Culture

In this poetic tale from Marina Zilbergerts's recent poetry book You Were Adam (Wipf and Stock), a learned and passionate woman struggles with her yetser hara, nicknamed "Wicked." The yetser is imagined as a fantastic character who accompanies her through Jewish Toronto's banal suburbia. "Wicked '' is a sympathetic and tragic apikores who knows how to get her where it hurts, but he also speaks the truth. He is a careful social observer present with her at all times. From going on weekly shopping trips, being in shul, to more intimate moments, this demonic character becomes her unlikely friend. In an ironic twist, the lessons taught to her by her yetser help her embark on the path of repentance.

As Yom Kippur approaches, Bruce Black's poem touches on the simple power of a humble and earnest request for forgiveness.

Rabbi David Wolkenfeld explores the meaning of faith in this review of Rabbi Chaim Jachter's Reason to Believe

In a moving reflection, Mali Moskowitz explores her life as a rebbetzin, lawyer, and wife, and asks: can there be a rebbetzin without a rabbi?

In this mini-collection of poems, November reflects on the presence of God in the universe.

Sarah Rindner contemplates whether Torah u-Madda as it’s sometimes interpreted can engender unreflective allegiance to trends in contemporary society that might harm our religious communities.

Jennie Rosenfeld reviews David Bashevkin's "Sin-a-gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought."

Joshua Berman, a leading Tanakh scholar, has written a compelling book that addresses head-on many of the challenges posed by biblical criticism. Michael Harris explains.

In a moving personal essay, Joshua Stadlan explores a famous Purim midrash with the commentary of Rav Soloveitchik to reflect on his life, religious journey, and relationship with God.

Shlomo Riskin remembers how Yeshiva University's late Professor Louis Feldman helped him make the greatest decision of his life.