Once upon a time, goes an old Hasidic tale, the great Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev was walking down the street when he ran into a fellow Jew. It was one of Judaism’s fast days, and yet there was Levi Yitzchak’s acquaintance, enjoying a hearty meal. “My son,” said the rabbi softly, . . . . Continue Reading »
Dennis Pager joins the podcast to discuss his new book, The Rational Bible: Deuteronomy. Continue Reading »
In his life, Rabbi Halivni was much more than an extraordinary academic. Continue Reading »
The destruction of chametz is the rejection of what diverts us from God. Continue Reading »
Secular society sees religion—and public worship in particular—as little more than a cultural expression or a lifestyle choice. Continue Reading »
Love can purify awe of both an impulse toward paralysis and an impulse toward self-hatred. Continue Reading »
Speech, especially vows, allows man to follow in the ways of God by creating something out of nothing. Continue Reading »
Modern spokesmen for traditional Judaism have consistently expressed reservations about capital punishment. While the biblical texts seem to provide many opportunities for the death penalty, the normative Talmudic interpretations in effect make these punishments inapplicable. For example, the bar of . . . . Continue Reading »
In Jewish law, tikkun olam means improving the world. It refers to several rabbinic enactments of the first and second centuries of the Common Era intended to improve the functioning of certain social institutions. The ancient Aleinu prayer, originating in the Rosh Hashanah . . . . Continue Reading »
Twenty-five years ago this past April (20 Nisan 5753), thousands of Jews, their affiliations ranging across and beyond denominational lines, boarded buses for the Maimonides School in Brookline, Massachusetts. There, they paid their final respects to a figure known to his students and . . . . Continue Reading »
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