Jewish Thought and History

No two Orthodox rabbis think exactly the same way, particularly on the matter of Darwinism in the wake of the Scopes Trial. 

Jonathan Muskat responds to Jonathan Sarna regarding a proposed change in the text of the Orthodox Jewish prayer for the government.

In this essay, Thomas P. Balázs considers Edgar Allan Poe as a springboard to consider what makes a life meaningful

Ari Hoffman explores the expansive visions of Jewish peoplehood embedded in two major, recently published novels

The biblical account of the holiday we refer to as Shavuot bears no relationship at all to the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The emergence of the association between this harvest festival and the Sinai covenant has therefore occupied both traditional and academic thinkers for centuries. Tzvika Aviv argues for a previously unexplored approach to the question, one which bridges the mystical insights of the Zohar with current scientific knowledge regarding wheat genetics.

One of the central concerns of the work of Rav Shagar is translation, in both its literal and figurative versions. Michael Blank explores Rav Shagar's use and conception of translation by examining the way he puts the writings of Rebbe Nachman, Jacque Lacan, and Emmanuel Levinas in conversation.

Sam Glauber examines Abraham's place in his society.

Fifty years after the Entebbe hostage situation and subsequent rescue, Moshe Rosenberg reflects on the ways the conflicts surrounding Entebbe relate to today's political climates.

Reuven Mohl explores Rav Soloveitchik’s understanding of Areivut in Kol Dodi Dofek.

Dr. Tovah Lichtenstein responds to the details of the previously published Rav timeline.