An Ishbitz-Radzyn Reading of the Judah Narrative: Binah Ba-lev – An Understanding Heart
In a follow up to her recent piece about Joseph, Batya Hefter traces Judah's character development through the eyes of the Ishbitz-Radzyn masters.
Of Sages, Prophets, and Politics from the Pulpit
Jason Herman examines whether or not rabbis should talk politics in shul.
Why Wasn’t Jonah Punished? Reading Jonah during COVID
This year, instead of thinking about the reasons for Jonah’s flight from Nineveh in particular, we can gain a new appreciation for his need to break free altogether. Ahead of Yom Kippur, Erica Brown considers the unique resonance of the book of Jonah in an era marked by isolation and quarantine.
The Torah’s Song
What is the meaning of a biblical song? Writing for Parshat Ha'azinu and in memory of her beloved cousin, Shira Shaindel Rodman (née Brilliant) z”l, Elana Stein Hain reviews Geula Twersky's theory of biblical poetry as portrayed in her 2022 book Torah Song.
The “Genesis” of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Eileen Watts examines the similarities between Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Rav Soloveitchik's Lonely Man of Faith.
A Torah Theodicy: The Very Goodness of Evil
Gavriel Lakser offers a new approach to the problem of evil based on the beginning of Genesis.
What Yitro Can Teach Us About Synagogue Leadership
Gidon Rothstein mines parashat Yitro for insight into best practices in synagogue governance.
Peshat and Beyond: The Emergence of A Reluctant Leader
Batya Hefter explores Moses' development as a leader
Shadal: Translated, Elucidated, and Uncensored at Last
Martin Lockshin reviews Daniel A. Klein’s translation of Samuel David Luzzatto’s commentary on the Book of Vayikra, the latest volume in Klein’s project to translate all of Shadal’s insightful and ever-interesting Torah commentary.
The Philosopher King and the Poet Messiah: Hellenic and Hebrew Republics Compared
In this essay, written in honor of Yom Yerushalayim, Bezalel Naor explores the differing visions for the ideal state held by Plato and the Rabbis, Maimonides and Rabbi Nahman of Breslov.
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