Talmudic Readings

With a novel reading of Josephus and Gittin, Shana Schwartz proposes that the tragedy of the second hurban and the mystery of subsequent Jewish survival may be understood by reference to the physiological knowledge available in classical antiquity.

Rami Reiner examines how our understanding of a Talmudic passage could change if we allow for the possibility of it being a comedy.

In honor of Shavuot 5784, Dalia Wolfson presents five new bilingual poems that explore the themes of the third perek of Mishnah Bikkurim and contemplate their possible inversion.

Harvard Professor Jon Levenson weighs in on what stops the floodwaters: rabbinic creativity or the Temple!

Kate Rozansky explores the life of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai through the prism of the women in his life.

Jonah Mac Gelfand explores the neo-Hasidic theology of obligation to do mitzvot that emerges from the fascinating writings of Rabbi Arthur Green.

Elli Fischer on Rasbhi's passing, his legacy, and some other rabbinic legacies, as well.

David Stein with a fresh look at the methods and priorities of teaching Talmud in Modern Orthodox day schools.

Shlomo Zuckier explores some surprising connections between the Talmud and the field of behavioral economics.

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.