Timely Thoughts

A series of reflections commemorating the passing of Yaakov Elman, of blessed memory.

What inspired Azariah de Rossi to take a work that cut against the grain of rabbinic views of the Septuagint and make it accessible to his Hebrew-reading fellow Jews?

Dan Jutan locates a fascinating meta-narrative within Rashi's commentary.

Joey Rosenfeld discusses the inner meanings of Lag Ba-Omer.

Tzvi Sinensky explores the hidden world of Esther with the help of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Last year, Nathan B. Oman, a Latter-day Saint and law professor, bought hametz from the members of Chaim Saiman’s synagogue before Passover. This is his story—a profound meditation on the nature of religious law and legal fiction — with an introduction by Chaim Saiman.

Shmuel Hain comments on the leap year parshah-gap between Israel and the Diaspora.

Julie and Uri Goldstein offer a timely Haggadah for reflection this year.

At the height of the cholera epidemic in 1831, Hatam Sofer delivered a timely sermon on a perplexing midrash to Parshat Ki Tavo. The take-home, suggests Elli Fischer, is all-too familiar in the COVID era.

Matt Lubin reflects on the holiday of Shavuot.