Dr Jeremy Tabick uncovers a fascinating inner-biblical midrash.
Rabbi Dov Linzer asks what is signified by the lighting of the Menorah?
Rabbi Sara Paasche-Orlow discusses the act of giving.
Professor Jacob Wright explores the evolution of Shabbat.
Rabbi Worch shares some of the Mei HaShiloach’s insights on the giving of the Torah.
Rabbi Danny Nevins discusses both the cultic and covenantal response to freedom.
Rabbi Nelly Altenburger shares different explanations as to the meaning and purpose of the plagues.
Professor Rabbi Shaul Magid explores the ethical problems of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart.
Professor James Diamond discusses the philosophical and kabbalistic meaning of God’s names and the most enigmatic three words of the entire Torah.
Rabbi Dina Rosenberg discusses lying and deception in the Joseph story.
Rabbi Nelly Altenburger reflects on the meaning of Joseph’s tears.
Rabbi Amanda Weiss is assistant Rabbi at Temple Isaiah, Maryland.
Professor Alan Levenson asks why the brothers really hate Joseph.
Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet discusses Jacob’s extra-human qualities and asks whether he is really worthy of bequeathing his name to the children of Israel.
Rabbi Rebecca Rosenthal shares the importance of Jacob’s epiphany.
Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet discusses the sibling rivalry between Jacob and Esau.
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Professor Jon Levenson asks whether Jewish tradition celebrates or condemns Avraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son.
Dr Malka Simkovich asks whether Avraham is the great circumcisor or in fact the great un-circumcisor of Jewish history.
Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet discusses Jacob’s extra-human qualities and asks whether he is really worthy of bequeathing his name to the children of Israel.
Professor Edward Greenstein outlines the Tower of Babel story as indicating the limitation of one language to convey the sense of another.
Avraham Leader discusses some of the important themes for this auspicious time of year as seen from the perspective of the Zohar and the Lurianic writings.
Dr David Lambert unpacks the Biblical verses the Rabbinic understanding of Teshuva.
Dr Joy Ladin discusses how we should dress without drawing the abhorrence of God.
Rabbi Elihayu Jian discusses the connection between Shoftim and the month of Elul, drawing on important kabbalistic teaching from Rabbi Isaac Luria, the Sfat Emet and the Zohar.
Dr David Lambert unpacks the Biblical verses the Rabbinic understanding of Teshuva.
Rabbi David Frankel asks whether Moses or God is the commanding voice in the second paragraph of the Shema.
Rabbi Cassi Kail asks whether zealotry can ever be condoned.
Dr Ethan Schwartz discusses the character of Balaam.
Rabbi Nelly Altenburger discusses the two rebellions of Korach.
Rabbi Francis Nataf compares the spy story in Numbers and Deuteronomy and asks why Moses rewrote history?
Rabbi Alex Goldberg discusses the meaning of the word Beha’alotcha.
Rabbi Gershuny explores the meaning and power of the Priestly Blessing.
Rabbi Alex Kress discusses what it means to be a desert people and some of the central themes of the Book of Bamidbar.
Jeremy Tabick discusses the relevance of the Shmita and the Yovel for the world today.
Dr Abigail Uhrman discusses holiness as being found between the polarities of separation and engagement.
Rabbi Steven Greenberg is presently the Founding Director of Eshel, a North American support, education, and advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ Orthodox Jews and their families.
Rabbi Professor Rachel Adelman considers the anthropological function of skin and Leviticus’ concern with boundaries.
Professor Edward Greenstein discusses the incident of Nadav and Avihu and asks whether it says more about a mysterious transgression or a mysterious Deity.
Rabbi Tzemah Yoreh explores the original history of the Exodus narrative; one without God as master of the story.
Dr Abigail Uhrman discusses holiness as being found between the polarities of separation and engagement.
Professor Robert Harris shares some of the theological underpinnings of the Haggadah.
Rabbi Sam Blustin explores the inner meaning of sacrifices today.
Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffat shares the innovations in the book of Vayikra and how we might read it for our times.
Dr Naomi Koltun-Fromm discusses the differences between the Mishkan and the Temple.
Dr Deena Grant explores the connection between the ark and the golden calf.
Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffat shares the innovations in the book of Vayikra and how we might read it for our times.
Rabbi Roni Tabick asks why the Torah was given in the midst of a storm.
Professor Joel Hecker shares the mystical meanings of manna.
