Early Life and Education
David graduated from Gilman high school magna cum laude where David received "the love of learning prize.".[3]
Education and Graduate Scholarship
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Baltimore Hebrew University — Jewish Philosophy, Biblical Exogesis, and Jewish History and Rabbinics
As an autodidact, David developed his dissertation to cover a wide scope on Jewish Theodicy: radical evil, suffering, and catastrophe in Jewish History and the ethical implications of Rabbinic Theodicy.
Master of Library Science (MLS)
University of Maryland College Park
David tailor made his MLS degree to cover classification of library organizational systems, cataloging of Judeica and Hebraica, censorship of Jewish books, and Jewish Lexography, etc.
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Liberal Arts and Philosophy — Haverford College
Foundational education focused on classical philosophy, logic, and intellectual history. This rigorous program provided the critical conceptual tools necessary for subsequent specialized research in religious philosophy and the history of ideas. Two of David's favorite professors were Drs Richard Bernstein and Aryeh Kosman. For instance, with Richard Bernstein David learned Wittgenstein, Heidegger, Nietzsche, Kant in the original German.
Key Accomplishments
Doctoral Thesis Distinction
Scholarly Publication
Pedagogical Excellence
Successfully published a comprehensive monograph exploring the intersection of medieval theology and modern pedagogical frameworks.
Recognized for outstanding contributions to higher education with the Excellence in Teaching Fellowship for three consecutive academic years.
Recipient of the Distinguished Dissertation Award for pioneering research in the philosophical underpinnings of liturgical evolution.
Publications
Essays in the Philosophy and History of Science
This book has over 40 chapters on a diverse range of topics in the history of science including: (1)The social construction of Science, (2) Menachem Fish: Philosopher of Mathematics, (3) Technocracy: Wo die Gefahr ist wachste das Retende auch, (4) digital memory, (5) Rabbinic reception history of Copernicus' helliocentric universe and its religious implications, (6) Computer science and ontology, (7) Libraries in post-modern digital age, (8) Revolutions in Library science, (9) republished Review of medicine in the 19th century that appeared previously in the peer reviewed journal of The History of Medicine and the Allied Sciences, (10) Humanistic medicine, (11) James Reeves American Medical pioneer, (12) Moral ethical concerns of the online environment and privacy rights, (13) science and torah, (14) What is philosophy of science, (15) Cosmology and ma'aseh bereshit, (16) Pathological realities and history of immunization, (17) Music and Medicine, (18) Jewish alchemy and the Maharal, (19) Julius Friedenwald Historian of Jews in Medicine, (20) Oliver Sacks: Interdisciplinary nature of creative writing and neurology, (21) Sander Gilman, Michel Foucault, Ludwig Wittgenstien, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Anne Harrington critique of psychology as a fuzzy science with bias, (21) Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions: Paradigm shits, (22) Leo Strauss defense of science against Nietzsche's critique of Cyclopic Socratic methed, (23) Athens (science) vs. Jerusalem (revealed religions), (24) ethics of ecological Environmentalism, (25) Linguistics, Mathematics, and Anthropological insights on the metaphysical concept of time, (26) Tobias Danzig' s Number the language of science, (27) Fractals- mysterious G-d encrypted patterns in Nature, (28) mathematics and music, (28) sudden death in the Bible and criteria of death in the Talmudim, (29) ethics and the internet, (30) Einstein's theory of relativity, (31) Rabbinic folk healer physicians in the Talmud, (32) Julius Preuss' Biblische und Talmudische Medizin, (33) Rif on Revolutions in zoom technology, (34) Epidemics in Biblical and Rabbinic history and Responsa, (35) Rambam's medical writings, (36) Rambam's understanding of Physics as a pre requisite to ma'aseh bereshit, and Metaphysics as a prerequisite to ma'aseh merkavah, (37) Why Rambam views Ben Zoma being "outside" in his study of logic and Rambam's first work Sefer HaHigayon (work in syllogism), (38) Rambam's medical writings (39) Essays in the enigmatic, esoteric, mystical intersection of science at the minds limits and Jewish mysticism, (40) Sefer Iyov and the history of science implicit in chapter 38,
Essays and Explorations in the Enigmatic, Esoteric, and Mystical based on sources in Rabbinic ad Fontes
