George Robinson

Interest-Free Loans in Judaism

Jews have a tradition, based in biblical law, of interest-free lending, primarily--but not exclusively--to other Jews.

What Are the Sefirot?

According to the kabbalists, the attributes of God relate to each other in a scripted way.

Maimonides’ Conception of God

The Guide for the Perplexed tells us more about what God isn't than what God is.

Saadiah Gaon’s Theology

Written in 933, The Book of Beliefs and Opinions provided rational analysis of God and Judaism, setting a precedent for medieval philosophers.

Planning a Brit Milah (Bris)

What to do before your son's circumcision.

Hasidic Mysticism

Hasidism spread mystical ideas to the masses of East-European Jewry.

Tzedakah in the Jewish Tradition

The Rabbis regulated the giving and receiving of tzedakah even while recognizing that how one gives may be as important as how much one gives.

Merkavah Mysticism: The Chariot and the Chamber

Early Jewish mystics tried to achieve visions of the Divine.

Isaac Luria and Kabbalah in Safed

After the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492, the center of kabbalistic study moved to the town of Safed in northern Palestine.

Kabbalah in Spain

From the 13th through the 15th century, the Iberian Peninsula was the home of most major kabbalists.