How the Rabbis Thought About Work

How did the rabbis understand the ideal role of work in our lives, the kinds of work that are best, and the relationship between work, rest, and play?

David Zvi Kalman

August 1, 2022

August 1, 2022

David Zvi Kalman

Dr. David Zvi Kalman is Scholar in Residence and Director of New Media at Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, where he was also a member of the inaugural cohort of North American David Hartman Center Fellows. David Zvi leads the Kogod Research Center’s research seminar on Judaism and the Natural World. David Zvi holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from the University of Toronto. His research touches on Jewish

Ideas for Today, Judaism and Modernity, Torah, Video

Work shapes our lives, our relationships, and—for better or worse—our status in the world. The nature of work is also rapidly changing. Over two sessions, David Zvi Kalman looks at how the rabbis understood the ideal role of work in our lives, the kinds of work that were best, and their understanding of the relationship between work, rest, and play.

Session 1

This session aired on July 19, 2022.

Session 2

This session aired on July 26, 2022.

This series is part of Ideas for Today, our offering of curated courses led by leading scholars addressing the compelling contemporary Jewish issues of the day.