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.
Border Crossings
We are at Rosh Hanikra, just meters from the Israel-Lebanon border. We go down to where the Mediterranean crashes through the caves it has carved out of the mountainside.
On Hearing and Listening
FOCAL POINT |
Give ear, O heavens, let me speak; / Let the earth hear the words I utter! (Deuteronomy 32:1)
Emor for Teens: Shabbat Sha-raps
Letting Abraham's Example Guide Us, During Election Season and Beyond
The Standing Jew Plan
Atem nitzavim hayom, "You are standing this day…." (Deuteronomy 29:9) In this week's parashah, Nitzavim, all Israel stands as a sign of respect, just as we do during the Amidah, the worship service's central prayer.
Shabbat Shuvah! "Be Strong and Resolute"
In Vayeilech, the shortest portion in the Torah, Moses tells the people that he will not be leading them into the Land of Israel, per God's instruction; instead, Joshua will lead them (Deuteronomy 31:1-3).
Whose Words?
FOCAL POINT
Give ear, O heavens, let me speak;
Let the earth hear the words I utter!
May my discourse come down as rain,
My speech distill as the dew . . . (Deuteronomy 32:1-2)