Lehrhaus
Husbandry
31 Oct
"Husbandry" by Ben Corvo is a reflective piece that intricately illustrates the often romanticized story of Noah's Ark through a more gritty and realistic le...
31 Oct
Lehrhaus
Where God Is Found
29 Oct
In Dov Frank's reflective piece, the author explores the evolution of their relationship with God, from childhood experiences in a religious household to fin...
29 Oct
Lehrhaus
Every Day is New Under the Sun
15 Oct
Wendy Zierler reflects on the recurring challenges of life through the lens of Kohelet, juxtaposed with Lea Goldberg's poetic midrash, "Shirei Sof Ha-Derekh....
15 Oct
Lehrhaus
Can Religious Zionism Do Teshuvah?
10 Oct
The piece explores the concept of teshuvah (repentance) within the framework of Religious Zionism, focusing on historical and contemporary responses to crise...
10 Oct
Lehrhaus
What is Ne’ilah?
10 Oct
Neilah, the concluding prayer of Yom Kippur, is a deeply introspective and pivotal moment for Jews worldwide, marked by a profound connection with God. In th...
10 Oct
Lehrhaus
On Yom Kippur, determinism and national unity
10 Oct
The article explores the philosophical dilemma of free will versus determinism in the context of Yom Kippur, emphasizing how this tension influences Jewish t...
10 Oct
Lehrhaus
Why Can’t Selihot Be More Like Kinot?
8 Oct
Yosef Lindell explores the challenges and potential solutions for enhancing the Ashkenazi Selihot experience, which often feels rushed and lacks the depth of...
8 Oct
Lehrhaus
Until It Is Enough: Conversations about Shiurim for Yom Kippur
2 Oct
Sarah Osborne explores the complexities surrounding the practice of eating in "shiurim" on Yom Kippur for those who cannot safely fast. Drawing on personal n...
2 Oct
Lehrhaus
The Shofar as a Mekonenet, a Singer of Laments
2 Oct
The article explores the multifaceted symbolism of the shofar in Jewish tradition. Its unadorned, natural form, mandated by Halakhah, underscores its role as...
2 Oct
Lehrhaus
Yom Teruah
1 Oct
Avi Schild's poignant piece, "Yom Teruah," reflects on the cries and anguish associated with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, often called Yom Teruah, the...
1 Oct
Lehrhaus
Teshuvah: A Radical, Refreshing, and Renewing Approach
29 Sep
Yiscah Smith explores the transformative potential of teshuvah (repentance) as taught by the Piaseczner Rebbe, emphasizing a holistic return to the Divine ra...
29 Sep
Lehrhaus
“Our Eyes”: The Kenites and the Druze
19 Sep
The tragic July 2024 incident where a Hezbollah rocket struck Golan Heights, killing twelve Druze children, highlights the complexities within the Druze comm...
19 Sep
Lehrhaus
These Days
11 Sep
Reflecting on the Ten Days of Awe, the narrator contemplates life as seen through the lens of recent changes—their new marriage and the upcoming Yom Kippur. ...
11 Sep
Lehrhaus
Saturday Afternoon
8 Sep
The article, introduced by Judy Taubes Sherman, explores the discovery of a short story titled "Saturday Afternoon" by her father, Leo Taubes. Written during...
8 Sep
Lehrhaus
Bedecked in Splendor
6 Sep
The article "Bedecked in Splendor" reflects on the profound spiritual legacy of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, particularly his emphasis on the laws an...
6 Sep
Lehrhaus
The Grand Conversation: Bringing Jewish Ideas to the Literature Classroom
1 Sep
This article explores how Jewish day schools, particularly within the Modern Orthodox tradition, strive to blend Jewish and secular studies, with a focus on ...
1 Sep
Lehrhaus
Questioning Belief and Belief in Questions
29 Aug
In his book "Questioning Belief: Torah and Tradition in an Age of Doubt," Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum, Dean of the London School of Jewish Studies, tackles the c...
29 Aug
Lehrhaus
Where Will the Kosher Cheeseburger Come From?
25 Aug
In discussing the future of kosher cheeseburgers, Ari Elias-Bachrach examines historical and contemporary developments in imitation foods, focusing on the ch...
