Who Was Hillel? Foundations of Rabbinic Culture Jewish History Lecture by Henry Abramson

Jewish history lecture on Hillel, a famous Rabbi from the first century BCE. Lecture delivered as part of the Fall 2012 series at the Young Israel of Bal Harbour.
Join our Community! Membership categories as Student, Researcher and Colleague, explained: • Join us! New membershi...

[@williamnikolis2253]

You’re the best! I’m a Greek Orthodox Christian. You taught me more than the priests. Keep up the good work.

[@dukes9781]

I'm a Catholic. Thank you immensely for your great work. God bless the Jewish people and Israel!

[@markjacobi3537]

Hillel teaches us so much even thousands of years later the story about Hillel and his almost infinite patience is truly inspirational even here in far flung Australia!

[@johnniebee4328]

Thank you for posting all of these lectures Dr Abramson, I feel like I got 6 college credits in the past few days

[@liliangathuma4946]

hello rabbi i am following you from kenya so at least you have i from east africa and i love it

[@baltakatei]

Lecture starts at 08:16.

[@marisaparris3599]

Superb teacher. Difficult topics are broken down so that the average student is able to both comprehend and even to analyze. Thank you for continuing my Jewish Education. Judge Howard I Lipsey

[@emuna9823]

We are a jewish (my mishpaha)from Mexico, we reencounter your channel, rabbi. Shalom.

[@williamsaikhuemero8380]

I stumbled on your teachings yesterday. They've been mind blowing! I am from Nigeria, West Africa. Keep up this good work, please.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

You're very welcome! I am glad that you are enjoying the lectures.

[@denniscaeton9577]

Thank you Dr. Abramson., you are clear, funny and thorough. All my love and gratitude to you. denniscaeton

[@livionian9142]

Reading about Hillel the Elder inspired me to start reading the Torah and attending services. This is a great contribution, the teachings of Hillel mean so much to me and he deserves to be seen as a giant of religious thought

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you found the video useful!

[@pedrosalinas9979]

I am watching your lectures from Venezuela, the Caribbean South America country. Very interesting knowing about Jewish history. Congratulations.

[@samuelbenitez4687]

interesting how i find him addressing many of my own issues, i find myself naked here, i'm embaressed, may god show me mercy and in his love and patience dress me in his covering of rightousness

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Hillel is phenomenal.

[@slackr]

learned loads - and loved your delivery. Super entertaining too. Would love to learn more from you.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

I'm so glad that you enjoyed the lecture!

[@mariamkarjiker301]

Rabbi, I learn a lot from you. Thank you for all the interesting detail you add into your lectures.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you enjoyed the videos! Not a Rabbi, just a regular guy.

[@johnplain1546]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD your far from a regular guy. If you were the norm this world would be much more bright than it is dark.

[@angelinekoh2076]

Dear Dr. Abramson, And from Hong Kong - you have Angeline who is listening too :-) Thank you for your excellent lectures.

[@ranranshi]

ideal teacher!

[@Amor-Fati.]

I enjoy history and since my recent exit from Christianity, I'venot only interested in the theology of Judaism, but the history is so important. I thank you for all your presentations.

[@schwertdesgeistes]

Dear Henry Abramson, I very much enjoy your lectures and have listened to many of them! In this one you say that Jesus borrowed from Hillel without attribution and classify this as plagiarism. Now I wonder and would like to ask you: How can you be so sure about that if the rabbinic sources come at least (usually more) than a hundred years after the New Testament? As to the Golden Rule: It is obvious that the statements of Jesus and Hillel are very similar, though not exact. But this principle is actually derived from the Torah itself and Hillel's own version actually appears before his lifetime in the book of Tobit: „Do that to no man which thou hatest.“ (Tobit 4:15). Would Hillel thus also be rejected from your college? (As you have a good sense of humor I hope you don't mind this cheeky question!) I would appreciate a brief response. Thanks!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thanks for sharing your perspective.

[@ulexite-tv]

Thanks for your informative lecture series. Hillel is a long-time favourite of my family. We love his sandwiches. :-)

[@swarthyjoe]

Very clear and always interesting! Thank you for your efforts.

[@Eliezer1018]

Outstanding teachings DR. Abramson, the scholarship is second to none.