The reviewer rabbi moshe weisblum reviewed the book in 5 pages and ends his review with the following: These two excellent volumes introduce the reader to a wonderous, awe inspiring, and at time ecstatic thrilling spellbinding, journey that begins at the Mind’s Limits and carries the soul even to realms beyond (Leila Leila) while at the same time being authentically highly relevant, germane, and timely . Time will tell which of Dr. Levy’s complete 13 volume set will serve as a signature piece for an author who makes the most urgent and fundamental subjects vividly come alive in an absorbing page turning read and study that is extremely emotionally deeply satisfying and deeply penetrating sounding the depths. These volumes usher the reader into an enchanted forest and deliver the pilgrim spiritual soul into a kind of cognitive clearing of mental sunrise upon further dawning mental sunrises. Like a deep sea diver the author of these volumes brings up from the ocean floor of consciousness previous gems of wisdom that will delight and refresh the mind in an age plagued by elitism. By an author who has no political agendas, axes to grind, or crass careerist ulterior motives of promotion, that is to say an author who writes not for careerist tenure and Macbethian career advancement, these volumes serve as an offering of a labor of love, a Kiddush ha-shem. The whole set is an offering worthy of the altar of merit, by an autodidact whose rare work is `an exception that makes all the exceptions' and defies all statistics, in an lemning age of conformity and sycophantism, plagued by Shakespearian Poloniuses, Sinclair Lewisian Babbitts, Thackery `Becky Sharpes' of Vanity Fair. To be ignored by the many only at risk.
Censorship, External and Internal of Hebraica and Judaica
David's work on censorship of Hebraica has been noted as making a positive contribution to the field of Jewish Studies and Library Sciences[15]. This presentation examines four types of censorship of Hebraica and Judaica. Namely (1) Ancient Roman governmental censorship from the book of Macabees to illustrative sugyot (passages) in the Talmud including Ta’anit, Avodah Zarah, & Sanhedrin (2) Church1 , particularly Roman Catholic,2 censorship3 in Italy,4 from the early middle ages on that manifested itself in the confisgation, censoring, and burning5 of sacred Rabbinic texts,6 (3) Government censorship from the fascist Nazis in Germany and the Arrow Cross in Hungary to the extreme left Communists in Russia and elsewhere. The following link includes the slides present association of Jewish Libraries in 2023 [1]. The following link includes text demonstrating David's citation of over 180 footnotes [2].
Gluskin Family History
The first book David published was titled Gluskin Family History, pioneering the field of Jewish Genealogical studies.[16] Jewish genealogy is important because in remembrance there is redemption: we must remember the past, live the present, and trust the future. We cant know where we are going unless we know where we have been. Also in the future when the 3rd temple will be rebuilt levites and kohanim will again serve in 24 rotations 2x per year (12 x2) to serve in the Temple. The going up to serve in the Temple is known in the Talmud and antiquity as the ma'amadot. In each weekly serving of the priests the hallah would go from a marble table to a gold table to illustrate the principle of elevating in holiness. The mishna in tamid describes how even in the small towns of Israel (kefarot) processions of priestly families proceeded with the accompaniment of music and tinsell in the horns of animals as the families went up to Jerusalem. In 2020, David presented the following slides outlining the Gluskin family history at an AJL conference [3].sources.
Dimensions of the Beit HaMikdash
The first book David published was titled Gluskin Family History, pioneering the field of Jewish Genealogical studies.[16] Jewish genealogy is important because in remembrance there is redemption: we must remember the past, live the present, and trust the future. We cant know where we are going unless we know where we have been. Also in the future when the 3rd temple will be rebuilt levites and kohanim will again serve in 24 rotations 2x per year (12 x2) to serve in the Temple. The going up to serve in the Temple is known in the Talmud and antiquity as the ma'amadot. In each weekly serving of the priests the hallah would go from a marble table to a gold table to illustrate the principle of elevating in holiness. The mishna in tamid describes how even in the small towns of Israel (kefarot) processions of priestly families proceeded with the accompaniment of music and tinsell in the horns of animals as the families went up to Jerusalem. In 2020, David presented the following slides outlining the Gluskin family history at an AJL conference [3].sources.
