What Do We Know About Moses’s Burial Place?

Ezra Zuckerman Sivan explains what it means when the Torah says that Moses's burial site was hidden.

When God Appeases Man: Yom Kippur in a Time of Exile

Yom Kippur marks the end of an 11 week period when thematic haftarot about the destruction of the Temple, consolation following its loss, and repentance replace haftarot connected to the weekly Torah reading. What can this grouping teach us about the nature of forgiveness and reconciliation? Hannah Abrams explains.

“And I will Betroth You unto Me”: On Fading Tefillin Strap Marks

In an earlier Lehrhaus piece, Jeffrey Saks pointed to an obscure custom referenced by Shai Agnon not to eat until the tefillin strap marks fade from one’s arm. Here, Mois Navon shares what happened when he tried adopting this custom for himself.

The Children of the Beautiful Captive

Miriam Gedwiser explains how the Rabbis of the Talmud put the law of yefat to'ar in conversation with the David narrative, and what this teaches us about how we should approach passages of this nature.

The Difference Between Lo Tahmod and Lo Tit’avveh: An Insight Based on the Hitpa’el

Mitchell First explains the difference in the wording of the tenth commandment in Exodus and Deutoronomy in light of a grammatical insight by Benno Jacob.

Joyful Planting: COVID and the Prohibition of Planting During the Three Weeks

Erica Brown considers the little-discussed prohibition on planting during the Nine Days and what it teaches about the nature of mourning and joy.

Must Creativity and Rigor be Either/Or?

In his review of Michael Hattin’s commentaries on the books of Joshua and Judges, Francis Nataf explores how greater collaboration between creative Tanakh teachers could help reduce the number of overly speculative readings.

Shadal: Translated, Elucidated, and Uncensored at Last

Martin Lockshin reviews Daniel A. Klein’s translation of Samuel David Luzzatto’s commentary on the Book of Vayikra, the latest volume in Klein’s project to translate all of Shadal’s insightful and ever-interesting Torah commentary.

“Let Truth Spring Up from the Ground”: Truth’s Changing Role Throughout History

Natan Oliff explores the evolving role of truth throughout Tanakh and later Jewish history.

The Nazir and the Priest

Yoni Nouriel examines an episode in the Talmud where Shimon Ha-Tzadik describes his encounter with an impure Nazir.