Hospitality: Can We Do Better?
Biblical stories often form prototypical frameworks that define and shape later Jewish behaviors.
Noah: A Case Study in Transformation
At the beginning of Parashat Noach , it is apparent that the earth and everything living on it are in need of serious transformation. We read: "The earth became corrupt before God; the earth was filled with violence" and ". . .
On the Permanence of Graves
Burying one's dead-what could be a more rudimentary cultural ritual? The scene in which Abraham buys a gravesite from a Hittite for Sarah is often commented upon for the highly stylized negotiation that results in the acquisition.
Abraham, the Rabbis, and Us
Why was Abram told to leave his home and family and go out into the wilderness? (Genesis 12:1) The Midrash, the vast collection of rabbinic reflections on the Torah, offers a number of answers.
Parashat Noach
Have you ever seen the skyline of New York or L.A. or Chicago? On a beautiful day you can see all the buildings clearly—office towers, banks, and schools, drawing your eye upward toward the clouds and the sun. Even small towns put their obelisks and spires in the center square, for all to see.
How the Living Serve the Dead
In Vayechi, we hear the final requests of Jacob, and then Joseph, to bring back their remains to be buried in the land God promised to their ancestors. In carrying Joseph’s bones, Moses moves draws closer to his progenitor, giving us the opportunity to reflect on our connections to our forebears.
Predestined to Fail
Our children will be guarantors. According to a midrash, that is the promise God exacted for giving the Torah to the Jewish people. God seemingly wanted to safeguard Jewish continuity through the fulfillment of decreed destiny. What a lovely concept!
A Pillar of Salt: A Text Study
What was the essence of Lot's wife's transgression in Parashat Vayeira? Was it disobeying the instruction of the divine messengers? Was it simply looking back? Does the text suggest that something more complex is involved?