Parashat VaYakhel: A “Renaissance Man” for the Mishkan by Yaakov Bieler

The qualities of a “Renaissance Man”
Over the years, individuals who have been called “Renaissance Men” have served as personal cultural heroes for me. I have been fascinated by their creativity, their excellence in so many disciplines, and as a direct result of their multiple interests and skills, their ability to “break out of the box” [...]

Haftarat Yitro: Yeshayahu Sees God by Gidon Rothstein

Yeshayahu 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6
The connection of the first half of this haftarah to our Torah reading seems clear, since it is Yeshayahu’s vision of God; just as the Jews’ saw God at Sinai, Yeshayahu sees God here.  It is less clear why we read the second half, since its fits less well with the Torah reading [...]

From Our Archives: In Defense of Brain Death and Halakhic Organ Donation – Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman

In the recent report  written by the head of the RCA halakhic committee on the halakhic issues of brain death, the article emphasizes that contemporary medicine now recognizes that even after “brain death” has occurred, there continues to be much neurological activity.  The report then utilizes this information to claim that the medical criterion established by [...]

From Our Archives: Parshat Vayishlach – War Ethics and Esav

Yitzchak Blau; Biblical Narratives and the Status of Enemy Civilians in Wartime
A reoccurring theme in this week’s parsha is military expeditions.  In this essay, Yitzchak Blau talks about the Jewish attitude to war,  with reference to this incident and with regard to its modern day interpretation.
We further include the correspondence which it generated in the [...]

Books of Interest: Jacob’s Family Dynamics by Gad Dishi

Gad Dishi, Jacob’s Family Dynamics:  Climbing the Rungs of the Ladder, Devorah Publishing/Urim Publications, 2010.
This is an impressive first work on the story of Yaakov, focusing on the life and development of Yaakov and the central characters in his life.  Drawing upon a range of commentators – old and modern alike – as well as [...]

From Our Archives: Parashat Vayetze and Tefillat Ha-Derech

William Etkin,     Jacob’s Cattle and Modern Genetics: A Scientific Midrash
In the best tradition of Torah UMada, Etkin takes the scientific theories at the cutting edge of his field to solve a difficult part of our parsha.
Aryeh Newman, The Centrality of Eretz Yisrael in Nachmanides
As we begin those parshiot which describe the experience of Galut [...]

What Makes a Belief ‘Traditional’? The Case of Bittahon by Gidon Rothstein

In a recent article in Tradition (Summer 2010, 42:1) – now available for free download – R. Daniel Stein challenges Hazon Ish’s rejection of a particular definition of bittahon, trust in God.  A closer reading of the sources R. Stein references to prove his point shows that the topic raises thorny questions of when and [...]

From Our Archives: Parashat Toldot and R’ Steinsaltz Talmud

Rivka: The Enigma Behind The Veil – Esther Shkop (2002)
Esther Shkop takes us through some the central questions about Rivka’s character,  with a particular focus on her conduct at the end of this weeks parsha.
A Midrash on Morality or When is a Lie Permissible – Norman Frimer (1973)
A fascinating piece on the enigmatic end to [...]

From Our Archives: Parshat Chaya Sarah

Halakhah as Psychology: Explicating the Laws of Mourning by Moshe Halevy Spero (17:1, Fall 1977)
 As our parsha opens with Avraham’s mourning over Sarah, we have brought the following article in which Moshe Halevy discusses the interplay between halacha and psychology in the laws of mourning.
The Test of Rebecca by Andrew Schein (31:4, Summer 1997)
In a [...]

From Our Archives: Parashat Lech Lecha

Abraham’s Ordeals Revisited by Aryeh Spero (24:1, Fall 1988)
Abraham’s Nephew Lot:  A Biblical Portrait by Raymond Harari (25:1, Fall 1989)
The Use of Anesthesia in Circumcision:  A Re-Evaluation of the Halakhic Sources by Edward Reichman & Fred Rosner (34:3, 2000).
- Shlomo Brody

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