Joy at Last: Reflections on the End of Esther
Erica Brown explores the deeper meaning of joy in Megillat Esther and beyond.
Puritan Purim
How did Esther shape the way Puritans saw the ideal role of the contemporary woman? Cotton Mather, a major player in the Salem Witch Trials, had much to say in his Ornaments for the Daughters of Zion. Stuart Halpern of Yeshiva University explains, wishing us all a Puritan Purim.
Unorthodox? How Megillat Esther Justifies the Holiday of Purim
Tzvi Sinensky suggests that the Megillah itself confronts the question of Purim's legitimacy.
Who Knows? Jewish Leadership in Times of Uncertainty
"Who Knows" seems to have become a recurring question for so many of us. Erica Brown shares personal and biblical reflections on the meaning of this phrase for the age of coronavirus.
This Graphic Novel is a Bible Commentary. But What Kind?
David Zvi Kalman reviews Koren Publishers’ new graphic novel version of Megillat Esther.
Purim, Poverty, And Propriety—Three Talmudic Stories
Dan Ornstein explains how three Talmudic stories about mishloah manot and matanot le-evyonim on Purim can sensitize us to how to relate to the recipients of these gifts.
“Miracles Do Not Happen at Every Hour”: Purim Drinking as anti-Christian Polemic
Eliav Grossman examines the Talmud's account of drinking on Purim, reading it as directed at Christian texts and traditions.
The Upside-Down Search for Hametz
Eli Genauer explores the profound impact of a printing error on the halakhot of Pesah.
Ivri Anochi: A Tribute to the Paradox of Jewish Pride
Shlomo Zuckier takes a closer look at the cultural and theological underpinnings of this hit new Orthodox music video.
A Journey Across the Ages: Esther in America
Jennifer Caplan reviews Esther in America, a timely volume featuring essays by a number of Lehrhaus editors that addresses how the characters and themes of Megillat Esther have been integrated into American thought and culture over time.