Rabbi Jan Uhrbach is founding director of the Block / Kolker Center for Spiritual Arts. She brings a passion for prayer to the JTS community. Through her work as director of the Block / Kolker Center for Spiritual Arts, she has developed and overseen programs and discussions, as well as prayer services on Shabbat and festivals, for the JTS community and the general public.
Professor Gary Rendsburg shares the importance of understanding the plagues in their Egyptian context.
Professor Carl Ehrlich asks whether the Exodus is more history or legend.
Rabbi Daniel Nevins explores the legacies of Jacob and Joseph and shares an important overarching lesson from the book of Genesis.
Simon Eder explores the way in which again and again Joseph connects the dots.
Professor Naomi Graetz discusses Asnath, the mysterious wife of Joseph.
To mark the 50th anniversary since the passing of Abraham Joshua Heschel, Simon Eder discusses his life, works and legacy with Professor Julian Zelizer.
Rabbi Shimon Felix discusses some of the key themes that we encounter in the Joseph story and shares their relevance for today.
Professor Naomi Graetz discusses the rape of Dinah in light of both favourable and negative views of welcoming outsiders into the tradition.
Reuven Firestone explores Avraham’s reconciliation with Ishmael in the Jewish and Muslim traditions.
Dr Rabbi Tzemah Yoreh asks whether Isaac is really Abraham’s son and argues that he was in fact sacrificed.
Professor Ronald Hendel explores the multiple meanings of the Tower of Babel story and its relevance for today.
Professor Ronald Hendel explores the multiple meanings of the Tower of Babel story and its relevance for today.
Rabbi Zohar Atkins acts as the Defence Attorney for Cain and explains why the Cain and Abel story is far more complicated than we might first initially think.
Prof Rav Rachel Adelman compares the blessings of Moses with those of Jacob in Genesis.
Professor Jonathan Ben Dov asks whether there are Gods, Angels and Demons in the Book of Deuteronomy?
Dr Gili Kugler asks whether the Exodus generation entered the land or died in the wilderness.
Dr Rabbi Michael Marmur explains what it means for God to choose Israel as His holy and treasured people and just how we can reconcile this with contemporary universalist notions?
Zvi Koenigsberg shares just what and where the Gilgal is
Chazan Jaclyn Chernett explores the meaning of Selichot and shares some of the wonderful melodies for the High Holy Days ahead!
Dr Kristine Henriksen Garroway discusses the intertextually linked theme of the birthright of the firstborn son as found in both the books of Deuteronomy and Genesis.
Professor Mark Leuchter explores the theme of justice in the Book of Deuteronomy and shares the possible identity of the judges.
Zvi Koenigsberg shares what light archaeology can cast when seeking to understand the whereabouts of ”The place that God will choose.”(Deut 12:5)
Professor Gary Rendsburg discusses God’s central promise of rain, grain and grass which lies at the heart of the second paragraph of the Shema.
Rabbi Daniel Zucker asks in what way is God One? He also explores how interpretation of the opening
line of the Shema has changed throughout the ages?
Rabbi Shoshana Cohen uncovers some of the key trends towards secularisation that we encounter with the Deuteronomist authors and find throughout the Book of Devarim.
Rabbi Bradley Artson discusses the role of intention in creating new reality that both Mattot and Massei speak to in a number of important ways.
Professor Shawna Dolansky takes an historical-geographical approach to the daughters of Zelophehad.
Professor Rabbi Joshua Garroway discusses Balaam as the prototypical Gentile seducer.
Professor Rabbi David Frankel shares his novel thesis that interwoven into the Merivah story are the missing opening verses of the non-Priestly spies story.
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove explores the lessons of leadership that may be drawn from Korach.
Dr Rachel Havrelock shares a critical reading of the scout story.
Rabbi Daniel Silverstein explores Beha’alotcha from the lens of Chassidic Masters.
Rabbi Daniel Silverstein directs, and teaches through, an online learning platform called Applied Jewish Spirituality. He also teaches at the Romemu Yeshiva, the Conservative Yeshiva and My Jewish Learning.
Simon Eder uncovers some of the many meanings behind the blessing perhaps more etched on the Jewish imagination – the Priestly Blessing!
Rabbi Zahavit Shalev explores some of the central themes within the Book of Bamidbar
Rav Professor Rachel Adelman discusses the blessings and the curses at the end of the Book of Leviticus.
Professor Gary Rendsburg discusses Mary Douglas’ proposal for the literary construction of Leviticus as a tabernacle.
Jeremy Tabick addresses the ableism of the laws of kohanim and how that interacts with the divinity of the Torah.
Professor Israel Knohl discusses the innovation of the Holiness School and its introduction of ethical principles into the concept of Holiness.