25 Aug
Lehrhaus
Letters to the Editor: A Response to David Polsky’s “Reading Tragedy in Gittin and Gaza”
21 Aug
R.A. Alpert responds to David Polsky's article "Reading Tragedy in Gittin and Gaza," criticizing Polsky's comparison of Hamas to the Zealots and innocent Pal...
21 Aug
Lehrhaus
The Meeting
19 Aug
The text recounts the author reflecting on a photograph taken by their father at the Varanasi ghats, where bodies are cremated, and the subsequent cremation ...
19 Aug
Lehrhaus
Ayalah Bat-Lapidot
18 Aug
Ayalah Bat-Lapidot is a fictional narrative that delves into the life of Ayalah, a young woman living in a complex society where her mother is a female gener...
18 Aug
Lehrhaus
Shavat Suru: The First Kinah, Matter and Form
16 Aug
Elazar Ha-Kalir's Kinah, Shavat Suru, is a meticulously crafted liturgical poem recited on the 9th of Av. The poem contains eight core stanzas, each ending w...
16 Aug
Lehrhaus
Capra Dei, or Had Gadya: Isaiah 53 and Jewish Redemption
15 Aug
The text discusses the reading and interpretation of the haftarah portions from the book of Isaiah in Orthodox Jewish tradition, specifically focusing on the...
15 Aug
Lehrhaus
Titus and the Tripartite Soul: A Lesson on Leadership and Jewish Survival
13 Aug
The text explores the story of Titus entering the Second Temple and his demise as recounted by the Sages, drawing parallels to the tripartite soul theory of ...
13 Aug
Lehrhaus
Reading Tragedy in Gittin and Gaza
11 Aug
The text explores the parallels between the Talmudic narrative in Gittin and the current conflict in Gaza, emphasizing the moral dilemmas faced by innocent c...
11 Aug
Lehrhaus
Ha-Kalir’s Kinot – Poetry and Theological Narrative
7 Aug
Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik's innovative approach to studying and explaining kinot on Tishah Be-Av shifted the focus to a deeper understanding of these mour...
7 Aug
Lehrhaus
Should American Orthodox Jews Have Fasted on July 12, 2024?
6 Aug
A group of American non-Zionist Jewish leaders called for a fast on July 12, 2024, due to concerns over drafting non-Zionist Orthodox young men into the army...
6 Aug
Lehrhaus
Letters to the Editor: A Rejoinder to the Review by Martin Lockshin
25 Jul
David E. S. Stein, the project manager and revising translator of THE JPS TANAKH: Gender-Sensitive Edition, responds to Professor Martin Lockshin's review by...
25 Jul
Lehrhaus
Shopping for Grandpa’s Gravestone
21 Jul
The text describes a reflective journey of choosing a gravestone for a grandfather, navigating through different options like colors and sizes while contempl...
21 Jul
Lehrhaus
Saving Non-Jews on Shabbat: Two Perspectives on the Development of a Sensitive Halakhah
18 Jul
Contemporary Jewish law mandates saving the lives of both Jews and non-Jews, even if it means transgressing Shabbat. This obligation has been widely accepted...
18 Jul
Lehrhaus
A World Worth Knowing: Jewish Education’s Crisis of Curiosity
14 Jul
The text explores the issue of intellectual curiosity within the Jewish community, particularly focusing on a Pew Research poll among American Jews in 2020. ...
14 Jul
Lehrhaus
In Search of an Exiled Past: A Review of Amnon Raz-Krakotzkin’s Toda’at Mishnah, Toda’at Mikra
12 Jul
Amnon Raz-Krakotzkin's book "Todaat Mishnah, Todaat Mikra" delves into the Kabbalistic community of Safed in the 16th century, highlighting how its members v...
12 Jul
Lehrhaus
The End of Contradiction: Resolving the Mysteries of The Guide to the Perplexed
9 Jul
"The Guide to the Perplexed" by Moses Maimonides has long been shrouded in mystery and controversy within Jewish circles. Lenn E. Goodman's recent works, a n...
9 Jul
Lehrhaus
Should the Bible be Translated in a Gender-Sensitive Way?
