When Rambam Met the Izhbitser Rebbe: Response to a Straussian Reading of Hilkhot Teshuvah

Bezalel Naor responds to Bezalel Safran's Straussian reading of the Rambam.

Confronting Biblical Criticism: A Review Essay

Marc B. Shapiro reviews a new edited volume by Yoram Hazony, Gil Student, and Alex Sztuden that offers a traditional defense of revelation in light of modern biblical criticism.

The Directional Shaking of the Lulav: Bible, Mysticism, and Religious Polemics

Yaakov Jaffe traces the origins and evolution of the custom to shake the lulav in different directions.

The Breslover’s Song

Jerome Marcus responds to Bezalel Naor's earlier essay, delving further into the worlds of Maimonides and Rabbi Nahman of Breslov.

In God’s Country: The “Zionism” of Rashi’s First Comment

Elli Fischer reads one of Rashi's most famous comments against the grain.

Did Rashi Draw the Diagrams in his Commentary to Eruvin?

Rashi’s commentary to Eruvin contains many explanatory diagrams. In anticipation of the Daf Yomi cycle’s study of the tractate beginning tomorrow, Eli Genauer shares some manuscripts that shed light on whether Rashi drew these pictures.

Man is not God: The Limits of Imitatio Dei

David Fried clarifies the concept of imitating God through Rashi's oft-neglected reading of “It is not good for man to be alone”

A Year in Review – 2022

As 2022 comes to a close, the Lehrhaus team is proud to feature some highlights from our contributions this past year. Yet again, we have published at least one hundred original pieces across a wide variety of genres.

Who Will Defend Maimonides? Rav Soloveitchik on the Mishneh Torah and the Guide

With the aid of some new primary sources, David Curwin offers a fresh view of the Rav's embrace of Rambam and his most important writings.

The Staggering Brilliance of Rambam’s Fourth Chapter of The Laws of Repentance 

Alan Jotkowitz shares insights into Rambam’s Hilkhot Teshuvah