Family Trees, Branches, and Identity
The Book of Genesis involves a patchwork of stories. These are held together by an overarching framework that I refer to as "the ideological overlay."How are we to understand this structure? Picture eggs in an eggcrate.
Emor for Teens: Shabbat Sha-raps
Covenant and Law: Reading through the Ages
The second portion of Deuteronomy, Va-et’chanan, is an unusual Torah portion in many respects.
Cities of Refuge
Several years ago I read an article by Jared Diamond in The New Yorker Magazine1 about the experiences of a young man in the New Guinea Highlands in trying to fulfill the obligation placed upon him by his community as the
Noah and How We Live with One Another in Our Time
Every few years we are treated to the same news item. It proclaims breathlessly that a new expedition to Mount Ararat has located remains of Noah's ark. Of course, it always turns out that the boat was not found after all, and future reports will run the same course.
Vayishlach for Teens: Shabbat Sha-raps
In this parasha, Jacob and Esau are going to meet, possibly to fight, but first Jacob meets someone who tells him of his great future. Jacob is renamed Israel (which means “one who wrestles with God”) and goes to meet Esau, and they have a joyous reunion. Isaac then dies, and sadly, so does Rachel as she gives birth to her last child. Listen to learn more about the family.
Earning the Privilege of Walking Before God
What Noah is to humanity, Abraham is to the Jewish people. Both were destined to initiate something new: Noah became the ancestor of a renewed humankind; Abraham revolutionized faith by relating to God in a new way.
Are the Floodwaters God's Tears? Essential Tools for Beginning Anew
"I am establishing My covenant with you; never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth" (Genesis 9:11).
What Torah Says about Economic Equity
The word “economics” often evokes stock markets, exchange rates, global trade, and unemployment. But whether we are talking about buying groceries or the national debt, our material welfare and well-being have been of paramount concern since the beginning of human existence.
V’zot Hab’rachah for Teens: Shabbat Sha-raps
Moses blesses the tribes. Listen to this rap to hear a summary of things we’ve learned before Moses says his last words.