Latest Essays

Passover Becomes about Matzah when the Paschal Lamb Becomes Associated with Jesus

Passover Becomes about Matzah when the Paschal Lamb Becomes Associated with Jesus

As late as the Second Temple period, Passover and Chag HaMatzot were viewed as two separate holidays. What was the final impetus to concretize the synthesis of these holidays into one?

Malka Z. Simkovich

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Finding Redemption in the Passover Story

Finding Redemption in the Passover Story

Doing history one better

Burton L. Visotzky

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Some Biblical Perspectives on the Haggadah

Some Biblical Perspectives on the Haggadah

Marc Zvi Brettler

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Passover and the Festival of Matzot: Synthesizing Two Holidays

Passover and the Festival of Matzot: Synthesizing Two Holidays

Michael L. Satlow

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The Historical Uniqueness and Centrality of Yom Kippur

The Historical Uniqueness and Centrality of Yom Kippur

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The Purification of a Niddah: The Torah Requirement

The Purification of a Niddah: The Torah Requirement

Jewish law requires a menstruant woman to purify herself by immersing in water. A schematic look at Leviticus 15 actually implies this is not a Torah requirement.

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Biblical Purification: Was It Immersion?

Biblical Purification: Was It Immersion?

The Archaeological and Textual Evidence

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Difficulties for the Modern Believer

Difficulties for the Modern Believer

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The Potential Contribution of the Allegorical Interpretation of Tzimtzum to the Dilemma of Post-Liberal Theology

The Potential Contribution of the Allegorical Interpretation of Tzimtzum to the Dilemma of Post-Liberal Theology

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Is a First-Order Constructivist Theology Possible?

Is a First-Order Constructivist Theology Possible?

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Is the "As If" Approach Sufficient to Maintain Firm Religious Commitment?

Is the "As If" Approach Sufficient to Maintain Firm Religious Commitment?

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Post-Liberalism and "As If" Beliefs

Post-Liberalism and "As If" Beliefs

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Excursus – Wittgenstein's Anti-Scientistic Conception of Philosophy: Two Stages

Excursus – Wittgenstein's Anti-Scientistic Conception of Philosophy: Two Stages

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Prof. Yeshayahu Leibowitz: Torah from Sinai as a Normative Statement

Prof. Yeshayahu Leibowitz: Torah from Sinai as a Normative Statement

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Orthodox Solutions Thus Far

Orthodox Solutions Thus Far

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Traditional Concepts of God and Kabbalistic Interpretation: An Overview

Traditional Concepts of God and Kabbalistic Interpretation: An Overview

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Tolerating the Fragility of Theological Constructs: Does Self-Awareness Make Them Too Fragile?

Tolerating the Fragility of Theological Constructs: Does Self-Awareness Make Them Too Fragile?

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Heterodox Responses

Heterodox Responses

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The Doctrine of “Tzimtzum Shelo Kepshuto” and Its Power

The Doctrine of “Tzimtzum Shelo Kepshuto” and Its Power

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The Problem of Relativism and Rav Kook's Concept of "Perfectible Perfection"

The Problem of Relativism and Rav Kook's Concept of "Perfectible Perfection"

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Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik: Questioning the Centrality of Empirical Data

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik: Questioning the Centrality of Empirical Data

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Myth of Origin and Narrative Theology: Rabbi Norman Solomon

Myth of Origin and Narrative Theology: Rabbi Norman Solomon

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Shortcomings of Metaphysical Minimalism: James Kugel

Shortcomings of Metaphysical Minimalism: James Kugel

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The Linguistic Turn: A New Direction in Religious Thinking

The Linguistic Turn: A New Direction in Religious Thinking

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Post-Liberalism as the Ultimate Safety Net for Classical Religion in the Modern World

Post-Liberalism as the Ultimate Safety Net for Classical Religion in the Modern World

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