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.

“Justice has not Been Done”: Officer Immunity and Accountability in Jewish Law (Part 1)

David Polsky meticulously analyzes Halakhic sources on the use of force by officers of the law.

Secular Music and the Jewish Soul

The Talmud criticizes the heretic Elisha ben Avuyah, or Aher, for listening to Greek music. But what did he do wrong? Todd Berman uses a close reading of Rashi’s comments on the Talmudic passage to explain.

Cutting a Peace: The Story of Ketiah bar Shalom

Shlomo Zuckier offers a close literary reading of the fascinating Ketia bar Shalom narrative on Avodah Zarah 10b!

Letters to the Editor: Responses to Michael Broyde on Abortion

Two letters to the editor provide alternative perspectives on the question of what Jewish law wants American abortion law to be.

20/20 vision for hilkhot Shabbat: A Glance at Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon’s Newest Sefer

In our saturated environment, can any contemporary work on hilkhot Shabbat break new ground? Ezra Schwartz explains that Rav Rimon's newest work does precisely this.

The “Judeo-Christian” Tradition at Yeshiva

Yisroel Ben-Porat offers historical, hashkafic, and personal reflections on what’s often called the “Judeo-Christian” tradition and whether a Torah u-Madda outlook can embrace the study of Christianity.

Is a Dateline a Logical Necessity? The Halakhic View Less Often Quoted

William Gewirtz discusses the necessity of a Halakhic Dateline.

The Fourth Chapter of Avot as an extended reflection on Epicurean Philosophy

In the spirit of Hanukkah, Yaakov Jaffe offers an intriguing thesis tying together a series of Mishnayot in the fourth chapter of Pirkei Avot: they are all responding to various aspects of Epicurean philosophy.

Do Children Belong in Shul?

Moshe Kurtz explores halakhic and hashkafic considerations surrounding bringing young children to shul.