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 25, 2026 • 38min
Robinson Crusoe II: Master of His Own Destiny
Daniel Defoe's Enlightenment experiment continues in the second half of Robinson Crusoe. As we continue our survey, we'll answer the following questions: How does the novel reflect the Enlightenment view of progress as vital for the development of human civilization? Why is there a notable lack of women throughout Robinson Crusoe? In what sense can the novel be considered an updated, Enlightenment version of the Christian story of the prodigal son? Recommended Reading: Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. 1719. Reprint, New York: Modern Library, 2001. This week's episode of The Pillars is generously sponsored by Denise and Camillo Santomero. If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of The Pillars, we invite you to join the Tikvah Ideas Circle by clicking here.
Mar 18, 2026 • 32min
Robinson Crusoe I: The Individual as a Thought Experiment
Daniel Defoe will put Enlightenment thought to the test in his novel Robinson Crusoe. To help us explore the book, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How does Robinson Crusoe develop a rational response to the question of how man should respond to suffering? Why do Crusoe's labors on his island occupy a central role in the narrative? In what sense can Crusoe's religious experience in the novel be considered Jewish-inspired? Recommended Reading: Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. 1719. Reprint, New York: Modern Library, 2001.
Mar 11, 2026 • 39min
John Locke: Philosopher of Liberty
John Locke will take a different approach to society and government than Hobbes, one which will eventually be very important to the United States. As we dive deeper into the topic, we'll address the following questions: How does Locke's perspective on the state of nature inform his divergence from Hobbes in their respective views on sovereignty? How does Locke come to the conclusion that the individual has natural rights? According to Locke, why is absolute monarchy an illegitimate form of government? Recommended Reading: Locke, John. Second Treatise of Government. 1689.
Mar 4, 2026 • 38min
Thomas Hobbes: A New Vision of Government
Thomas Hobbes will redefine the way we understand both government and society. Today, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: Why did Hobbes dispense with the Medieval notion of customary rights? According to Hobbes, why is the role of the sovereign to ensure the security of the people? In was sense did Hobbes break from the ancient understanding that government was natural and dedicated to the flourishing of man? Recommended Reading: Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan. 1651.
Feb 25, 2026 • 37min
The Spirit of Liberty: The Enlightenment and Modern Politics
As the Enlightenment expanded to different areas of Europe, thinkers continued to focus on the liberty of the individual. As we continue our exploration of this era, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: Why was John Locke's view on property important in the development of the Enlightenment? How did Enlightenment philosophy create conditions for Jews to be able to assimilate into society? In what ways did Rousseau begin to break away from the Enlightenment?
Feb 18, 2026 • 33min
The Enlightenment: Philosophy Par Excellence?
Western thought will begin to shift towards universal laws and individual rights with the advent of the Enlightenment. As we unpack that idea, we'll address the following questions: In what way was the notion of progress emphasized in the Enlightenment? Why did Enlightenment thinkers begin to see all human beings as fundamentally the same? How did the Enlightenment lead to the notion that the purpose of society is the preservation of individual dignity?
Feb 12, 2026 • 56min
French Drama and Culture: Moliere and Racine
Out of the seventeenth century would emerge two of France's greatest playwrights: Moliere and Racine. To help us learn more about them, we'll address the following questions: How did French Neoclassicism develop in response to the political tension between France and Spain? In what sense did the Neoclassical spirit inspire French drama and distinguish it from English drama? Was Moliere truly the revolutionary that later republicans assumed him to be? Recommended Reading: Aslanov, Cyril. New Perspectives on the Sacred and the Secular in Old French and Old Provençal Poetry. England: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2019.
Feb 4, 2026 • 30min
Milton, Selden, and Harington: Scholars of the Hebraic Century
The work of the major seventeenth century Christian Hebraists led to important advances in the development of the individual. As we learn more about this topic, we'll address the following questions: How does Milton's knowledge of Midrash support his retelling of the Biblical stories in Paradise Lost? In what sense were Milton's views on marriage and divorce informed by his love of the individual? Why did Selden turn to the Talmud to try to and reconcile reason, natural law, and tradition? Grosby, Steven. "Reading the Talmud in the Tower of London." Law & Liberty, July 2013. Haivry, Ofir. John Selden and the Western Political Tradition. England: Cambridge University Press, 2021.
Jan 28, 2026 • 33min
Donne, Dryden, and Pope: 17th Century English Poets
The great poets of the seventeenth century are noteworthy in their innovations in engaging with earlier literature to promote their own ideas. As we explore why they are still relevant, we'll also answer the following questions: How did John Donne's love poems reflect the inward shift from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance? What was particularly innovative about John Dryden's translation of Virgil's Aeneid? How did Alexander Pope use poetry to transform the medieval story of Abelard and Heloise? This week's episode of The Pillars is generously sponsored by Alex Bahary.
Jan 21, 2026 • 36min
Newton and Leibniz: Of Universal Laws and Geniuses
Many people know about Isaac Newton and his proverbial apple, but he and his contemporary, Leibniz, were responsible for a much wider array of scientific and mathematical advances. As we learn about these two thinkers, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: How did Isaac Newton build on the newer tradition of inductive reasoning rather than the older, scholastic method of assumptions? According to Newton, how do the universal laws of nature bolster one's faith in and appreciation of God? In what sense did Leibniz lay the groundwork for modern computers? Recommended Reading: Newton, Isaac. Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica. 1687.
