Commentary

With the High Holidays approaching, a time iconic for its songful liturgy, Moshe Kurtz scrutinizes the practice of cantors repeating words during davening.

Hillel David Rap responds to Jordan Soffer and Jay Kelman.

As the Covid-19 pandemic looks like it might be subsiding, Ezra Schwartz, a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University, incisively examines competing trends toward decentralization of synagogue life and centralization of halakhic decision-making that are reshaping the Modern Orthodox world.

AJ Berkovitz offers a charitable perspective on American politicians' apparent errors in citing the Bible.

Dan Jutan locates a fascinating meta-narrative within Rashi's commentary.

The Agnon scholar, Jeffrey Saks, sees some Agnonian work in modern Israeli literature.

Avi Garson traces the rise and fall of the classical Sephardic tradition and calls for a renewed return to its fundamental principles.

Meira Wolkenfeld's reflection commemorating the passing of Yaakov Elman, ob"m.

Yitzchak Blau reviews Jeffrey Rubenstein’s The Land of Truth, Talmud Tales, Timeless Teachings.

Rabbi Kenneth Brander, head of Ohr Torah Stone, explores what the daily blessing on Talmud Torah can teach us about how to foster religious continuity.