Ecclesiastes

0 Philosophy Holidays

The pages of Ecclesiastes are now the pages of our lives

eJewishPhilanthropy · 16 Oct

Exploring personal experiences and profound reflections, this piece connects the loss and introspective teachings of Ecclesiastes (Kohelet) with contemporary events and lives.

0 Philosophy Prayer

Hints of Eternity

Jewdicious · 3 Sep

Beth Perkel explores the concept of divinely placed verses in scripture, paralleling the miraculous objects created at the last moment of the Biblical Creation with timely scriptural relevance.

0 History Torah

Spiraling Upwards

TEXTing · 26 Aug

Elana Stein Hain and Christine Hayes explore cycles of Jewish history and theology using Tisha B'Av kinot, Ecclesiastes, and Deuteronomy, questioning whether we can break free from repeating past mistakes.

0 Politics Jewish Law

Biden's rabbi and I debate whether it's time for the president to step aside

Jodi Rudoren in Forward · 28 Jun

Rabbi Michael S. Beals, known as President Joe Biden's rabbi, suggests that it may be time for Biden to step aside for the greater good of safeguarding democracy, drawing parallels to the biblical concept of Pikuach nefesh, or saving a soul.

0 Art Philosophy

Book Review | An Ancient Book Illuminates Our Troubled Times

Amy E. Schwartz in Moment · 15 Apr

Debra Band's illustrated volume "Qohelet: Searching for a Life Worth Living" with commentary by Menachem Fisch delves into the existential ponderings of the biblical book of Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes, attributed to King Solomon.

0 Torah Philosophy

Living with Contradiction

TEXTing · 25 Mar

Leora Batnitzky and Elana Stein Hain explore the intricate contradictions in Jewish life, drawing upon the wisdom literature of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) and rabbinic commentaries.

0 Politics Ethics

Israel’s greatest threat? Unwavering belief in its own morality

Donniel Hartman in Forward · 23 Feb

Rabbi Donniel Hartman discusses the moral complexities Israel faces in times of conflict, emphasizing the dangers of embracing unwavering belief in its own morality.

0

Depressed? Read Kohelet.

Emily Alhadeff in The Cholent · 29 Sep 2023

The article discusses the concept of climate anxiety and its similarity to religious expressions of fear and repentance.

0

Tangled Truly

David Mikics in Jewish Review of Books · 18 Apr 2023

In Peter Cole's book "Draw Me After," the poet explores the meaning of Jewishness in relation to art, specifically drawing.

0

What James Bond Can Teach Us About Sukkot

Raphael Zarum in Tablet · 6 Oct 2022

The article explores the connections between the James Bond film Spectre and the Jewish festival of Sukkot.

0

Peter Kreeft on the Philosophy of Ecclesiastes

Tikvah · 24 Sep 2021

Peter Kreeft, a Catholic philosopher, discusses the philosophical themes in the book of Ecclesiastes during an interview with Mosaic editor Jonathan Silver.

0

The Danish Prince and the Israelite Preacher

Noah Millman in Jewish Review of Books · 9 Sep 2021

The article explores the similarities between the biblical book of Ecclesiastes and Shakespeare's play Hamlet.

0

Finding Meaning in Determinism: How Jewish Thinkers Reconcile the Contradiction between Determinism and Human Purpose

Natan Oliff in Lehrhaus · 18 May 2020

This article discusses how Jewish thinkers reconcile the tension between determinism and human purpose.

0 History Science

In Praise of Humility

Stuart Schoffman in Jewish Review of Books · 7 Jan 2018

Steven Weitzman explores the complexities of Solomon's legacy and the quest for Jewish origins in his book "The Origin of the Jews: The Quest for Roots in a Rootless Age."

0 Literature Jewish Law

Three Sonnets

Jeffrey Burghauser in Lehrhaus · 13 Apr 2017

In three sonnets by Jeffrey Burghauser, the first poem describes an old man playing a banjo during a storm, showcasing the idea that all storms have equal destructive power.

0 Literature Jewish Law

Counter-Revelations

Adam Kirsch in Tablet · 19 Oct 2010

Robert Alter's translation of the Hebrew Bible into English aims to provide a more accurate and forceful version of the text, with a focus on the Wisdom Books - Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.

JL;DR

Tag: Ecclesiastes