Lectures
In March 2001, Rabbi Mois Navon began delivering a weekly lunchtime shiur (lecture/class) at Mobileye. In March 2017 he made this a monthly shiur, and began giving a weekly drasha (sermon) in his Beit Kenneset. There are currently over 500 teachings listed and accessible herein below. Many are in the form a source sheet, many as actual lectures. Some are accompanied with audio and/or video of the lecture (some in Hebrew, some in English). They have been tagged according to subject, parshat hashavua, holiday, etc. – thus allowing a search of relevant materials depending on one’s interest.
Transhumanism – a Short Intro
Transhumanism is a movement to “enhance humanity” by integrating technology into human beings, creating what is often referred to as “cyborgs”. In this video, I explain the movement within the
What’s so bad about Manipulation
Everyone has some intuition about the impropriety of manipulation. But why is it really bad, morally? And how does this play out on digital platforms?
Data is Power – On Surveillance & Privacy
With the advancement of technology and the internet of things, the capacity to collect data has given new meaning to surveillance and brought into focus the value of privacy. Is
In Your Face: DeepFakes meet DeepEthics / Conference on Judaism, Jews, and AI (ASU)
The world of deepfakes – videos that look remarkably real but are frighteningly fake – have become the scourge of the internet, prompting tech companies to scramble for solutions and
Man Hath No Advantage Over Machine? On the Existentialist Implications of Generative AI
Generative AI has taken the world by storm. Creating art, literature, music as well as engaging in fluid conversation, the artificial intelligence of today is simply astounding. Indeed, AI has
Plowing for a Better World
Noah was chosen by God, as the text teaches, because he was righteous. What exactly was the source of his righteousness?
Introduction to Ethics Of Technology
While ethics of technology has always been of import, with the advent of modern technologies – and specifically those based on AI and Big Data – the subject is not
On Broken Pitoms and Mitzvot DeOrayta
A halachic analysis on the risks and rewards of having an etrog with a pitom.
On Kicking the Sukkah
The Talmud tells a fascinating end of days story in which the nations of the world are tested as to their ability to accept God’s will. The test is to
On Creation, Judgement and Joy – an Existentialist Connection
Ever wonder why the day of creation (of man) is the day of judgement? What exactly is the connection?
From i-Robot to my-Robot
The openly stated goal of the AI industry is to develop conscious humanoid robots. The question is: Should we?
On Love, Robots and Miraculous Tzitzit
Love relationships are the most important relationships we have, but they are “messy” – social robots will make them “clean”. But are they real?
Those Whose Mourn Jerusalem Rejoice in Jerusalem
Faith is not simply in believeing that God exists, but in believeing that his WILL will be done.
On Sentient AI – A Test for a Soul
While many posit a test for consciousness, at the end of the day, only God knows if one has a soul.
Autonomous Weapons Systems and Human Dignity
Many believe it is a violation of human dignity to deploy AWS. I show that this is a category error and that human dignity is no more impacted in
Robot Rabbis?
LLMs like ChatGPT are able to process vast amounts of data and produce (for the most part) asounding results. Can they be a rabbi and answer halachic questions (posek
The Ethics of Social Media
There is a value of free speech but there are also values that demand its limitation.
