JL;DR

Julian Alper recounts his youthful memories of sitting beside an elderly man, affectionately called "Mr. K," during synagogue services. Mr. K, along with his...

Aviva Lauer's insightful exploration of Deuteronomy 20:19 connects the Jewish holiday of Tu bShvat with a broader ethical mandate against unnecessary destruc...

The review highlights "The Devash Jr Book of Shemot," a children's book designed to introduce young readers to the Book of Exodus through engaging storytelli...

The responses to Ari Zivitofsky's article on the Sde Teiman Affair focus on differing perspectives regarding Israeli military conduct and ethical considerati...

Thomas P. Balázs explores how Judaism provides a path to infuse daily routines with spiritual significance, contrasting it with Western philosophies of seeki...

Michael Kurin explores the complex Jewish perspective on rejoicing at the downfall of enemies, a topic rekindled by recent conflicts involving Israel. The de...

The article revisits the controversial Sde Teiman incident, where Israeli reservists were accused of abusing a detained Hamas terrorist. As the trial unfolds...

Malka Simkovich examines the patriarchal narratives within Genesis, highlighting the stories of Noah's flood and the destruction of Sodom as parallel events ...

2025 was a prolific year for Lehrhaus, which continued its mission to engage Jewish communities with thoughtful content. Highlights included tributes to Rabb...

Daniel Shlian explores the rich tradition of puns and wordplay in Jewish texts, demonstrating how these literary features appear in both Biblical stories and...

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, influenced deeply by Rabbi Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel during a formative meeting in 1968, frequently incorporated Heschelian ideas...

Yosef Lindell reviews the newly published Koren Sacks Humash, a project initiated by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks to create a modern Orthodox commentary on the Torah...

In "An Empty Place at the Jewish Table," Steve Lipman explores the growing trend of young Jews from Orthodox backgrounds distancing themselves from tradition...

Rav Yehuda Henkin, a prominent Modern Orthodox halachic authority, authored significant responsa addressing women's issues in Jewish law, encapsulating his t...

Ethan Schwartz delves into the intriguing intersection of themes during the Yamim Noraim, analyzing the complex roles of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in Jewi...

Ian Kohn's poetic piece, inspired by Terrance Hayes' work, explores the Jewish diaspora and the metaphorical concept of circles as a representation of commun...

The article by Gabriel Slamovits explores an intriguing orthographic aspect of Parashat Lech Lecha, focusing on the presence of a dotted yud in Bereishit 16:...

Julian Alper narrates a personal reflection on repairing his old tefillin, which shows signs of wear and unfitness for ritual purposes. Despite initial embar...

In a reimagined biblical narrative, Yaakov Weinstein explores the story of Noah through a creative lens. Noah is initially depicted as a forward-thinking inv...

Shimi Kaufman examines the Shabbat commandment's dual representation in the Torah—first as a commemoration of creation, then as a remembrance of liberation f...

Natanel grows up knowing he must marry Rivka, daughter of Rav Elazar, but faces an insurmountable obstacle due to Talmudic law. The story dives into the inti...

Elisha Price examines the phrase "Heilek Eloah Mi-maal" in R. Shneur Zalman's seminal Hasidic work, Sefer Ha-Tanya, and its controversial theological implica...

Aton Holzer reflects on his memories of the Rabin assassination and the untranslatable Hebrew term "retzach," which means murder. Holzer explores how this co...

Avraham Weiner's narrative explores the life of a young Jewish man navigating the tensions between his ultra-Orthodox upbringing and his secular, scientific ...

Yonah Lavery-Yisraeli explores the Talmudic concept of asmakhta, a nuanced area of Jewish law dealing with commitments that appear binding but aren't genuine...

The article revisits the historic 1952 meeting and subsequent correspondence between David Ben Gurion, Israel's Prime Minister, and Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Kar...

Rabbi Joseph Hirsch Dnner (Ritzad) was a pioneering but largely overlooked academic scholar of the Babylonian Talmud, influential in combining traditional le...

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks was deeply influenced by Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, yet throughout his career, he critiqued Soloveitchik's religious philosophy,...

This in-depth essay explores the impactful relationship between Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. It tr...

Exploring the absence of Sarah in the Akeidah narrative of Genesis 22, Michael Wolff examines various Jewish interpretations which question why Sarah was not...

Dovid Campbell's piece is a narrative exploration of a Mishnaic extract from Shekalim 6:2, contemplating the interplay between law and narrative within Jewis...

David Polsky explores the contentious issue of whether Israel should block humanitarian aid to Gaza in response to hostage situations, assessing it through t...

Dan Ornstein's analysis explores the Tanakh's portrayal of divine rage through a comparative lens of the narratives of Cain and Jonah. While both figures exp...

Max Hollander explores the interplay between artificial intelligence (AI) advancements and the traditional Jewish value of 'ameilut ba-Torah' (toiling in Tor...

Julian Alper explores the symbolism of etrog and lulav through the lens of Jewish art, specifically focusing on paintings by Marc Chagall and Paula Gans. He ...

Milton Torres-Ceron's analysis of Leviticus 26, the Tokhahah, explores the juxtaposition of divine punishment and companionship through linguistic and themat...

The article explores the intriguing choice of the Akeidah, the binding of Isaac, as the Torah reading for the second day of Rosh Hashanah. Traditionally, Tor...

Chaim Saiman explores the central verse of Yom Kippur, Leviticus 16:30, examining its pivotal role in atonement rituals and its repetition throughout the Yom...

Mel Waldman's reflective piece navigates the spiritual and existential introspection he experiences in the time leading up to Yom Kippur. Amidst personal str...

Yehoshua November reflects on the spiritual dynamics of prayer and poetry through the lens of Hasidic thought, particularly focusing on the dual processes of...

Danny Groner reflects on the closure of his synagogue in Riverdale, New York, attributing it to post-pandemic shifts in congregational needs and priorities. ...

Yisroel Benporat explores a novel interpretation of the Splitting of the Sea in Exodus, arguing it parallels the biblical episode of the Akeidah—the Binding ...

The tale by Akiva Weisinger retells a Hasidic parable by the Baal Shem Tov, exploring themes of illusion and divine presence, particularly during Rosh Hashan...

David Zvi Kalman's short story, "Echoes," cleverly imagines two modern-day students, Josh and Sara, utilizing a holographic version of Maimonides to study is...

Mel Waldman presents a poignant narrative about his wife Michelle's battle with severe health challenges and the profound impact of local rabbis on their liv...

Bruce Black reflects on the experience of shopping for Shabbat in the diaspora, contrasting it with the vibrant and sensory-rich environment of Israeli marke...

In this exploration of theodicy through the lens of the Book of Iyyov, Chaim Trachtman delves into why this particular biblical text uniquely captures the st...

In this reflective letter to The Lehrhaus editors, Roy Pinchot draws parallels between the historical Maccabean struggle and the modern challenges facing Isr...

Jack Cohen explores the often-misunderstood concept of tzniut (modesty) in Jewish thought, particularly within Modern Orthodox circles. He critiques the idea...

Steven Gotlib reviews Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove's book, "For Such a Time as This: On Being Jewish Today," which addresses contemporary challenges facing the Jewi...