Hevel: The Journey of an Intangible Word
Benjamin Barer traces the word Hevel through Jewish texts, showing how the use of the same word can teach us both about the wisdom of Kohelet we read this past Shabbat and the character of Hevel who we will read about in this week's Parashah.
Priests and Prejudice: Disability in Parashat Emor
Joshua Stadlan carefully explores the “blemishes” that invalidate a kohein for service in the Mishkan to argue that they were not an original part of God’s plan.
Our Hands Did Not Shed This Blood?
Alex Ozar offers an in-depth reading of Eglah Arufah against the backdrop of current events.
On the Importance of the Twentieth of Iyar
Ezra Sivan uncovers hidden meaning in what happened and didn't happen during the Israelites' journey in the wilderness.
Surrender or Struggle? The Akeidah Reconsidered
Herzl Hefter provides critical perspective on a stream of Akeidah interpretation from Kierkegaard to the Rav
How to Curtail Pernicious Social Competition: The Legacy of Zelophehad and his Daughters
Ezra Zuckerman Sivan comments on the story of Zelophehad and his daughters.
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.
Peshat and Beyond: The Emergence of A Reluctant Leader
Batya Hefter explores Moses' development as a leader
Of Divine Nostrils and the Primordial Altar: A Pipeline of Sanctity
What does the makeup of the altar drainage pipes tell us about the nature of holiness? Shlomo Zuckier explores!
Philosophy and Exegesis: Which Leads? A Review of Aaron Koller’s Unbinding Isaac
Zvi Grumet reviews Aaron Koller’s new book on the Akedah and evaluates his surprisingly novel approach to this formative biblical story.
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