A “What If” Review: Hypothetical History, Science, and Halakhah
Yaakov Taubes examines three hypothetical “What if?” books and what they can teach us about history, science, and halakhah.
From Madison Square Garden to MetLife Stadium: Transformations in Daf Yomi Siyumim
Elli Fischer looks back at 30 years of Daf Yomi celebrations.
Humor: The Refuge of the Wise
Rami Reiner examines how our understanding of a Talmudic passage could change if we allow for the possibility of it being a comedy.
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.
Rejoicing at the Downfall of Enemies: From Ancient Egypt to Modern Israel
The propriety of celebrating the downfall of enemies presents a complex web of questions and seemingly contradictory Jewish texts. Michael Kurin makes sense of this subject and proposes a framework for applying it to matters of Israeli public policy.
When Prayer Meets Principle: Rabbi Soloveitchik and the Limits of Accommodation
Jonathcan Muskat explores the different ways Rabbi Soloveitchik communicated about Mehitzah.
Signing Up for a COVID-19 Vaccine Trial
May one opt to participate in a potentially dangerous vaccine trial? This theoretical halakhic question has suddenly become all-too-urgent. Sharon Galper Grossman and Shamai Grossman explore.
Saiman’s Halakhah: Rabbinic Law as Culture
Suzanne Last Stone reviews Chaim Saiman's Halakhah: The Rabbinic Idea of Law.
Letters to the Editor: Responses to Michael Broyde on Time-bound Commandments
Two readers respond to Michael Broyde's recent article on time-bound commandments. Leah Sarna critiques Broyde's omission of female scholarship, and Avi Siegal argues that Broyde's unifying theory skews the data.
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.
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