Humash

Building on ideas from Jacques Lacan and Rabbeinu Bahya ibn Pakuda, Zach Truboff offers an innovative psychological reading of the Cain and Abel story.

Dan Ornstein juxtaposes the narratives of Cain and Jonah and explores the motif of anger.

In an earlier Lehrhaus piece, Jeffrey Saks pointed to an obscure custom referenced by Shai Agnon not to eat until the tefillin strap marks fade from one’s arm. Here, Mois Navon shares what happened when he tried adopting this custom for himself.

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

Yakov Nagen examines the opening chapters of Genesis to explore what God wanted from people for matan Torah.

Steven Weiner writes on the significance of tears on Tishah Be-Av and how they relate to the thanks of birkat ha-mazon.

Nachum Krasnopolsky explains Rashbam's interpretation of the splitting of the sea as an educational experience.

Ezra Zuckerman Sivan comments on the story of Zelophehad and his daughters.

Drawing upon the teachings of the Piaseczner Rebbe, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, and others, Yiscah Smith proposes a model for reimagining contemporary Jewish leadership on both the communal and personal levels.

Dan Jutan locates a fascinating meta-narrative within Rashi's commentary.