# <![CDATA[S10, E8 In Pursuit of Knowing Hashem: Why Do We Need the Torah?]]>

From **The Great Sources with Rabbi Shnayor Burton** by R Shnayor Burton.

- **Published:** Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:26:02 GMT
- **Duration:** 01:11:08
- **Audio:** https://anchor.fm/s/fb5467c/podcast/play/113580050/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-0-6%2F415597912-44100-2-227d67ed557f.mp3
- **Page:** https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shnayor-burton/episodes/S10--E8-In-Pursuit-of-Knowing-Hashem-Why-Do-We-Need-the-Torah-e3d8mii
- **TorahApp:** https://torahapp.org/share/p/3P_r_shnayor_burton_great_sources/e/69fcf339-adc9-43d4-a34f-f086ffdbc994

<![CDATA[<p>In this conversation, Zev and I discuss what role the Torah plays in the pursuit of knowing Hashem</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=30s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">00:30</a> Why do we require the Torah for the pursuit of da'as Hashem?</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=540s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">9:00</a> Can a person achieve da'as Hashem without the Torah?</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=990s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">16:30</a> Is the Torah the exclusive method that brings to da'as Hashem?</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=1080s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">18:00</a> What is the Torah and to what genre does it belong?</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=1305s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">21:45</a> It is impossible to disentangle Jewish values from the Torah</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=1830s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">30:30</a> The Torah's words, narratives and practices anchor a person in da'as Hashem</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=2400s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">40:00</a> Does all da'as Hashem trace its roots to the Torah?</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=3060s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">51:00</a> Torah as Law and its difference from the Prophets: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVhxVlBMUUVibDltR0NHOFA5LUVETjBhVWxNUXxBQ3Jtc0trbE5ld3JXSlRtby02NVUzQzJnaEF5TmpFb0FDWEJuLTQzakZrdnhfNEpzcjE1QnJRMmJKazlINnIxTVl2Y3lKa25DX3Z2VGRzQ0R6UktRakJpcWJiTHM3bk1YQU9xZGNmbExhTzVxOVEyTDRTZjB5MA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F364132946794%3Fhash%3Ditem54c803d36a%3Ag%3ALLEAAOSwqkVj3XLn%26amdata%3Denc%253AAQAIAAAA4E2kxFY4%252FNr8zqAlp%252BIp9oKITgUEvlVDvyr7%252BvIsjZ04qeF6r03zcRHJu4REe8Bmj3emw%252BTs7iWiZEowgDEqv%252FawtkbpB473XNRn73r%252F67InUtOp3KM71gheGnpvqZ4fchPFQJ7xGRma%252FPd&v=QboPHW9Zl2g" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.ebay.com/itm/364132946794...</a></p><p>https://open.substack.com/pub/shnayor/p/ee-and-r-3_1-between-the-torah-and?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=3120s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">52:00</a> Da'as Hashem is absent from the Torah; Moshe is higher than the prophets by virtue of his recognition that Hashem is actually unknowable</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=3210s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">53:30</a> The Law as guardrails against absolute freedom of thought</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=3285s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">54:45</a> We cannot and will not contemplate infinity, and therefore we need the finitude of the Law</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=3360s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">56:00</a> Paradoxically, restrictions allow for freedom of thought</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=3600s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">1:00:00</a> The Jewish People is the greatest mitzvah</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QboPHW9Zl2g&t=3900s" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">1:05:00</a> Summary of how the Torah serves da'as Hashem</p>
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