Who Is God and Why Should I Care?

Jewish Philosophy 101

Explore the Jewish perspective on free will, purpose, why suffering exists, and how to live life with meaning.
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Gain clarity

Imagine if...
You woke up each morning knowing there was a purpose to your existence on this earth?
You could relate to those feelings of awe when experiencing a natural wonder like Niagara Falls, the power of a mighty thunderstorm, or the beauty of an early-morning snow-blanketed world?
You had a context for dealing with the challenges and suffering you or loved ones experienced in life?
You could tap into the power of your free will and understand how to make better decisions?

Find purpose

Perhaps you say to yourself:
“There are a lot of philosophical questions I want answers for.”
“I want to know how to deal with real world problems through the lens of Judaism.”
“I want to know how God works. I want a more rounded understanding of Him.”
“I want to understand Judaism from a more philosophical view to help me understand it and strengthen my belief.”

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Discover meaning

People spend decades running through the rat race of life without ever giving thought as to why they were created.
Life was not meant to be a learn-as-you-go experience hoping for the best.
God created us as rational, thinking humans who are required to question, challenge, and discover what we are doing on this earth.
That’s why we created this course. To help propel you on your journey toward clarity, purpose and meaning.

In this groundbreaking course, you will learn...

How and why

How we know God exists and why He created the world

The Jewish view

The Jewish outlook on free will and suffering, and how this impacts your day-to-day life

What is success

Why Jews define the four elements of success differently than the rest of the world

What's included?

Everything you'll need for your journey...
  • Nine modules broken into dozens of short, bite-sized video clips (2-8 min each)
  • Optional assignments following the completion of each topic to make the learning more hands-on and applicable to your life
  • Long-term access so you can complete the course at your own pace and review at your leisure
Meet the guide for your philosophical journey

Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith

Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith is the founder and chief editor of Aish.com, one of the world’s largest Jewish websites, with 400,000 weekly subscribers. He is also a senior lecturer at the Aish HaTorah World Center and was a close student of Rabbi Noah Weinberg, its founder and Rosh Yeshiva. An expert on Jewish philosophy, he has written several books on Jewish wisdom and philosophy, including Rabbi Weinberg's 48 Ways to Wisdom.

While Rabbi Coopersmith might look like your typical rabbi, there was a time in his life that he wasn’t even sure if God existed. Thinking that religion was a man-made creation, he related more to the rational atheism that he credited to intellectuals. But as an inquisitive teen, he asked the questions that would jump-start his philosophical journey: How do I know I’m right? Is life really only about money and success? Why was I created? His first encounters with Jewish philosophy and wisdom convinced him that he needed to readjust his bias — and he’s never looked back. 


Patrick Jones - Course author
Today Rabbi Coopersmith teaches hundreds of live participants about the philosophical concepts that plagued him decades ago, and the feedback he has gotten has been astounding. Now Aish.com has decided — for the first time ever — to bring this information together as an online course for the intellectually honest and curious individual searching for the truth.  
Overview

A peek inside the course

Thinking Out
of the Box

An honest exploration of where our biases come from and how this impacts our worldview

Blind Faith, Belief & Knowledge

Learn about the four levels of conviction and how our greatest challenge is bridging the gap between our hearts and minds

Recognizing
the Truth

Learn how to recognize cognitive dissonance and become a truth-seeker, however uncomfortable it might be

The Finite/Infinite Connection

Learn how moments of awe are God’s fingerprints on this world and how Judaism defines reality

The Ramifications of
God’s Existence

A frank discussion about objective morality and whether life has meaning and purpose

Exploring Our Purpose
in this World

Explore why God bothered creating the world and what we are here for

Dynamics of
Free Will

Whom does God love more, a rabbi or a thief? The answer might surprise you

Wrestling with
Suffering

Hear Rabbi Coopersmith’s personal story of struggle as an example of how suffering is viewed through a Jewish lens

The Jewish Perspective on the Four Drives

Wisdom, power, wealth and honor – what else could one want? Be astonished to hear how Jews define these paradigms of success 
first episode:

Stuck Inside My Box

Check it out - FREE!
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What students are saying

After taking this course, I now understand that everything that happens is for a reason and I’m better able to handle my challenges.
Z.E.
This course has changed my life. I now realize how much my existence matters and that I’m a part of a much bigger picture.
ben argy
The information you learn in this course is so important for helping you focus and live the best life you can live. I would recommend this course to anyone.
Jeremy Haft
The course is not all theory; it is filled with practical examples of how these concepts look in real life. I especially love that Rabbi Coopersmith shared his personal story of raising his child with special needs in the module about suffering. It put the topic in a perfect context to understand how to handle the challenges God sends our way.
R.S.
Rabbi Coopersmith is a really engaging teacher, and this was a very thought-provoking course that gave me a lot to think about. Most importantly, it deepened my appreciation of Judaism and Jewish wisdom, and gave me practical tools to live a more meaningful life. Philosophy courses don't always do that!
Roberta K.
Rabbi Coopersmith’s course inspired me to make the changes I needed to make in my life. Every class was super interesting and insightful.
Aaron F.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the content of this course taken from?

  1. The classic philosophical Jewish text Derech Hashem, written by 16th century kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto and considered one of the foundational manuals of Jewish thought. Rabbi Coopersmith takes concepts discussed in this famous work and makes them easily understandable and relatable to a contemporary audience.
  2. The teachings of the legendary Rabbi Noach Weinberg, the founder and visionary behind the Aish HaTorah World Center, Aish.com, and the general Aish worldwide movement. Rabbi Noach Weinberg taught his students that Judaism is rational and can withstand scrutiny — and that they have a moral obligation to question and seek out truth instead of remaining mere products of their societies. Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith, a close protege of Rabbi Noach Weinberg, accepted the challenge and began questioning his own biases, beginning a personal, spiritual, and intellectual odyssey that led him to become an observant Jew and eventually create this course.

Whom is this course designed for?

Inquisitive Jews of all backgrounds.
Whether you are:
  • Just getting your feet wet, taking your first steps learning about Judaism and Jewish thought
  • A truth seeker who has learned about Jewish philosophy before but wants to gain a deeper understanding of certain concepts
  • An observant Jew who wants a refresher on the foundations of Jewish thought — whether for your own understanding or to teach others

I really don’t have a lot of free time. How do I know this course is worth the time investment?

The classes were created as short, bite-sized videos (2-8 minutes each) so that you can go at a pace that works for you. While in theory you could sit down and complete the entire course in one day, we recommend you space your learning in order to avoid information overload and to allow the concepts and material to have adequate time to sink in.
You spend years training for your profession. Why not spend a couple of hours learning about the purpose of your existence?

Get your questions answered.
For real.