Guilt and Shame Cultures in the Thought of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Marc Eichenbaum explores the idea of guilt and shame cultures in the thought of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"tl, which provides a novel interpretation of Torah and a powerful lesson for contemporary society.
Leviticus, Leonard Cohen, and the Paradox of Rest
Sarah Rindner asks what the Book of Leviticus, Leonard Cohen and the Liberty Bell all have in common.
Korban Asham: The Sacrifice for Sacrilege (and other Sins)
Matt Lubin seeks to resolve the mystery of the korban asham.
Catastrophic Miracles and Miraculous Catastrophes: The Torah of Pregnancy in Tazria and Toldot
In her winning Ateret Zvi essay, Leah Sarna explores two simultaneously true stories about pregnancy: it is at once a beautiful, incredible miracle, and also a demanding journey, both physically and mentally, that often feels more like a catastrophe. Studying the Torah's accounts of pregnancy in Tazria and Rivkah's life, Sarna offers a moving analysis of what it means to hear, tell, and live these stories.
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.
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.
The Triple Threat to Social Order
Through the lens of social science and game theory, Ezra Zuckerman Sivan connects three stories in Tanakh of people who threatened the social order: the blasphemer, the wood-gatherer, and Achan.
The Non-Blaspheming “Blasphemer” and the Broader Ethic of the Episode
Mark Glass
I.
It is fair to say that Sefer Vayikra is not known for its narratives. It is devoted, for the most part, to the...
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