The Directional Shaking of the Lulav: Bible, Mysticism, and Religious Polemics
Yaakov Jaffe traces the origins and evolution of the custom to shake the lulav in different directions.
Do Children Belong in Shul?
Moshe Kurtz explores halakhic and hashkafic considerations surrounding bringing young children to shul.
Flood
As the year turns from Elul to Tishrei, enjoy Ben Corvo's collection of poems relevant to the High Holiday themes and liturgy.
Hendiadys in the Pre-Shofar Acrostic Prayer: An Introduction to an Overlooked Principle of Biblical...
In unpacking the meaning of a tricky verse from Eikhah that we say as part of the Shofar service on Rosh Hashanah, Mitchell First introduces us to the literary principle called hendiadys, which can help us understand various phrases throughout Tanakh.
Letters to the Editor: Responses to Michael Broyde on Time-bound Commandments
Two readers respond to Michael Broyde's recent article on time-bound commandments. Leah Sarna critiques Broyde's omission of female scholarship, and Avi Siegal argues that Broyde's unifying theory skews the data.
The Children’s Book About R. Aharon Lichtenstein That Belongs on Your Summer Reading List
Tzvi Sinensky reviews the new volume about R. Aharon Lichtenstein from Divrei Shir’s Hebrew-language “Gedolei ha-Umah le-Yaldei Yisrael,” explaining why it is a must-read for adults and children alike.
Why Are Women Obligated in Some Time-Bound Positive Commandments and Exempt from Others? A...
Michael Broyde offers a new theory for why halakhah obligates women in some time-bound positive mitzvot and exempts them from others.
A Return to Moderation: Rabbi Lamm’s Passionate Plea for Civility
Tzvi Sinensky examines Rabbi Lamm’s lifelong commitment to civility.
“I Would Soar to the Sphere of Heaven”: Aleph and “I” in a Tishah...
In advance of Tisha Be-Av, Tzvi Novick annotates and interprets the kinnah of a’adeh ad hug shamayim by the master poet R. Eleazar ha-Kalir, unlocking its complex acrostic to determine who its speaker is meant to be.
Eliezer Melamed, Unpredictable and Non-Tribal Posek: The Case of Women’s Roles
David Silverstein explores the recent attempts to ban Rav Eliezer Melamed and his already-classic Peninei Halakha.