Vashti: Feminist or Foe?

Tzvi Sinensky contends that the rabbinic and feminist readings of Vashti are not diametrically opposed.

Tola ben Puah: Savior of Israel

With only two verses about him in the Book of Judges, not much is known about Tola ben Puah. Ami Hordes takes clues from his story's text and context to paint a fuller picture of who the judge was and why he was important.

Two Men Enter the Vacated Space ...

The death of Nadav and Avihu is difficult to explain, perhaps even impossible to approach through the medium of language. In a composition crossing the boundaries of original drashah, Breslov thought, poetry, visual art, and historical fiction, Akiva Weisinger renders the tragedy of Nadav and Avihu as a reflection of the Vacated Space beyond human language.
jonathan sacks

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’s Portrait of Moses

In honor of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks’s 70th birthday, Ari Lamm explores his legacy as a biblical commentator.

The Power of Secrets: Jacob, Laban, and the Passover Haggadah

What led the Rabbis of the Seder to present Laban as a more diabolical enemy of the Jews than Pharaoh? Erica Brown shows how Laban took advantage of Jacob's insecurities as he arrived empty-handed at Laban's home.

Does Peri Etz Hadar Mean Etrog?

David Moster explores the meaning of Peri Etz Hadar.

The Four R’s: An Orthodox Educational Framework for Engaging with Biblical Criticism

Thanks in part to several new publications, portions of the Orthodox world have been engaging with modern biblical scholarship in a more significant way than ever before. Gil Perl provides a four-step framework for how Jewish days schools might profitably teach many aspects of biblical criticism that do not conflict with our mesorah.

Joseph and The Imagery of Clothing

Sam Borodach traces the role of clothing throughout the Joseph narrative.

Was the Sotah Meant to be Innocent?

For Parshat Naso, Lehrhaus editor Yosef Lindell compares three twentieth-century rereadings of the Sotah ritual that make the passage more palatable to modern audiences.

A Call For a New Modern Orthodox Humash

A call for a new Modern Orthodox Humash, and a history of the current ones, by Yosef Lindell.