When Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, he says, “I am your brother, whom you sold into Egypt” (Gen 45:4). Tradition takes for granted that Joseph’s brothers were indeed the ones who sold him. However, as Rashbam and Shadal note, a straightforward peshat reading of events once Joseph is thrown into the pit reveals a different conclusion.
Prof. Rabbi
Marty Lockshin
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A midrash on the phrase venikdash bikhevodi, “and it shall be sanctified by my glory” (Exod 29:43) suggests that God is unusually strict when He punishes those who are close to Him. Rashbam strenuously objected to this popular midrash.
Prof. Rabbi
Marty Lockshin
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The Torah mentions the ephod as something the high priest would wear, but never describes it clearly, and neither do the Talmudic sages. Medieval scholars like Rashi and Rashbam use their creativity and analytical skill to try to tease this out from the biblical text.
Prof. Rabbi
Marty Lockshin
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The term לשוח is a hapax legomenon (a term that appears only once in the Bible). What does it mean?
Prof.
Aaron Demsky
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Deuteronomy 13 discusses the case of a false prophet who does not have a message from God, but advocates worshiping other gods. Oddly enough, the false prophet can successfully perform miracles, or is able to predict the future. How is this possible?
Prof. Rabbi
Marty Lockshin
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After the shocking death of Nadav and Avihu, Moses says to Aaron that this is what God meant when he said, “through those near to me I will sanctify Myself.” Rashi, Rashbam, and Nahmanides struggle to understand the meaning of Moses’ message.
Prof.
James A. Diamond
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The significance of Rashbam’s surprising observation about Kohelet for understanding introductions and conclusions to biblical books.
Dr. Rabbi
Zev Farber
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Impurity is transferred through physical contact. Theologically speaking, could the same be true for holiness?
Prof. Rabbi
Marty Lockshin
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A Successful Challenge to Moses’ Control Over Prophecy
Dr. Rabbi
David Frankel
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At stake is Ibn Ezra’s curse: “May your tongue stick to your palate… may your arm dry up and your right eye go blind.”
Dr. Rabbi
Zev Farber
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We sit in the sukkah to remind us that “I (God) made the Israelites live in sukkot when I brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 23:43). Accordingly, why isn’t Sukkot celebrated in the month of Nissan, when we left Egypt?
Prof. Rabbi
Marty Lockshin
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What does the root רצח actually mean: to kill or to murder? A look at Rashbam’s attempted (and failed?) solution highlights the ethical ramifications of Bible translation.
Prof. Rabbi
Marty Lockshin
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In Avinu Malkeinu, we say, “Our Father, our King, act for us for the sake of Your name.” Is God still worried about His reputation?
Prof. Rabbi
Marty Lockshin
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A medieval non-traditional interpretation of arami oved avi and the push-back against it.
Prof. Rabbi
Marty Lockshin
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In a polemical response to Christian and Jewish allegorical interpretation of the Torah’s laws, Bekhor Shor writes that just as God speaks to Moses “clearly and without riddles” (Num 12:8), so too the Torah is clear and means what it says, and should not be interpreted allegorically.[1]
Prof. Rabbi
Shaye J. D. Cohen
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