Descartes and Pascal: The Emergence of the French Mind
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Release Date: 12/10/2025
Of Manners and Mores: The Socioeconomic Modernization of Europe
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
As culture changed across Europe, social and economic expectations shifted accordingly. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: How did the growth of high culture lead to a decline in local dialects and a rise in vernacular languages? Why was there a crackdown in the seventeenth century on carnivals and similar types of entertainment? When it came to changing European diet and culture, why was sugar crucial?
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Austria, Prussia, and Russia: The Rise of Central and Eastern Europe
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
While Poland will weaken and will eventually collapse, Austria, Prussia, and Russia will rise as they begin to consolidate power. To help us dive deeper into the topic, we’ll address the following questions: Why were Poland and the surrounding territories particularly conducive for Jewish life to flourish? Even as European society modernized, why were Prussian aristocrats still drawn to military service? Why had Russia historically been culturally distinct from western Europe, and why did Peter the Great attempt to westernize Russia?
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Descartes and Pascal: The Emergence of the French Mind
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The fields of modern mathematics and philosophy owe a great deal to René Descartes and Blaise Pascal. As we learn more about the two thinkers, we’ll explore the following questions: How did Descartes balance the tension between skepticism and certainty in his philosophical writings? According to Descartes, why is it important to study foreign languages? Why did Pascal sharply criticize Descartes’ approach to reason? Recommended Reading: Decartes, René. . Barzun, Jacques. New York: Harper Perennial, 2001.
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The Rise of Western Europe II: Revolutionary England and a Rising France
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
While the king in France amasses more power and splendor to himself, the English monarchy undergoes a drastic change. To help us unpack the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How did the English Bill of Rights establish the strength of the English parliament? Under the leadership of Louis XIV, how and why did France become the envy of Europe? How did the War of Spanish Succession threaten to reshape Europe?
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The Rise of Western Europe I: The Netherlands and England
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The balance of power in Europe will shift dramatically in the seventeenth century. On today’s episode, we’ll uncover answers to the following questions: For such a small country, how did the Netherlands succeed in becoming a dominant power in Europe in the seventeenth century? Why did Englishmen place great value in this time on being a landowner? What brought about the English Revolution? Why was the monarchy restored after the death of Oliver Cromwell?
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Don Quixote II: Towards A New Model of Heroism
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Miguel de Cervantes will propose a new type of hero for an age that has moved beyond the knight in shining armor. As we continue our survey of Don Quixote, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How does Don Quixote’s title, “Knight of the Sorrowful Face,” reflect Cervantes’ critique of modernity? In what sense is there a small piece of Don Quixote in every man? In spite of all his antics and madness, how can Don Quixote be a model for behavior for the reader? Recommended Reading: Cervantes, Miguel. . Trans. Edith Grossman. New York: Ecco, 2015.
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Don Quixote I: The First Modern Novel
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The first modern novel employs humor and satire to explore what it means to be an individual. To help us in our survey of Don Quixote, we’ll focus on the following questions: How does Don Quixote both mock the past and emphasize the value of tradition? Even if Don Quixote is objectively mad, how do his wild imaginings critique modernity? What are we to make of and learn from Don Quixote’s insistence that he knows exactly who he is? Recommended Reading: Cervantes, Miguel. . Trans. Edith Grossman. New York: Ecco, 2015.
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Italy and the Jews: A Vital Center for Isolation and Integration
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The Jewish communities of Renaissance Italy were unusual in their interactions with their Christian neighbors. As we explore this topic, we’ll find answers to the following questions: Why did early Renaissance Italian humanists turn to Jews to inspire Christian thought? In what ways were the Jews involved in developing the Renaissance culture of Italy? How did the Jews of this period lay the groundwork for the development of the modern Hebrew language?
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Shakespeare the Bard: A Man for the Ages
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
For good reason, Shakespeare is one of the most famous and most influential writers of the English language. To help us unpack that topic, we’ll explore the following questions: In contrast with the greatness of man to be found in Hamlet, how does the relative bleakness of Macbeth resonate with a listener? Of all the bard’s plays, what makes As You Like It a good one to introduce students to Shakespeare? Can The Merchant of Venice be understood in a way that is sympathetic to Jews?
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Shakespeare's Hamlet: The First Modern Play
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Arguably Shakespeare’s greatest play, Hamlet will catapult us into the modern era of literature. To unpack that notion, we’ll explore the following questions: In what sense does Hamlet have a foothold in both the classical and modern eras? How does Hamlet grapple with the Biblical, covenantal tension between man’s significance, on the one hand, and insignificance, on the other? Why is Hamlet’s conversation with his conscience an answer to Machiavelli? Recommended Reading: Shakespeare, William. . New York: Simon & Schuster, 2012. Folger Shakespeare Library.
info_outlineThe fields of modern mathematics and philosophy owe a great deal to René Descartes and Blaise Pascal. As we learn more about the two thinkers, we’ll explore the following questions:
- How did Descartes balance the tension between skepticism and certainty in his philosophical writings?
- According to Descartes, why is it important to study foreign languages?
- Why did Pascal sharply criticize Descartes’ approach to reason?
Recommended Reading: Decartes, René. Discourse on Method.
Barzun, Jacques. From Dawn to Decadence: 1500 to the Present: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life. New York: Harper Perennial, 2001.