence Reading: Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle
Fifth Section Meeting View: https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_using_our_practical_wisdom?language=en |
Antisemitic, or Not?
This semester I have been teaching a course on the history of antisemitism. I have never been one to see antisemitism behind every rock and crevice; I confess that I probably have minimized the problem. Now, though, I think about antisemitism frequently, and I see more than I ever have – perhaps more than is really there.
So in that vein, I felt a moment of alarm at an extraneous clause I saw in an article in the New York Times. Shane Goldmacher wrote an article on how the GOP presidential race is beginning to take shape, using an event sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition as the backdrop. He described the RJC as, “a group whose leaders include some of the party’s biggest and most dependable contributors.”
There are a few problems here:
- The line is imprecise. When I actually compared the list of “leaders” of the RJC with a list of top major party donors, I found very few overlapping names (and one is dead). So I’m unsure what would count as criteria for ascertaining the veracity of the claim.
- Such a line can, of course, be used for any one of dozens, if not hundreds, of political gatherings. In my quick search of the NYTimes site I saw the phrase, or one similar to it, many times, but never applied to any other specific group.
- Given the thrust of Goldmacher’s article, this qualifier was utterly unnecessary. The point is that the GOP is wrestling the potential of a fractured field – it was not about campaign financing. If he wanted to put in a descriptive line about the RJC, why not just take it from their About page?
Minor, to be sure, but still this troubled me. At a time when the old trope of Jews conspiratorially controlling wealth and power is very much back in public view, is such a line really necessary or wise? I wrote to the news department at the Times to express my concerns and will report back if I hear anything from them.