On the Shabbos of Chanukah, the Torah portion of 'Miketz' is read regularly. Chanukah is a holiday instituted by the sages of Israel during the Second Temple period, in memory of the victory of the Chasmonaim revolt against the Greek Seleucid rule in the Land of Israel, which took place between the years 167-160 BCE. The Shelah comments in the introduction to the parshiyot on the similarity between the story of Joseph and his brothers, which serves as an introduction to the struggle for survival against the culture of ancient Egypt, and the story of Chanukah, which also expresses a cultural struggle with the culture of Greece and Hellenism that it represents. The common thread in both stories: the forging of Jewish society through a deep cultural struggle. The military victory led to the renewal of political independence and became an important narrative in the history of Israel.
Judaism's relationship to Greek culture is ambivalent. The Torah says: "May God enlarge Yaphes, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem" (Genesis 9:27). This verse is interpreted in two places in a seemingly almost contradictory manner. In Tractate Yoma, the Sages interpret: "Even though God beautified Yaphes, the Divine Presence only dwells in the tents of Shem" (9b). In other words, although Hashem is destined to give Yaphes' expression in the world a wide berth, the Divine Presence will only dwell in the tents of Shem. As they say, If you are told that there is wisdom among the nations believe it, but that there is Torah among the nations, do not believe it" (Eicha Rabba 2:13); on the other hand, in Tractate Megillah the Sages interpret this verse in a way that indicates giving honor to the culture of Yaphes, "The beauty of Yaphes shall be in the tents of Shem" (9a). This drasha expresses a series of collaborations and gives space to Yaphes' style even within the sacred places of Shem. Halacha gave practical meaning to this determination by making a Torah scroll written in Greek kosher.
The world of Judaism has undergone major revolutions throughout history, from the printing revolution to the digital revolution – and it remains as strong and stable as ever. Judaism learns to use every revolution that occurs and leverage it to its advantage, from the global dissemination of books after the printing revolution to motivational videos and Torah lessons across the internet today.
The "Sho'el u'Meshiv," Rabbi Yosef Shaul Natanson, of blessed memory, wrote the following on the subject of copyright: "Certainly, a new book that an author prints and whose words are accepted throughout the world – it is obvious that he has a right to this forever. And if someone prints or renews any work, another is not permitted to do so without his permission. And there are daily occurrences where the printer of a work and his representative has the right to it... and regarding his own work, a person is permitted to decree that it not be printed permanently without his permission or the permission of his representative".
Just as in the world of psychology or education, we are still looking for a figure to look up to and not just a know-it-all robot, it seems that in religious communities, rabbis will not be replaced so quickly either. Sometimes you're asked a question, and you need to connect with the questioner's personality and experience, and address things that aren't a matter of permissible or forbidden, initially or retroactively... You can make a computer think like a human logically, but emotionally it's lacking.
When AI asked if artificial intelligence could become a rabbi, it replied:
"No, AI cannot be a rabbi in the traditional or authoritative sense within Judaism.
A rabbi (from Hebrew "rav," meaning master or teacher) is a human religious leader ordained through semicha (rabbinic ordination), typically involving deep study of Torah, Talmud, and halacha (Jewish law), apprenticeship under experienced rabbis, and recognition by established rabbinic authorities. This process requires a living person with moral agency, empathy, life experience, and often a soul (neshama)—qualities central to Jewish theology that distinguish humans from machines.
Key Reasons from Jewish Perspectives
Lack of Humanity and Soul — Jewish sources emphasize that spiritual leadership, pastoral care, and halachic rulings tailored to individual circumstances demand human connection, intuition, and divine assistance. AI can process vast texts and generate responses but lacks empathy, personal judgment, and the ability to "read the room" or understand nuanced human struggles. As one Chabad article states, AI "will never replace the function of a rabbi, a human being who possesses a heart and soul."
Ordination Requirements — Even advanced AI has acknowledged (when prompted) that a rabbi must be a human ordained by rabbinic authority. No Jewish body has or likely would grant semicha to software.
Halachic and Ethical Limits — Rulings (psak halacha) often involve discretion, context, and moral wrestling—not just quoting sources. AI might hallucinate errors or oversimplify disputes. Some ultra-Orthodox groups have even banned AI use, calling it an "abomination" risking heresy.
AI's Role in Jewish Practice
That said, AI is already used as a tool in Jewish education and practice:
Platforms like Rebbe.io (billed as the "world's first AI rabbi") and RavGPT provide instant Torah insights, halacha answers, and guidance, but they include disclaimers: "This is an educational tool; consult a real rabbi for decisions."
AI helps digitize texts (e.g., Dicta tools for scanning sefarim), brainstorm sermons, or assist research.
Rabbis experiment with it for lesson planning or quick source lookup, but view it as an aid, not a replacement—similar to how databases revolutionized study without eliminating human teachers.
In short, AI can simulate rabbinic functions impressively and enhance access to Jewish wisdom, but it cannot truly be a rabbi. The human element—relationship-building, spiritual depth, and accountable leadership—remains irreplaceable. For any serious question, the consensus is clear: ask a flesh-and-blood rabbi.
As a rabbi, I fully understand the meaning of the words "the service of a Torah scholar is more important than its study" (Brachos 7b), which is a significant principle in the philosophy of education. The Sages also require, to no lesser extent, that teachers serve as an example and symbol for their students.
Artificial intelligence may give us the ability to create links we haven't thought of before and weren't aware of. In the world of the Talmud, a learning partner is called a 'chavrusa'. Artificial intelligence will be a kind of companion, who knows almost everything! However, Jewish education is based primarily not only on the addition of knowledge, but on practical education to instill ways of life, and these are learned from the actions of the teaching person, more than from their words. This principle requires students not to be satisfied with dryly listening to what is being taught, but rather to observe and learn the full range of the rabbi's behaviors, as this is about learning "the Torah of life."
The singing of "Ma'oz Tzur" during Chanukah, including the words "Bnei Binah" (Children of Understanding) and "These candles are holy and we are not permitted to use them," teaches us that despite technological development, lighting solutions, and modern society's cleverness, we still light these candles and understand how much we need to contemplate the light of the candles to cover the shortcomings of modern human society.
Rav Avraham Reznikov