4 Jul
The JPS Tanakh: Gender-Sensitive Edition, also known as Revised JPS (RJPS), offers a new translation of the Bible with a focus on gender sensitivity. RJPS re...
4 Jul
Lehrhaus
I Am Stirring the Chicken Soup in Circles and Thinking
30 Jun
The poem reflects on the act of stirring chicken soup while contemplating the story of Abraham buying Sarah's burial place. It delves into themes of love, lo...
30 Jun
Lehrhaus
Zaftig
27 Jun
"Zaftig" is a word with Yiddish roots that conveys a sense of being sensually fleshy or simply large. The term may be unfamiliar outside of New York, with an...
27 Jun
Lehrhaus
Letters to the Editor: Tzvi Goldstein Responds
25 Jun
In response to feedback on his original article, Tzvi Goldstein addresses challenges to his presentation of Mesilat Yesharim and Ramhal's position, highlight...
25 Jun
Lehrhaus
Our Torah—Illustrated?
24 Jun
In the Torah, unique bracket-shaped markings known as inverted nuns are found surrounding Numbers 10:35-36, evolving over 2000 years with various interpretat...
24 Jun
Lehrhaus
Aspects of My Father’s Philosophy of Jewish History
18 Jun
Aaron Zeitlin delves into his father Hillel Zeitlin's philosophical and theological perspectives on Jewish history, emphasizing the unique national identity ...
18 Jun
Lehrhaus
First Fruits: A Selection of Poems on Mishnah Bikkurim 3
10 Jun
The text discusses the Mishnah tractate Bikkurim, focusing on Chapter 3's visual description of the Shavuot procession and the communal journey to the Temple...
10 Jun
Lehrhaus
Giving Shape to Abstraction: Illustrating Redemption in the Book of Ruth
9 Jun
The article discusses the challenge of illustrating the Book of Ruth, focusing not on the plot but on the theme of redemption. The author emphasizes the abst...
9 Jun
Lehrhaus
Living in an Old Book with Poet Haim Gouri (1923-2018)
3 Jun
Haim Gouri's poem "I Live at This Time in an Old Book" reflects on living in an old country intertwined with Jewish history, exploring themes of old age, hop...
3 Jun
Lehrhaus
Book review of For Women and Girls Only: Reshaping Jewish Orthodoxy through the Arts in the Digital Age
30 May
The book "For Women and Girls Only: Reshaping Jewish Orthodoxy through the Arts in the Digital Age" by Dr. Jessica Roda explores how Orthodox Jewish women ha...
30 May
Lehrhaus
Voices from Outside the Cave: Women and the Story of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai
27 May
The text discusses the story of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai and the women in his life: his mother (Eishet Yohai), wife (Eishet Shimon), and daughter-in-law (Eishe...
27 May
Lehrhaus
The Culture of Learning in Women’s Torah Study
23 May
The author discusses the importance of creating a culture of learning for women in Torah study, particularly in Gemara and Talmud, similar to the vibrant env...
23 May
Lehrhaus
Judaism is About Two Kinds of Love
22 May
Rabbi Dr. Shai Held's book "Judaism is about Love" delves into the distinction between two types of love in Judaism: ahavah rabbah (abundant, passionate love...
22 May
Lehrhaus
The Non-Blaspheming “Blasphemer” and the Broader Ethic of the Episode
16 May
The article discusses the narrative of the "blasphemer" in Leviticus and challenges the common translation of the sin as blasphemy. The story focuses on Ben ...
16 May
Lehrhaus
Rethinking Disability: Let’s Do Better
13 May
The article discusses the difference between the Medical Approach and the Social Model of disability, using the example of a controversial video by Mr. Beast...
13 May
Lehrhaus
Judaism and Christianity: A Star-Crossed Affair?
8 May
Eugene Korn's book, "Israel and the Nations," explores Jewish-Gentile relations and the evolving theological perspectives on engaging with non-Jewish faiths,...
8 May
Lehrhaus
“Filling In” and “The Poet of Auschwitz?”
5 May
"Temima Weissmann reflects on the fragments of memory and history in the poems 'Filling In' and 'The Poet of Auschwitz?' In 'Filling In,' she evokes the stru...
5 May