Appreciating God From the Words of a Madman
From Nietzsche’s famous “madman” we learn the deep value of an involved Creator
Seventy: A Complete Diversity
Diversity is the watchword of our current milieu. Unfortunately, it has taken on the very restricted sense of being inclusive of minorities, etc.. While inclusiveness is an important value, the
To Apprehend God – Through The Hannuka Candles
“And we are not allowed to make use of them”, Aesthetics, Philosophy, Hannukah
The Moral Status of a Humanoid
How are we to interact with mindless AI – robots, chatbots, virtual “people” online? The amswer, I suggest, is not found in the halls of academia but in the
It Is Not Good For Man To Be Alone – On Parents And Children
To What extent are children obligated to their parents, what happens when the child gets married? Parshat Bereishit
Avraham’s Three Gestures
Break Idols, Burning Palace, Cosmos/Astronomy, Aesthetic, Ethical, Intellectual, Parshat Lech Lecha
Maimonides on Human Perfection
Maimonides, Virtue Ethics, Deontological Ethics, Slavery, Parshat Noah, Ethical Perfection, Intellectual Perfection, Halacha and Philosophy, Shavuot
Tear Keriyah For Rav Ovadya
Yartzeit, Mourning, Hacham, Gadol HaDor, End of an Era, DRASH ONLY
Moral Luck
Have you ever wondered if what you did – good or bad – was really pure “luck”? Intuitively, we tend to believe that people are undeserving of praise or
Moral Luck
Have you ever wondered if what you did – good or bad – was really pure “luck”? Intuitively, we tend to believe that people are undeserving of praise or
Between Teshuva and Hatarat Nedarim
Penance and Annulment of Vows, Kol Nidrei, Yom Kippur, Shabbat Shuva, DRASH
On Buying a House and Dedicating a House in the Land of Israel
Creation, Mikdash, Home, Seudat Mitzvah, Eretz Yisrael, Purpose, Yishuv HaAretz, Parshat Shoftim, Yom Haatzmaut – for DRASHOT see [510],[511]
On the Blessing of Listening – In Light of Existentialism
Purpose, Blessings of Good, Arur/Acursed, Parshat Re’eh, Ki Tavo, DRASH
Blood – In Light of Postmodernism
Prohibition of eating blood, karet, idol worship, divine authority, Parshat Re’eh, Vayikra, Tzav, Achrei Mot, Kedoshim, DRASH
And I will Betroth You unto Me – On fading tefillin strap marks
Shai Agnon “Two Pairs”, Love, Parshat Bo, Ve’etchanan, Ekev, DRASH
Three Pillars, Four Events, Five “Kolot”
Shabbat Hatan, Shabbat Nachamu, Shabbat Tu B’Av, Parshat Ve’etchanan, Matan Torah, DRASH
Men, Women and Vows – On Equality
Woman’s Status, Messianic Days, Enlightenment, Parshat Matot
Hannukat HaBayit – On Purpose
Creation, Mikdash, Home, Seudat Mitzvah, Brit, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Wedding, Hannukat HaBayit, Three Weeks, Yom HaAtzmaut, DRASH ONLY – see 518 for SHIUR
Buying a House on Shabbat
Eretz Yisrael, Purpose, Yishuv HaAretz, Parshat Maasei, Devarim, Shoftim, Pinhas, Haftara Yom Kippur, Yom HaAtzmaut, DRASH ONLY – see 518 for SHIUR
A Good Wife is a Wall to Her Husband
Husband and Wife relationship, Parshat Korah, DRASH
Tzitziot Tzrichot Kavanah
Physical and Metaphysical, Intentions, consciousness, Parshat Shelach/Korah, DRASH
Fate and Destiny –Israel Needs a Vision
Purpose, Defense, Startups, Creativity, Machaneh v Eida, Parshat Behaalotecha, DRASH
To Cry Out and To Act Out
On Taking Responsibility in Hard Times, War, Famine, Epidemic, DRASH
To Think to Sin but Not
Consequences for bad intent; Seeing a doctor on Shabbat – religious v secular; Naso, Matot, DRASH
On Silence and Speech
Highlighting Aaron’s Silence to that of Rava’s Gavra, Parshat Shemini, DRASH
Four Parshiot: On Peoplehood and Purpose
Overarching theme of the four parshiot, Existentialism, Morality, Parshat Shekalim, Zachor, Para, Hodesh, DRASH
Mosher, Betzalel and the Menorah
Be not daunted, Parshat Terumah, Vayakhel,Pekudei, DRASH ONLY
Shatnez: On Bigdei Kehuna, Mordechai and Purim Costumes
Hukkim, Ethics, Good & Evil, Subjective v Objective morality, Purim, Parshat Tetzaveh, Kedoshim, Ki Teitzei, DRASH
Purim and Man’s Existential Crisis
Hedonistic Man, Arrogant Man, Humble Man, Purim, DRASH ONLY
Burial Afar – On Halacha and Technology
When to start shiva, How to change/apply halacha, DRASH
Imitatio Dei and Ethics
Imitating God’s attributes, traits, Deontology, Consequentialism, Virtue, Parshat Chayei Sarah, Ekev, Re’eh, Ki Tavo, DRASH
Coronavirus Vaccine – Animal Experimentation?
