Category: Torah

Confusion in the Night: Leah, Rachel and the Art of Silence

by Wendy Amsellem
Posted on July 5, 2017

To view the sources for this shiur click here. …

Bilam and His Prophecies: “Fallen Down and With Open Eyes”

by Miriam Gedwiser
Posted on July 5, 2017

To view the sources for this shiur click here and here. …

Biblical Prayer: Between Malkizedek and Hannah

by Rabbi David Silber
Posted on July 5, 2017

…

Says Who?

by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on June 8, 2017

When we make important decisions in our lives, what thought process do we go through? For most of us, it probably involves asking a series of questions, such as: “Is this what I truly want?”; “Am I doing this for the right reasons or for the wrong reasons?”;…

On the Nature of Birkat HaTorah

by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on May 26, 2017

כי שם ה’ אקרא הבו גודל לא-לוהינו For the name of the Lord I proclaim; Give glory to our God (Devarim 32:3) This verse, from Parashat Haazinu which we will be reading this Shabbat, Shabbat Shuva, is the basis for our daily recitation of Birkat HaTorah.…

Playing God: The Theology of Genetic Engineering

by Rabbi Haggai Resnikoff
Posted on May 12, 2017

How do the Torah and rabbinic sources view the idea of genetic engineering, specifically as it relates to plants? The following sources are meant to prompt a discussion regarding this question. 1. VaYikra 19:19 אֶֽת־חֻקֹּתַי֮ תִּשְׁמֹרוּ֒ בְּהֶמְתְּךָ֙ לֹא־תַרְבִּ֣יעַ כִּלְאַ֔יִם שָׂדְךָ֖ לֹא־תִזְרַ֣ע כִּלְאָ֑יִם וּבֶ֤גֶד כִּלְאַ֙יִם֙ שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז לֹ֥א יַעֲלֶ֖ה עָלֶֽיךָ׃ You shall observe My laws.…

What’s So Bad About Chametz?

by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on April 13, 2017

What is so bad about chametz? On Pesach, not only may we not eat it, we may not derive any benefit from it, and we may not even own it. And before Pesach we must search it out and destroy it. …