Jewish Texts

Parashat Vayishlach: Summary

With a video commentary from Bim Bam.

Educating Against Egypt

Through his experiences with his nephew Lot, Abraham learns valuable parenting skills.

Maimonides on the Six Orders of the Mishnah

The sequence of the six orders follows the precedent of Scripture

Where Was Sarah?

Sarah's death illustrates the flaw of attempting to impose perfect justice on an imperfect world.

The Duality And Unpredictability Of Human Nature

The creation of humans and our variability expressed in Bereshit present us with endless choices and challenges for how to live our lives.

Classical Understandings of Mitzvot and their Reasons

The rabbinic sages and later philosophers and mystics offered many ways to categorize the mitzvot and explain their significance.

I Kings 8:2-21: Solomon Builds the First Temple

The Haftarah (prophetic reading) for the second day of Sukkot

Leviticus 22:26-23:44: Divinely Ordained Festivals

The Torah reading for the first two days of Sukkot

Biblical Concepts of Holiness

How can we unify the sacred with the profane?

The Torah as a Divine Integration

Scholars understand the Torah to be a combination of four prior documents. The sum is far greater than the parts.

Intention & Liturgical Change

Liturgy, Tradition, and Change