The Afterlife of the Heavenly Return (forward) to the Edenic Gan Eden
David's book on the afterlife traces the rabbinic reception history of the afterlife in Maimonides. Although the book contains further descriptions of the soul in the heavenly temple and its journey to ascend to chamber to chamber where it will be refreshed and delighted by angelic wisdom on topics such as: 1) the beauty of shabbas, 2) the unity of God, 3) proving revelation (offenbarung) before the tribunal of reason, 4) and what is virtue (arete), 5) Elijah the prophet reconciling contradictions between the Bible and Talmudim to the shining names in Gan Eden.
Divrei Torah
The book focusses on Maimonides reception history hilchot teshuva that in olam ha ba there is no eating, drinking, or anything physical but tzadikim sit with crowns on their heads enjoy basking in ziv shekhinah whereby crowns are proportional in merit of Hokmah, binah, vedaat (including scientific knowledge) gained or achieved as intellectual merit (Arete) in olam hazeh. While Rambam is not the only view position on the Afterlife, as Hasidim often take literally the feast of leviathan. Ibn Ezra explains anything that takes place below in olam ha zehn is echoed pleromatically fuen die himmel fern garten memalah ie microcosm is an echo of macrocosm. Just as there is a beit din memalah so there is a beit din memalah, merkavah mematah mirrored in merkavah memalah, beit hamikdash memalah ve beit hamikdash mematah, mayim tatchtonim echo mayim elyonim etc ve ha mayim me al ha shamayim etc. The intro cites biblical mikorot mentioned in rambam’s ma amar al tihiyat Hamaytim etc. The book focuses on maimonidean reception history. For example rambam says the pusek "the lamb will dwell with the wolf" means Jews (the lambs) will not be persecuted by anti semites (wolves) vs. the mikablim like the Ramban to Rav Kook hold there will be a "change in nature" of open miracles whereby wolves will not be carnivores. Rav Kook predicted the rise in vegetarianism as a kind of "spiritual cleansing" that will proceed the rebuilding of the beit hamikdash. The book even cites the recent text of Kafka's Vor or Dem Gezets, as a hint to the afterlife whereby the soul must receive permission from gatekeepers to proceed to the next chamber where it may be delighted and refreshed by celestial angelic discourses for instance on the beauty of shabbos, die einzigkeit des Gottes (unity of G-d), Die Tugende (virtue), etc.[17]
David HaMelekh
A more recent book published by Dr. Levy is on the topic of King David. Although King David was a warrior and military leader, this book steers away from that “crusader” often Christological model and paints a portrait of King David as a faithful dedicated servant of the Rabbinic Sanhedrin, while it does show via the neveim that David still represents also the hoped for messianic eschatological scion. The book not only highlights key moments in David's life such as his shepherding his father Yishai's flocks making training him as a prerequisite to shepherd the people of Israel later, David's being chosen out of left field and anointing by the prophet Shmuel who looks through David's beautiful eyes, as the windows of the soul to glimpse an elevated neshama. David's slaying of Goliath against all odds proclaiming while you come before me with sword, spear, and javelin, but i come before you in the name of the “L-rd of hosts"
Topics in Judaica Librarianship
Another work, Topics in Judaica Librarianship, offers chapters on methods, strategies, and the importance of Jewish genealogical research; censorship of Rambam's Sefer Hamadah and sefer Morah Nevukhim; the Making of the Jewish Encyclopedia and Encyclopedia Judaica, and Encyclopedia Talmudit; Rabbinic reverance, love, and cherishing of texts as people of the BookS; Ethics, Politics, Hermeneutics, and Theologies of Hebraica Translations; Reel Librarians: The image and stereotypes of the librarian and Jewish librarian in Film, TV, and literature.
