Tags Abraham

Tag: Abraham

Thoughts on Aliyah and the Akeidah from Israel at war

Alan Jotkowitz looks at the current situation in Israel through the lens of modern interpretations of the Akeidah.

Listen to Her Voice: The Eternal Message of an Infertile Prophetess 

As the annual infertility awareness Shabbat approaches, Shoshanah Haberman reflects on the biblical stories of our infertile foremothers, connecting them to her own experiences and to the lives of women today.

Letter to the Editor: Response to Ben Greenfield on the Forefathers’...

In his letter to the editor, Gershon Klapper draws upon three medieval sources that undermine Ben Greenfield's recent reading of the Zohar on the three attributes of the Avot.

Hesed, Gevurah, and Emet: Do These Attributes Actually Describe our Forefathers?

Ben Greenfield explains that the attributes commonly associated with our forefathers are not attributes at which they excelled, but rather attributes with which they struggled.

Guilt and Shame Cultures in the Thought of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

Marc Eichenbaum explores the idea of guilt and shame cultures in the thought of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"tl, which provides a novel interpretation of Torah and a powerful lesson for contemporary society.

Privilege and Power in the Torah

In this thought-provoking piece, Aharon Frazer traces the approach to power and privilege in the Torah from Genesis through Deuteronomy, and offers a framework for the ethical use of power in our own times.

Isaac, the Eternal Optimist

Isaac occupies the middle position among the three Patriarchs. Gavriel Lakser offers a novel reading of his character that portrays Isaac as a uniquely relatable figure for our times.

A Eulogy for Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: Teaching us how to take...

At the Orthodox Union in 1997, Rabbi Sacks first developed the theme that there are 2 Torot: Torat Kohanim and Torat Nevi'im. Nathan Diament shares from that talk, interwoven with personal reflections on Rabbi Sacks' optimism and his insightful use of Jewish jokes.

A Pediatric Akeidah

Chaim Trachtman sees the Akeida as addressing the threat to human life, especially that of children, which is always inherent in the religious experience.

Lot’s Wife Was Never Salt (And Why That Highlights the Greatness...

Mark Glass explores the implications of a little-known interpretation in which Lot's wife never turned to salt.