[@mostee77]

Your lectures are informative and enjoyable

[@WoundedEgo]

These lectures are both insightful and accessible on subjects of great interest to me and I so appreciate that they are made available to the public. In this particular video I felt the presenter's personal and professional bias presented a rather one sided profile of his subject as being several notches above other men, not only in his opinions but also in terms of his personal humility, patience, etc. such that I think it is to be understood that he is above criticism. Honestly, I'm unimpressed by his "workaround" for Torah's explicit requirement that a lender be blind to the calendar. It is certainly more Zadokian than Danielish. The Hebrew scriptures are replete with stories of great folly and weakness in Israel's leaders and there is nothing good that will come from creating a class of rulers that cannot be questioned when they undermine the Torah with "practical" human ideas. But I absolute love and treasures and benefit greatly. Thanks so much for posting these excellent lessons.

[@TaiidanDave18]

I'm really enjoying your lectures, they're very informative. Greetings from The Netherlands. David de Boers

[@henryocean5714]

The jews have had wonderful philosophers throughout the centuries

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Yes, agreed.

[@IsaacHandler]

Fascinating as always!!

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Glad you think so!

[@liliangathuma4946]

kamuya Ng'arua following you from `nyeri Kenya best regards

[@tobiasbrown1882]

Did Hillel say, "He who tries to make a name for himself loses his name"? If so, what did he mean by this? Thanks.

[@agegnehut5342]

שלום Thank you for making this lecture and sharing on KZbin. May God bless you more and on your service sharing light to the world. Our world is a continuous monolog and we are to learn from every questions which have had been asked in the past and in the Devine presence of God to his servants it has been answered. We are a chain of students learning the light of our Creator God the LORD Almighty. שלום

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

You are very welcome

[@psjasker]

Great to hear the distinguished bio at the beginning.

[@gnozza8683]

Wonderful teacher.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thank you! 😃

[@foubaby]

Thank you for sharing knowledge.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

My pleasure

[@yisroelgranat9147]

here I am in Central America, In Cancun, listening, yoo hoo. thanks for my online university

[@kwyzi]

many thanks, always marvellous

[@Noone-dc9si]

God bless you Sir

[@geoffreyfinch9199]

You are such an interesting lecturer... speaking of sponsoring lectures, would you be open to giving a talk on the significance of the anonymous first century (New Testament) book of "Hebrews"... what is your take on this book which was likely addressed to Jewish audience, connecting various passages from the Torah and the Writings. With your background, I expect you will have some remarkable insights into this writing.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Thanks for the kind words; my research agenda is pretty full right now.

[@doloresnovoa7310]

I L9VE UR PERDONALITY AND SENSE OF HUMOR😃👋😃👋😃👋😃👋

[@kallelundahl5784]

The shower story about Hillel not losing his temper is touching

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

I agree

[@allen_tor]

Hello from Kenya.

[@ithila6712]

Superb lecture. Are you still looking for people to be sponsors?

[@samray397]

Rabbi , thank you for your invaluable historic lectures. If I follow them religiously is because many of us Christian Lebanese KNOW that we have gaps in our history & culture that create an unfathomable pull towards Israel & all Jews. In as much as our family has a family tree that dates back to the 11th century BCE, will you kindly address our lost identity? Sincerely, we have no common denominator with Arabs. We have & continue preserving our individuality. But our Source? That is my question. Bless you Rabbi.

[@TheGeneralSoundwave]

55:24 Dr. Abrahmson attributes Yeshuah (Jesus) to learning/ citing Hillel. Agreed.

[@jewwell3446]

Actually there could be no year zero, because the Julian calendar starts year 1. But most probably it didn't exist at all until at least a few decades later.

[@jerreyweiss7696]

I need yo learn more

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Me too.

[@Boxerr54]

Is it a book of jewish quotations he keeps referring to, the "perquet havuot"? Sorry, for what must be a terrible spelling. Can someone help me find the real name of this book that has so many Hillel quotes?

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

www.sefaria.org/Pirkei_Avot

[@Reporterreporter770]

Thank you

[@realdealdaveabramyk9005]

What part of northern Ontario is abramson from? My in laws are from Thunder Bay Ontario

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Abramson is from Iroquois Falls.

[@realdealdaveabramyk9005]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD closest I’ve been is Timmons. Beautiful area though. Thank you for sharing these lectures with us.

[@maxsmart99]

Is there someone snoring in the background?

[@honeysucklecat]

Your lectures are as entertaining as Star Trek and far more informative. Perhaps if you wore pointy ears more people would watch?

[@EliotMcLellan]

IS THERE A BETTER VERSION?

[@makhinxumalo4820]

Hi. I am south africa.

[@NathanaelKuechenberg]

47:51 Hillel and Shammai

[@hubertmarshall4558]

Hillel lived for 120 years and was the one who said Torah could be explained in writing ending the oral rules. Hillel was the first Pharisee to be made Nasi and was the last of the Zugots.

