A Pesah Message for My Students
Mar 27, 2010 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Shabbat Hagadol | Tzav | Pesah
This week’s Torah portion reports instructions given by God to Moses concerning Aaron and his priestly descendants. The rest of us, as it were, are invited to eavesdrop.
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Healing of Body and Mind
Apr 16, 2010 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Metzora | Tazria
The Baal Shem Tov, seeking the sort of symbolic meaning in this week’s section of Leviticus that we too search out, found the laws of scaling and scalding, bodily discharge, and fungus in the warp and woof of fabric suggestive of the need for repentance and humility.
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The Fruits of Close Reading
Sep 16, 2013 By Robert Harris | Commentary | Sukkot
“In order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Lev. 23:43).
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Taking What Isn’t Ours
Sep 11, 2013 By Daniel Nevins | Commentary | Yom Kippur
It’s not literally a skeleton in my closet, but I was still upset to find it hanging there.
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It’s All Torah
Sep 3, 2013 By Danielle Upbin | Commentary | Ha'azinu
Years ago, when I was a student living in the mystical city of Safed in Israel’s Northern District, a teacher of mine asked our group of young seekers, “What is the most important book in your life?”
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Our Covenant with God
Jun 4, 2010 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Shelah Lekha
When Moses confronts the gravest challenge to his and God’s authority since the golden calf, the negative report of the spies sent to scout the Land of Israel, he responds with a lawyerly argument for divine mercy that is taken directly from the one that had staved off the people’s annihilation by God the first time around. The argument takes the form of a question: What will the Egyptians say if God destroys His people?
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Emerging From the Wilderness
Aug 7, 2010 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Re'eh
In this week’s parashah, the book of Deuteronomy leaves prologue behind as the Israelites come one step closer to exiting the wilderness in which they have so long been wandering. Moses has set forth and fine-tuned the major themes of his final discourse. Now it is time for him to lay out a blueprint of the commandments that will shape and guide the new life awaiting the Children of Israel upon their entry to the Land of Israel.
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On Judaism and Islam
Sep 9, 2010 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Rosh Hashanah
Jews have prepared for the High Holiday season of repentance and renewal in 2010 with Muslims very much on our minds.
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