Rabbi Dr Charles Middleburgh discusses the laws concerning the scapegoat and their possible application for our times.
Andrew Levy shares his own passion for the Song of Songs and its uniqueness within the Bible.
Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffat discusses how the Seder replicates the very paradigm of the Greek symposium and shares what makes it so relevant in every generation.
Professor Rav Rachel Adelman takes us on a journey through the Haggadah reflecting on some important themes for contemporary times. In conversation with Simon Eder.
Dr Jason Rogoff discusses the confusing descriptions of the biblical skin afflictions and their prescience in light of the recent global pandemic.
Dr Jason Rogoff discusses the confusing descriptions of the biblical skin afflictions and their prescience in light of the recent global pandemic.
Rabbi Shai Held discusses the the death of Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu, who brought “strange fire” to the Lord and died for their pains. In discussion with Simon Eder, they chart possible parallels with this tragic and enigmatic episode.
Rabbi Yehuda Sarna in conversation with Simon Eder discusses the concept of holiness in the parsha and how
it relates to the founding of Jewish community in the UAE.
Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg discusses the concept of holiness, sacrifice and the power of memory and how they might be applied in a world with such tragic events today.
Dr Rabbi David Frankel discusses the work of 14th century R. Nissim of Marseilles who suggested that God told Moses only the general command for the Tabernacle and that the detail was codified by Moses as a way to glorify God.
Dr Alex Sinclair argues that that the more radical you are theologically, the more conservative you should be liturgically, in this exploration of Vayakhel.
Dr Eitan Fishbane investigates the mystical undercurrents surrounding the story of Moses smashing the two tablets.
Why are garments so symbolically important in Jewish thought, asks Rabbi Herzl Hefter, as he explores Parashat Tetzaveh.
The juxtaposition of the description of the building of the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, with the story of the Golden Calf, in Parashat Terumah, raises intriguing questions, says Prof Rav Rachel Adelman.
Rabbi Dr Meesh Hammer-Kossoy argues that the medium is the message in Parashat Mishpatim, the message being the centrality of law in building a just society.
Professor Benjamin Sommer explores the ambiguities in the telling of the giving of the Ten Commandments, in Parashat Yitro.
It’s time for Miriam’s role and reputation to be re-evaluated, says Professor Carol Meyers, as she explores the Song of the Sea in Parashat Beshalach.
Through the themes of Parashat Bo, Rabbi Samuel Klein explores the power and the centrality of questions and questioning in Jewish life.
We understate the importance of the Egyptian-ness of Moses, says Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffat, as we begin the Exodus story.
Through the prism of the Burning Bush, Prof Rav Rachel Adelman asks, what is the nature of sacred space and how is it determined?
Rabbi Roni Tabick asks, why do werewolves appear so frequently in mediaeval Jewish texts, and what is their relevance to this week’s parasha?
Prof Meira Polliack explores how the trauma of Joseph’s experiences informs his actions, as the Joseph story reaches its climax.
Rabbi Joel Levy explores the role of awakenings in Jewish mythology, through the prism of this part of the Joseph story in parashat Miketz.
Prof Rabbi Pamela Barmash offers a highly original view of the Joseph story through a legal and literary lens.
What was really going on with Jacob’s showdown/reconciliation with Esau? Prof. Rabbi Marty Lockshin offers an alternative view.
Dr Jeremy Tabick uncovers a fascinating inner-biblical midrash.
Professor Shawna Dolansky explores the story of Jacob’s return to Canaan and how it played a formative role in the identity of the people of Israel.
Rabbi Dr David Frankel revisits the story of Jacob’s deception of Isaac, and wonders whether it’s all that it seems.
In his exploration of parashat Chayei Sarah, Rabbi Dr David Frankel questions the story of the cave of Machpelah and considers its ramifications.
Rabbi Jeremy Gordon explores parashat Vayera, including negotiating with God at Sodom and Gomorrah, a unique critique of Abraham and a look at the role that angels play in the Torah.
Professor Rabbi Shaul Magid explores the ethical problems of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart.
Professor Everett Fox examines parshat Lech Lecha for clues to the mythic role that Abraham plays in three religions.
Professor Everett Fox on how the Epic of Gilgamesh and the films of Cecil B. DeMille help us understand parashat Noach.
Professor Marc Brettler examines the textual clues to the different authors of the Torah’s first parasha, Bereshit.
Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffat shares the innovations in the book of Vayikra and how we might read it for our times.
Rabbi Worch shares some of the Mei HaShiloach’s insights on the giving of the Torah.