[@bjorkstrand7773]

"i wish i could memorize the entire text of ??????. The entire text of what? anybody know what he's talking about.

[@schwertdesgeistes]

Pirkei Avot.

[@claywithers523]

Mishnah, Rabbinic teachings/commentary, part of Talmud. Previously Oral Torah/Tradition.

[@shaheedabdulazeez7366]

Hiller was 60 yrs older than Shamai.

[@ArnaGSmith]

Can't find the book you are holding on the life and Teaching of Hillel . . .

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Try Amazon?

[@gallormeir8622]

Hello, please give lectures on Jemmenite rebbai for Jemen., there history and meaning to jewdeism is not in existence out of Israel.

[@geoffreyfinch9199]

Re the forgiveness of debts in the Year of Jubilee (Lev 25), (i) did Israel ever practice this? (ii) was Hillel circumventing the Torah with his "prozbo" rule? (iii) notice in vv. 15 that what a person pledged in exchange for a loan was the number of crops remaining till the Year of Jubilee, not the land itself. Here Mosaic law anticipated modern monetary theory in that the value of a property as collateral for loans was the present value of all future crops (i.e. cash flow) that could be harvested until the Year of Jubilee. The device was an impediment to the creation of dynastic wealth, something akin to the estate tax today, and the absence of which mechanism in the French system in the 16th & 17th centuries led to the bloody revolution of the 19th.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Answer a bit too complex for this forum.

[@daniel-meir]

kne lecha chaver (קנה לך חבר) doesn't mean buy you a friend. it means obtain you a friend. kana means possess or obtain. the best example: kone shamayim wa-arets (קונה שמים וארץ). obviously He didn't buy it from anyone. And many more examples.

[@bloopblooper490]

Hm. Loans ?

[@motorhead6763]

How many college kids that go to Hillel know who Hillel was? I ask several...no clue...nor knew the Rambam. But they know Martin Buber...LOL...

[@BavonWW]

Lacuna/lacunae(Latin), origin of lagoon/lagoons.

[@letsrelaxwithtexts2114]

Korean food is much better

[@claywithers523]

Tom Cruise doppelganger.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Ha!

[@marcrubin8844]

🎶 Skull on the water 🎶..Hm a Deep Purple song..( I know it's an awful joke)

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Hmm

[@a.lavernefilan1888]

Pick a 7th day Sabbath, you have 1 chance in 7 of getting it right. Watch KZbin videos, 'The Great Cover Up by the SDA Church - Lunar Sabbath' and 'The Moon Regulates the Weekly Sabbath - Lunar Sabbath' and 'Why was the Hebrew Calendar FIXED by Hillel II? Lunar Sabbath'. Hillel II created 'RULES OF POSTPONEMENT'. YAHWEH didn't need them for HIS Calendar. YAHshua is Lord of WHO's Sabbath?

[@PatrickPease]

8 minutes of self promotion before you got to the content.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Only 8? Thought I overdid it.

[@PatrickPease]

@@HenryAbramsonPhD that was pretty funny,

[@preservativetalkradio]

Deuteronomy 15 .... debts forgiven on the 7th year.

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Yup

[@TheWhitehiker]

Too many jokes and stories; need more thought and historical context, but otherwise informative. The quotes are indeed quite contemporary--impressive!

[@channahcastelobranco]

🌴🌴🌼🌼😊

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

!

[@skylerskoal]

I hope the sick, coughing audience member was not sitting near the Prof's open drink

[@HenryAbramsonPhD]

Lecture was recorded eight years ago. Not sure if I got sick, but thank G-d I'm still here in 2020.

[@swordofesau952]

Hillel made judaism maternal

[@Komenya0905]

Hakuna matata. Swahili language originating from the East African Coast. Means no worries.

[@BlaxkNobility]

Was Jesus a Pharisees some of Jesus followers use to called him Rabbi.

[@system171]

actually sinagogue and Rabbi is greek term. in hebrew, its moed and morae. :)

[@Hambone3773]

Much of his teaching paralleled Pharisees. But obviously he conflicted with them on issues such as politics and divorce.

[@BlaxkNobility]

@@Hambone3773 He hatred them with spacial passion I often wonder why the Pharisees was just as religious as he was. I guess they like their pots and pans very clean.

[@Hambone3773]

@@BlaxkNobility Jesus hated Pharisees?

[@Pilgrim07]

Visions of Valtorta tell that Jesus spoke greatly of Hillel and prayed at his Sepulchre. Google "Valtorta Jesus Hillel Sepulchre" to read the stories. Valtorta was Italian visionary who saw the life of Jesus Christ in great detail.