The Nightly Cry, the Song of Torah
The call to learn Torah at night surprisingly comes from a verse in Lamentations. Yaakov Weinstein discusses what we can learn from this, and what it means for the practice of staying up on Shavuot.
Purim and the Joke of Jewish Sovereignty
Zach Truboff argues that Purim reminds us of our vulnerability even with the State of Israel.
Return… Again? Theories of Twice-Baked Teshuvah
Lehrhaus founder Shlomo Zuckier examines the debate about whether we can repeat Teshuvah for the same sin.
Do You Believe In Miracles?
Zach Truboff looks at the miracle of the Hanukkah oil through the lens of Franz Rosenzweig and emphasizes the importance of the belief in miracles for a meaningful religiosity.
Homes Without Hate and Praying With Sinners
Jerome Marcus comments on the connection between davening with sinners and playing politics.
Duplicity at Sinai
Why does the Tosefta accuse the Jews of being deceitful at Sinai? Worse still, why is God portrayed as being complicit in their deception? Ahead of Shavuot, Sara Wolkenfeld explains.
Frum and Free? Passover and Jewish Views on Liberty
Aton Holzer offers a novel re-reading of the Seder, arguing that it reflects and recreates four types of liberty that can be found in the Exodus narrative, as well as a fifth form of freedom.
Torat Hashem Heftzo: Finding Wonder in Torah Study
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.
In Plain Sight: Jewish Masquerade from Clueless to the Rabbis
Why have stories of Jewish masquerade captured audiences since ancient times? In her latest, Malka Z. Simkovich explores the hidden meaning behind dressing up, from the Second Temple to '90s cinema.
A Festive Song with an Unclear Message: Uncovering the Meaning of Maoz Tzur
Yaakov Jaffe delves into two possible themes of the song Maoz Tzur.