Torah u-Madda’s Moment
Stu Halpern weighs in on the eternal wisdom Torah u-Madda offers the world during the fraught times in which we live.
Catastrophic Miracles and Miraculous Catastrophes: The Torah of Pregnancy in Tazria and Toldot
In her winning Ateret Zvi essay, Leah Sarna explores two simultaneously true stories about pregnancy: it is at once a beautiful, incredible miracle, and also a demanding journey, both physically and mentally, that often feels more like a catastrophe. Studying the Torah's accounts of pregnancy in Tazria and Rivkah's life, Sarna offers a moving analysis of what it means to hear, tell, and live these stories.
Thoughts on a Death
In this personal reflection, Phil Lieberman addresses the unique pain that accompanies the loss of an abusive parent and considers the uneasy coherence of this pain with Jewish traditions of mourning.
Mitzvah Merchants and their Made-in-America Toys
Zev Eleff examines some of the toys peddled around by mitzvah merchants and other fascinating features of Ultra-Orthodox culture.
Racism and Religious Particularism: A Corrective Antidote
Do Jewish texts teach racism? It depends on how you read them, answers Chaim Trachtman.
The Patron Saint of Rabbis’ Kids
The father heard the voice of God, Elli Fischer explains, but the son ends up with the blade on his neck.
A Philosophical Reflection on the Halakhification of Warfare
Alex Ozar explores wartime law in the Rambam.
“Of Persons and Peoples” – A Review of Gleanings: Reflections on Ruth
David Bashevkin reviews Gleanings: Reflections on Ruth.
Animating the Dialogue – A Review of Yeshiva Days: Learning on the Lower East...
Sima Fried reviews Jonathan Boyarin’s Yeshiva Days, illuminating the challenges of examining a community as both an insider and an outsider.
Are Modern Orthodox Jews More Comfortable with Mysticism or Anthropomorphism?
This siddur, Yaakov Jaffe argues, is where to look to find out what Orthodox Jews believe.