Jewish Thought and History

Chaim Trachtman compares science and theodicy based on a novel read of the book of Job.

In his first and last foray in this field, Zev Eleff tries his hand at some Modern Orthodox counter-history.  

Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe comments on the poetry, context, and tension of Yehuda Ha-Levi's "Tziyon Halo Tishali" Kinnah.

AJ Berkovitz explores the "life" of Jewish books, from authors to owners to outside the margins.

In 1927, Rabbi Boruch Ber Leibowitz wrote a poem, an ode to Rabbi Hayyim Soloveitchik of Brisk. Nati Helfgot provides the background and a translation.

Mitchell First reviews Yehuda Landy's Purim and the Persian Empire.

Steven Gotlib reviews Yehuda (Jerome) Gellman’s book on neo-traditional Jewish theology.

What was Alexander Hamilton's relationship to Judaism? In his review of a new book about Hamilton's Jewish world, Lehrhaus editor Yisroel Ben-Porat explores the arguments to be made for a "Jewish" founding father.

How do Moses Mendelssohn and Revelation jibe? Judah Kerbel offers some perspective.

A growing list of dati le’umi leaders and thinkers frame war as a desirable state and even an opportunity for spiritual elevation. Religious Israeli activist Ariel Shwartz traces this trend with alarm and argues that it contradicts deep-rooted Torah values. Translated by Mordechai Blau.