Torat Tisha Be’av, Torat Timahon: The Confused Torah of Tisha Be’av by David C. Flatto

The core prohibition of learning Torah on Tisha Be’av permits certain narrow exceptions (see Taanit 30a).[1]  Most well known is the allowance to study tragic material, such as Jeremiah and Job.  This makes much sense.  As the Talmud explains, the ban on learning during Tisha Be’av derives from the joyous nature of Torah study (“The [...]

The Angel’s Oath: The Relationship of Hazal to the Platonic Doctrine of Recollection by David Flatto

The Angel’s Oath:  The Relationship of Hazal to the Platonic Doctrine of Recollection by David C. Flatto Whereas balei mussar and machshava dramatize the great clash between Judaism and Hellenism (which serves as the background to the holiday of Hanukka), Jewish historians go to great lengths to demonstrate the degree to which Second Temple Judaism [...]

Aseret Yemei Teshuva: Insights From an Early Biblical Paradigm

Aseret Yemei Teshuva: Insights from an Early Biblical Paradigm by David C. Flatto  Bridging the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, Aseret Yemei Teshuva have an urgent and distinctive quality that is such a familiar aspect of the Jewish calendar.  Less known, however, is the earliest source for singling out these days.  [...]