Latest Essays

Traditional and critical perspectives on the ending of the Torah.

God creates “the human... male and female” (Genesis 1), which we typically understand to mean the first human couple. However, a look at the creation of other species in the same chapter suggests otherwise.

An Explication of Deuteronomy 29:28

A proposal to return to the days before Maimonides’ thirteen principles defined the parameters of acceptable Jewish dogma.

Are Levi’im considered Kohanim, with all the accompanying mitzvot and benefits, or not? Apparently it depends which book in the Torah you are reading, Deuteronomy or Leviticus-Numbers.

A rose by any other name

According to tradition, must we believe that the Torah is: Historical? Mosaic? Univocal? Perfect?

A medieval non-traditional interpretation of arami oved avi and the push-back against it. 

A Comparative Analysis

The Torah first describes a world that is created to be vegetarian. It is only after the Flood that humans were allowed to eat meat. Leviticus restricts meat consumption to the sacrificial offerings only, whereas Deuteronomy permits even non-consecrated meat. How do we understand the tension between these approaches?

A yeshiva student asks: Is it permissible to believe that parts of the Torah were written after the time of Moses?

Exodus Versus Deuteronomy 

And Ibn Ezra's Secret

The approaches in Lamentations

A Historical Approach

Deuteronomy presents Moses’ account as a retelling of the story narrated in Exodus and Numbers. And yet, so many details contradict the earlier narrative. Here are ten examples.