Constellations of a Rabbinic Pantheon
David's book, Constellation of a Rabbinic Pantheon, offers historical sketches of major Gedolei ha dor during Geonim, Rishonim, and Ahronim periods accompanied with power point shots of how to research their rabbinic oeuvre online in databases like Otzar HaHokmah, Hebrewbooks.org, and Bar Ilan. Just some of the Rabbis include Rav Saadaia Gaon, Rashi, Rambam, Ramban, Ramhal, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, Rav Soloveitchik, Rav Kook, etc.
History of the Synagogue Bibliography
One book, History of the Synagogue, is an extensive bibliography with overview essay on the history of the synagogue from the 2nd temple times, tannaitic, amoraic, geonic, savoreyim, rishonim, and ahronim periods featuring the geographical and cultural diversity of many different kinds of synagogues and their Jewish art or lack of jewish art influenced by lo oseh likhah pesel. From the Dura Europus synagogue mosaic, the Tzipori synagogue mosaic, to the medieval and Renaissance synagogues to the Hasidid wooden shtiebelak of Eastern Europe to modern trends in the history of American synagogue demographics this broad multifaceted essay is sure to touch upon many different types of jews and their prayer and learning holy spaces.
The Shoah as a Manifestation of Radical Evil
The Shoah as a Manifestation of Radical Evil; Book offers philosophic, rabbinic, and historical analysis of theodicy in general and the Holocaust in particular that bursts all categories of theodic classification. Considers the reasons such as pritzus and violence for destruction of the 1st temple, sinat hinam for the 2nd temple, Betar massacre, Crusade atrocities, according to tosefot yom tov "talking and casualness in the synagogues " for Tach ve Tat (1648) when 100,000 Jews were murdered along the dieneper river in cruel and inhuman ways such as pregnant women cut open and their babies roasted and eaten; to the kishnever pogram memorialized by Bialik in Al ha iyr hashigah to Babi Yahr. We consdier Rambam's remarks that the test was allowed in Job in sefer iyov because Iyov was only serivng out of desire to receive a reward rather than on a madrega of ahavah versus Rav Sadia Gaon who cites the gemarah that Iyov was silent in Pharoah's court when it was decided to drown the hebrew boys. Like the majority of Europeans who were apathetic, indifferent, ambivalent when the Jews were ghetoized and deported for mass murder.
The Art of the Book Review III
The Art of the Book Review is a 6 Volume Set that includes essays on love of book and text culture. David has published over 2,600 book reviews and offers a meditation on the art of the book review types drawing on texts as diverse as Pirkei Avot, the Confucian analects, and philosophers of education from Plato to Maimonides to John Dewey and Piaget. This six vol set titled the art of the book review has unexpected essays such as monographs on love of text referencing many religious traditions devotion to oral and written teachings. For example david cites, Rav Yehudah HaLevi who remarked my pen is my harp and my manuscripts my garden or the Vilna Gaon who wrote, "just as my feet allow me to walk in this world my books allow me to walk in higher worlds still and beyond in the seven heavens."
Bibliography of the Shoah (Holocaust) III
The Bibliography of the Shoah Includes exhaustive bibliography in 3 vols of all subject headings classified in RAMBI of the SHOAH plus books. Preceded by a long monograph on the Shoah and its uniqueness.
The Ten Commandments
The book on the 10 commandments offers rabbinic commentary to illuminate the "big ten mitzvoth" which david shows are better viewed within the context of all 613 mitzvoth known as the TARYAG as Rabbi Simli notes when he commented that all 10 commandmentrs include implicitly all 613 commandments that flow from the roots of the ten. Rabbi Simli justifies this by reasoning that all 364 days of the year (364 corresponding to the positive commandments) one should perform with all their 248 limbs or parts of the body (248 being the number of negative commandments) so that during the year of 364 days all limbs of the body fulfill the TARYAG ha mitrzvoth. Interestingly the gematria or numerical equivalent of of the word Ruth is 606 and when 606 is added to 7 (the 7 noahide laws) the total is 613 or the number of commandments. In fact there are more than 613 commandments for instance chanukah is # 614 while for Emil Fackenheim the 614th commandment is to give to the nazis no post-humous victories.
