Aaron Zimmer

Cohost of "Physics to God" podcast

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Jun 17, 2024, 10:42 AM

A harm of insularity: Magic and superstition

Last time, I began discussing the harm of intellectual insularity. This time, I want to analyze another negative consequence of insulating a society from the knowledge of modernity: the persistence of magic and superstition. By this, I mean a...

Jun 10, 2024, 8:21 AM

Cultural and Intellectual Insularity

Now that I've laid out a framework for critiquing the ideal of ultra-orthodoxy in contrast to the ideal of modern orthodoxy, I'd like to examine one of the hallmarks of ultra-orthodoxy: insularity from secular society. To do this, it...

Jun 5, 2024, 12:03 AM

A Framework for Critiquing the Ideal of Ultra-Orthodoxy

After discussing the good parts of orthodoxy last time, the natural next step is to consider the bad parts of ultra-orthodoxy. Before doing that, I want to develop the conceptual framework for critiquing the ideal of ultra-orthodoxy. The key concept...

May 29, 2024, 7:22 AM

The Good Part of Orthodoxy: Torah and Fear of God

The last few times I discussed the good and bad of modernity. This time, I want to focus on the good parts of orthodoxy: Torah and Fear of God. The Torah is essential to what makes the Jewish people a...

May 23, 2024, 9:21 PM

The Bad Part of Modernity: Values and Culture

Last time, I discussed the good parts of modernity. This time I want to briefly spell out the bad parts: (many, but not all aspects of) modern values and culture. I have no intent to write a screed against...

May 17, 2024, 6:55 PM

A More Nuanced View of the Good in Modernity

Last time, I stated (rather bluntly) that the good part of modernity is knowledge and science. In the interest of moving beyond brief generalities, this time I want to add some nuance, complexity, and qualification. First, the good knowledge of...

May 16, 2024, 9:17 PM

The Good Part of Modernity: Knowledge and Science

Last time, I briefly outlined the good and bad elements of modernity and orthodoxy. I want to discuss those four categories more deeply before attempting to pull it all together, beginning with the good aspects of modernity. What is good...

May 13, 2024, 12:56 AM

The Good and Bad of Modernity and Orthodoxy

Let me try to lay out a basic approach for constructing the ideal of modern orthodoxy. As discussed last time, the idea is to take the good from modernity and orthodoxy and to leave the bad of each extreme. Two...

May 10, 2024, 8:50 AM

Is Modern Orthodoxy an Ideal?

For many Jews nowadays, Modern Orthodoxy is no longer viewed as an ideal. It has come to mean a compromise position. It's neither fully committed to the Torah nor fully beholden to the secular world. But that hasn't always been...

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About Me

After earning a physics degree and receiving rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Yisroel Chait, Aaron Zimmer utilized his personal resources to trade commodity futures. His approach was deeply rooted in the conceptual frameworks of physics and the Brisker Method for Talmudic analysis. After an eleven-year career marked by success in commodity trading, Aaron now cohosts a podcast, "Physics to God", with Rabbi Dr. Elie Feder. He resides in Lawrence, New York, along with his wife and their five children.

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