Timely Thoughts

Zoe Jick Fertik explores the parallels between holidays on the Jewish calendar.

R. Shimshon Nadel explores the connection between the Hasmonean dynasty and the modern-day State of Israel.

Yitzhak Szyf explores the piyyut of Shnei Zeitim, a once well-known addition to the Shabbat Hanukkah services that subtly critiques the Hasmoneans for usurping the kingship while serving as priests.

May one opt to participate in a potentially dangerous vaccine trial? This theoretical halakhic question has suddenly become all-too-urgent. Sharon Galper Grossman and Shamai Grossman explore.

In commemoration of the upcoming Sheloshim of Rav Moshe Kahn, Mindy Schwartz Zolty shares a Hesped of her teacher in which she discusses his derekh ha-limmud and his derekh as a melamed.

Politics from the Pulpit Redux: Don Seeman builds on Jason Herman.

What theological language can we use to describe our current pandemic moment? In an excerpt from his forthcoming book, Jeremy Brown takes scope of the ancient and modern notions of plague theodicy and reviews some ideas from the 2021 National Jewish Book Award Winner Torah in a Time of Plague.

Chaim Saiman explores the grammatical structures of Yom Kippur mussaf, particularly in comparison to Torah reading.

Chaim Saiman analyzes how the Torah's two introductions to the revelation at Sinai correspond to two perspectives on the nature of halakhic civil law.

Moshe Kurtz looks as discomfort as a factor in Halakha