Bibliography of Woman in the Bible, Midrash, Jewish, History, and Jewish Law
The bibliography of Jewish women treats jewish women in halakhah, the bible, midrash, jewish history, and Jewish law and any and all matters particularly relating to jewish women. Women's mitzvoth influe in traditional judiasm, but are not limitted to challah making (hafrashat hallah), lighting shabbos candles, and family purity matters (the mikvah). David brings rabbinic interpretation and commentary on these mitzvoth. David brings various commentaries on Proverbs 31 showing how each biblical verse refers to a specific biblical women to the Malbim's abstract interpretaion that mishlei 31 represents women's practical virtues. David also includes essays on how technology can be misogynistic and how the modern online environment can discriminate against women.
Ethical/Halakhic Perspectives in Judaica Librarianship
Ethical/Halakhic Perspectives in Judaica Librarianship attempts to wrestle with the following questions: does the Jewish tradition have to share with regard to questions concerning netiquette and online ethics? What is the relationship between the Internet and civility? Has incivility in America increased due to social media and what are its effects on democratic public discourse? How can we measure the effects of online incivility by objective scientific criteria? Does online anonymity encourage harassment of women or does online anonymity protect marginalized groups? Why is cyberbullying a serious problem from the standpoint of Jewish ethics? How do we attempt to curb the epidemic of cyberbullying among students? How can schools and teachers take action to combat cyberbullying? What are the etiquette and ethics of social media? Does Facebook immorally lead to exploiting its users? What does Jewish law have to say about (1) responsible use of the internet? (2) causing harm psychologically to persons by "meanspeak", (3) embarrassing person in public via the internet, (4) causing harm to individuals whereby a lashon ha-rah on the internet can kill a reputation or career opportunity or shidduch as per the criteria specified by the Chofetz Chaim's laws of considering one's words that can be used as a sword to harm or used to promote life, happiness, health, and constructive good.
The Jewish Arts
The Jewish arts book includes the fine arts, music, dance, film, theater, etc. with a heavy weighting to music the most spiritual of the arts. In judaism David points out that the commandment "lo oseh lichah pesel" dont make a sculptured image was interpreted in a spectrum of commentary. For instance rabbi akiva asks a question in the mishnah if he can enjoy the waters of a roman bathhouse that have a statue of aphrodite. Rabbi akiva reasons he is not going to bow down to the statue nor did he bring it in the bathhouse so he will enjoy the waters of the bathhouse. However a few mishnayot away rabban gamliel would not handle roman coins because not only is the coin raised up as a little image in indentation on metal but worse the roman empoeror thought he was a god, with a little g like Pharoah thought he was the morning and evening star. This idolatry of the Roman emperrors who when they passed on roman eagles would be released in a ceremony and inicated idolatrously that the roman emperor had ascendended on eagles wings to the heavens.
Essays, Mikorot, Packets, and Bibliographies on Hasidism and Hasidut
The book on Hasidism and Hasidut contains numerous introductory essays noting for example (1) the diversity and different types of Hasidic sects. For example Bar Ilan catalogers lists over 500 types of Hasidic groups such as Lubavitch, Satmar, Ger, Vishnitz, Burke, Alexander, etc. (2) what characterizes Hasidic groups versus the Mitnagdim, (3) the geographical areas in Eastern Europe from which Hasidic groups sprung as a grass roots movement that saw the dignity and nobility of the common Jew , (4) the chain of transmission of Hasidic dynasties such as the 7 Rebbes of Lubavith, (5) a look at the last words before ascending to the next worlds by 42 Hasidic Leaders (Tzadikim) , (6) portraits of Hasidic Tzadikim such as the Besht, Dov Ber of Metzirich, and the Noam Elimelech, and Yosef of Polonya, (7) censorship of Hasidut (the mystical publications of Hasidic thinkers), (8) the rechilut by the mitnagdim that led to persecutions of Hasidic groups and leaders including being arrested by the authorities to whom the mitnagdim tattle tailed painting the Hasidim as subversive and a danger to the state, (9) the influence of different mystical texts and streams such as Sefer HaZohar by the Rashbi, Lurianic Kabbalah, Cordovian Kabbalah Hasidic teachings etc. There are also primary documents of Hasiduth in source packets and extensive bibliographies
Religious Zionism with Extensive Bibliography
