The Directional Shaking of the Lulav: Bible, Mysticism, and Religious Polemics

Yaakov Jaffe traces the origins and evolution of the custom to shake the lulav in different directions.

Nishmat HaBayit: A Window into the Successes of Yoatzot Halacha

Rabbi Ezra Schwartz reviews Nishmat HaBayit, a responsa collection by the Yoatzot Halacha of Nishmat

“Justice has not Been Done”: Officer Immunity and Accountability in Jewish Law (Part 2)

David Polsky meticulously explores officer immunity in Halakha and compares it with the American legal standard of qualified immunity.

Civilian Casualties in the Light of Halakhah and Ethics: Revisiting Rav Shaul Yisraeli’s Analysis

Aryeh Klapper analyzes Rav Shaul Yisraeli’s classic work on civilian casualties in Halakhah.

Vaccines, Hysteria, and Rabbinic Responsibility: A Plea from the Trenches

Jeremy Brown comments on the history and necessity of vaccination in the Jewish community.

The “Judeo-Christian” Tradition at Yeshiva

Yisroel Ben-Porat offers historical, hashkafic, and personal reflections on what’s often called the “Judeo-Christian” tradition and whether a Torah u-Madda outlook can embrace the study of Christianity.

The Making of “Lights”

Shmuel Klitsner's insider perspectives on making a Hanukkah classic.

When Synagogues Reopen, May the Congregation Permit a Bar Mitzvah Boy to Make Up...

When Synagogues Reopen, May the Congregation Permit a Bar Mitzvah Boy to Make Up His Torah Reading? Moshe Kurtz weighs in.

Wearing a Smartwatch on Shabbat

Ike Sultan A. The Question One of the new gadgets that has become popular over the last few years is the smartwatch; a popular brand at...

When Law Fails Us: Lessons from Rabbinic Responses to Crimes We Cannot Punish for...

Sarah Zager puts #MeToo in conversation with the Talmudic discussion of the death penalty.