Shabbat

Shabbat Liturgy

A guide to Shabbat services and what makes them unique.

Eliezer Ben-Yehuda and the Making of Modern Hebrew

The Lithuania-born visionary turned an ancient language into a spoken one.

How Does Jewish Matchmaking Work?

Finding a partner through a matchmaker (shadchan) is traditional in some Jewish communities.

Non-Traditional Uses for Mikveh

How an ancient ritual has been reimagined for a variety of new purposes.

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Next Torah Portion

Summary

In this Torah portion, Moses tells his father-in-law, Jethro, about the miracle of the exodus. Jethro proclaims that the Israelite God is greater than all other gods, and he makes a sacrifice. Jethro then advises Moses to delegate leadership roles in order not to tire himself out. The Israelites camp at the bottom of Mount Sinai. After three days, the mountain fills with smoke, and God delivers the Ten Commandments to His people.

FULL SUMMARY
HAFTARAH SUMMARY

Parashat Yitro

Exodus 18:1-20:23

Isaiah 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6

Parashat Yitro: On Leadership and Family

In a Torah portion long understood to be a lesson in leadership, we are led to believe Moses all but ignored those closest to him.

Daf Yomi

A global project of Talmud study, Daf Yomi covers the entire 2,711 pages of the Talmud in 7.5 years of daily study. Click below to join by signing up for our Daily Dose of Talmud newsletter and to see our most recent Daf Yomi essays.

a year of zohar

A series of seasonal essays exploring Judaism’s most important mystical text.

Would You Know My Name?

The Zohar claims we will recognize each other in the afterlife.

Cleaving to God Through Song

How the Zohar understands the function of song in the quest to connect to God.

The Well of Torah

Moses’ last speech to the Israelites establishes the paradigm for spoken Torah.


FEATURED ON MY JEWISH LEARNING

8 Jewish Pickle Recipes

A cozy collection of Jewish pickling and fermentation recipes to try at home.

Julius Rosenwald

The man who revolutionized the Sears catalog supplemented a traditional Jewish approach to philanthropy with modern business practices and progressive ideals. 

The Jews of Iran

The history of Iranian Jewry features stories from the Hebrew Bible, flourishing medieval poetry and fruitful exchange with the wider Iranian culture.

The 10 Best Quotes from the Book of Proverbs

This biblical book of sayings and advice is full of wisdom.

Jewish Immigration to America

The size and character of the American Jewish community has been defined by the 3.5 million Jews who have emigrated since the 17th century.

Who Was Rabbi Akiva?

The second-century sage was the inspiration for many legends and may have died as a martyr.


Recharge Now

Our weekly Shabbat newsletter, Recharge, features a thoughtful, timely essay to enrich your Shabbat.

On Falling

There are seasons of standing and seasons of falling and both of these are held softly, somewhere, by the One.

Tu Bishvat: Trusting What We Cannot See

Just as life moves beneath the soil and sea, the Jewish holiday of trees reminds us that the world is fuller than it often appears.

Torah is Pedagogy

What if the Bible’s multiple voices aren’t a contradiction, but a curriculum?

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