David's book titled religious zionism not only offers a thorough bibliography on the subject but serves to combat the miss information that slanders, libels, and defames Israel in the name of Anti-Zionism which Phyllis Chesler calls the New Antisemtiism. The book includes introductory essays on the diversity of Ziionism in general and Religious Zionisms in particular. In addition relevant essays on ISrael's right to defend itself based on halakhic sources is provided along with a Religious Zionism power point featuring the thought of thinkers and activists like: Rabbi Yehudah Alkalai, Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Kalischer, Rabbi Shmuel Mohliver, Rabbi Yaakov Reines, Rabbi Yehiel Michael Pines, Rabbi Samuel Chaim Landau, Rabbi Abraham Isaaac Kook, Rabbi Isaac HaLevi HErzog, Rabbi Meir Bar Ilan, Rav J.pB. Soloveitchik, etc. An essay from the persepctive of linguistic history is also offered on "hebrew the old-new eternal language along with a historical essayh on the Israeli ?National Anthem HaTikvah. David Has published many essays elsewhere that serve to combat and resist miss information about Israel and show a more truthful representation of the facts at:
Bibliography of History of Anti semitism and Anti Judaism
Table contents of vol 1,2 show a great breadth and diversity of a broad scope of exploratory essays in the fields of jewish studies such as Biblical Exegesis, Jewish Philosophy, Jewish History, Hebrew Linguistics, Rabbinics, Jewish Literature, etc. As the table of contents in volumes 1 and 2 shown alongside the whole gamut of Jewish studies is treated by david's research that is broad, diverse, multi-faceted, and inter disciplinary. Volume 1 even includes a translation david did of an article in German from an academic German Jewish studies journal. The essay on Bialik david gave while in Tel Aviv to the archivist librarian of the Bialik Museum. The librarian said they had never encountered Bialiks work compared with the larger world literature poetic streams in England such as the Lake poets, Byran, Shelley, Wordsworth, Keats and the French Romantic tradition of Lamartine (Le Lac) and the German Storm und Drunk movement. Another unique essay by david is his article titled Der Temple which is a sustained narrative of about 10 pages in coherent fluent German.
Some Early Writings by David B. Levy in the Whole Gamut of Jewish Studies
Table contents of vol 1,2 show a great breadth and diversity of a broad scope of exploratory essays in the fields of jewish studies such as Biblical Exegesis, Jewish Philosophy, Jewish History, Hebrew Linguistics, Rabbinics, Jewish Literature, etc. As the table of contents in volumes 1 and 2 shown alongside the whole gamut of Jewish studies is treated by david's research that is broad, diverse, multi-faceted, and inter disciplinary. Volume 1 even includes a translation david did of an article in German from an academic German Jewish studies journal. The essay on Bialik david gave while in Tel Aviv to the archivist librarian of the Bialik Museum. The librarian said they had never encountered Bialiks work compared with the larger world literature poetic streams in England such as the Lake poets, Byran, Shelley, Wordsworth, Keats and the French Romantic tradition of Lamartine (Le Lac) and the German Storm und Drunk movement. Another unique essay by david is his article titled Der Temple which is a sustained narrative of about 10 pages in coherent fluent German.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XII
A study of the influence of Aristotelian logic on Rabbinic textual interpretation.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XIII
Exploring the conceptual evolution of theodicy in response to historical trauma.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XIV
An analysis of the role of tradition and innovation in Rabbinic commentary.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XV
Mapping the intellectual history of Jewish enlightenment through primary source texts.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XVI
An examination of the theological foundations of modern Jewish identity.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XVII
Linguistic study on the transmission of Hebraic texts through the ages.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XVIII
Critical engagement with the mystical traditions of the early Hasidic movement.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XIX
Contemporary perspectives on classical Rabbinic debate and dialogue methodologies.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XX
A philosophical investigation into the roots of Jewish communal leadership structures.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XXI
Exploring the intersection of modern bibliographical study and ancient textual preservation.
Scholarly Publication Placeholder XXII
Concluding volume on the historical synthesis of Rabbinic traditions in the Diaspora.