The Nature of Halakhic Civil Law

Chaim Saiman analyzes how the Torah's two introductions to the revelation at Sinai correspond to two perspectives on the nature of halakhic civil law.

Lo Yilbash and Gender Difference: A Rejoinder to Moshe Kurtz

Responding to yesterday’s article by Moshe Kurtz, Lehrhaus editor Tzvi Sinensky presents an alternative read of the Mitzvah of lo yilbash.

Where Will the Kosher Cheeseburger Come From?

Ari Elias-Bachrach explores the science behind lab-produced meat and cheese and the possibility of a realistic kosher cheeseburger.

Istanis: Is it Ever Too Hot for Halakhah?

Moshe Kurtz looks as discomfort as a factor in Halakha

Thoughts on a Death

In this personal reflection, Phil Lieberman addresses the unique pain that accompanies the loss of an abusive parent and considers the uneasy coherence of this pain with Jewish traditions of mourning.

Confronting God on Tishah Be-Av in Yehudah ha-Levi’s Yom Akhpi Hikhbadti

Yosef Lindell examines how Yehudah ha-Levi's kinnah about the bubbling blood of Zechariah modifies the story found in Talmudic sources and thus tackles the question of theodicy.

The Beit Midrash in the Age of Snapchat

Shira Hecht-Koller Earlier this year, Apple released the iPhone X. When the first iPhone was released in 2007, I was completing my second year of...

What Does Pursuing Tzedek Actually Entail?

In its opening verses, Parshat Shoftim describes a judicial system that enshrines pursuing Tzedek, or justice, as a core value. Benjamin Barer unpacks a Gemara in Sanhedrin that provides three distinct conceptions of the obligation to pursue justice, suggesting how we might build a more sacred society.

Rabbinic Moral Psychology

Chaim Trachtman explores the relationship between moral instincts and rational thinking in Rabbinic Psychology.

Shiva From Afar

Devora Steinmetz explores how modern communication technology should impact the question of when to start shiva.