Jewish Law

What is Jewish Law? Uncovering a Debate between the Tur and the Ran

Lehrhaus Editor Shlomo Zuckier examines two divergent understandings of Jewish law.

Why Do We Deserve God’s Favor?

Ezra Sivan probes the Sabbath and the Torah's call to love God.

Was God Angry at Sarah?

Ben Greenfield God isn’t angry with Sarah, when she laughs at the idea of birthing a child in her old age (Gen. 18:12-15). God is...
binding of isaac

Some Thoughts on the Binding of Isaac

Jerome Marcus on the Akeidah: It's not about ethics vs. divine command, but about Hashem versus Elokim!

Why Doesn’t Abraham Get to Enjoy the Weekend?

Ezra Sivan compares biblical covenants, the all-important circumcision of Abraham and Shabbat

Rabbinic Creativity and the Waters that would Consume the World

Levi Morrow explores how the Rabbis use creative exegesis to save the world from drowning in a flood

Narcissus and the Nazir

Tzvi Sinensky explores the Talmudic version of the Roman myth of Narcissus

How Mendelssohn’s Torah and Philosophy Converge: A Study of “Anokhi”

How do Moses Mendelssohn and Revelation jibe? Judah Kerbel offers some perspective.

Three in One: Creation, Exodus, and Equality

Ezra Sivan presents a new analysis of Shabbat and how it throws light on so much more in the Torah.

Bilam, God, and the Silent and Slanted Spaces

For Eve Grubin, Bilam's hidden messages is a lesson for the Torah and for life.