The Stoic Approach to Tefilah (Seneca Letter #67 - On Ill-Health and Endurance of Suffering)

Synopsis: Today’s episode should be regarded as a brief introduction to a much broader topic: the similarities and differences between the Stoic and Jewish approaches to tefilah (prayer). We examine sources from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus – all of which are encapsulated in a single quotation attributed to Bruce Lee. 

In this episode I deliberately resisted the temptation to give a full exposition of my understanding of tefilah, since this would be difficult to do within the time frame of the episode. For an elaboration on my understanding of tefilah based on Jewish sources, I recommend listening to a shiur I gave on 5/24/20 entitled Refaeinu and the Methodology of Tefilah.

Sources:
- Seneca: Letter #67; click here to access the full text of Seneca’s letter
- Aurelius: Meditations 9:40
- Bruce Lee
- Avos 2:4
- Epictetus: Enchiridion (The Handbook) Chapter 8
- Epictetus: Discourses 1:6:37
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If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
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Stoic texts:
The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius
Letters from a Stoic Master (Seneca)
The Discourses of Epictetus
The Enchiridion (Handbook) of Epictetus
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