Poets Are Purim Jews: On Contemporary Poetry’s Inexplicable Obsession with the Ordinary
Poet Yehoshua November notices a defining characteristic of contemporary poetry—fixation on the ordinary. In light of Hasidic theology, November argues that appreciation for the holiness of the ordinary underlies Megillat Esther and the celebration of Purim.
Purim and the Joke of Jewish Sovereignty
Zach Truboff argues that Purim reminds us of our vulnerability even with the State of Israel.
Bulbasaur & Bishul: An Adar-Fueled, Unnecessarily In-Depth Analysis of a Nonsensical Halakhic Question
In a rare piece of Lehrhaus Purim Torah, Mark Glass explores—with surprising halakhic rigor—whether the Pokémon named Bulbasaur’s use of a Solar Beam attack would constitute cooking on Shabbat.
“Lu Yehi”: Between Fragility and Hope
In this thoughtful essay, Cypess reflects on the melody that is carrying Israel in the wake of October 7th.
Ki Ani Hashem: A Literary Analysis of the Makkot
Joshua Shapiro explains how close readers of the Biblical text can find a unifying theory for reason behind the ten plagues.
קינה לשלום המדינה
In an original Hebrew poem, Shoshanah Haberman addresses the crisis in Israel and Gaza, mourns the dead, and prays for the future.
Revealing the Hidden Face of God’s Love
Josh Cahan
Pesikta de-Rav Kahana 12:11R. Lazar said: Like a king who wished to marry a well-born noblewoman, and said, “I will not wed her...
Can You See the Light and the Darkness?
Zach Truboff draws upon the thought of Rav Kook and Rav Shagar to explore the themes of light and darkness and their application to Hanukkah.
A Festive Song with an Unclear Message: Uncovering the Meaning of Maoz Tzur
Yaakov Jaffe delves into two possible themes of the song Maoz Tzur.
Darkness We Have Come to Dispel: Between The Light of Hanukkah and the Black...
Mois Navon explores what makes Hanukkah so special.