Tzar Baalei Haim, Medical Experiments, Parashart Bereishit, Parashart Noah
Six Things Before Creation
Deveikut, On the Purpose of Creation, Parashart Bereishit, Simchat Torah
The Last Eight Verses
Moses v Joshua, Torah Min Hashamayim, Parshat Vezot Habracha, Simchat Torah, Shavuot
Philosophy within Halacha, Halacha out of Philosophy
The mitzvah to dwell in the sukkah as paradigm for the symbiosis of philosophy and halacha, Sukkot, DRASH
Remembrances: Who is to remember What, and Why?
A detailed analysis of the Zichronot Verses, Teshuva, Brit/Covenant, God and Evil, Theodicy, Divine Salvation, Rosh Hashana
On Curses, Plagues, and the Death of the Righteous
COVID,19, Coronavirus, Rebuke, Tochacha, Return, Teshuva, Parshat Ki Tavo, Drash
Shalom Bayit v Talmud Torah
Value of learning Torah versus husband wife relationship, Ketubot 62b, Parshat Ki Teize, Drash
Corona Vaccine Testing: To Volunteer or Not to Volunteer
COVID,19, Coronavirus, Medicine, Drug/Medical Experiments, Risk/Reward, Shavuot
Black Wedding
Plagues, COVID,19, Coronavirus, Science, Medicine, Divine Mercy, Parshat Re’eh, Drash
Like His Dead is Lying Before Him – An Existentialist Look At Tisha B’Av
Five things happened on 9 Av, Five Afflictions, Maslow’s Pyramid
Five Things Happened on the 17th of Tammuz – Reflections for Three Weeks
On fixing the modern world, bein hameitzarim, existential straights, DRASH
On Jews, Judaism and Humility – A Response to Yuval Noah Harari
History, Morality, and Influence, Bereishit, Kedoshim, Ki Teitze, Shavuot
Coronavirus – Lives vs Economy
COVID,19, Ethics, Value of a life, Value of Economy/Finance/Dollar, Shavuot
Kosher Cheeseburger?!
Cultured, Stem Cell Meat, Halacha, Kashrut, Science, Parshat Vayera, Shemini, Re’eh, Shavuot
Hannuka Lights and Light Amongst the Nations
“The Beloved Mitzvah”, Halacha, Sell Clothes to light candles, Hannuka, DRASH
Hannuka – A Meaningful Life
Rabbinic v Biblical commands, Bal Tosif, Hatam Sofer, Existentialism, Purpose, Hannuka, yom HaAtzmaut, DRASH
Publicizing the Miracle
Theism, Deism, 3 gestures, Hannuka, Hannukia, Pesah, Four Cups, Purim, Megilla, DRASH
Baby You Can Drive My Car – Autonomous Vehicles on Shabbat?
Autonomous Vehicle, Shabbat, Parshat Emor, Shavuot
Divorce Over Infertility?
R. Soloveitchik’s Philosophy of Halacha, Love, Mitzvah, Parshat Toldot, DRASH
Why Am I Alive
Four “Why”s, Rivka, Eisav, Camus, Existentialism, Parshat Toldot, DRASH ONLY
One Donkey
Purpose, History, Creation, Akeida, Exodus, Mashiach, Parshat Vayera, Shmot, DRASH ONLY
Haazinu – Between Yom Kippur and Sukkot
Judgment to Joy, Existentialism, Purpose, Parshat Haazinu, Sukkot, DRASH
To Be Real
Be True, God Knows Thoughts, Rosh Hashana, Shabbat Shuva, Ten Days of repentance, Yom Kippur, DRASH ONLY
Today – A Bikkurim Message
Thanksgiving, Physical, Spiritual, Divine Promise, Carpei Diem, Parshat Ki Tavo, DRASH
Hevron – Yesterday and Forever
Hebron, History, Meaning, Am Yisrael, Torat Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, Parshat Lech Lecha, Chayei Sarah
Going Beyond Oneself
Improving Ourselves, Being Forbearing, Elul, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, DRASH
On Fences and the “Right to Die”
Suicide, Value of Life, Quality of Life, Ki Teitzei, DRASH
Shabbat Nachamu – Celebrate Geula
Hope, Exile, Faith, Celebrating during the month of Av, Jerusalem, Newlyweds, DRASH
Shabbat Tisha B’Av – Dialectic Time Bifurcated
Good and Evil, Perfection and Destruction, Nebuchadnezzar and Mashiach, Shabbat 9AV, DRASH
On the Individual and his Obligation to the Other
Modern Jewish Philosophy, Ethics, Overview of Voices, Parshat Masei, Bereishit, Shavuot
