Articles

Parashat Emor: Commentary Revolutions How did the Sages transform “eye for eye” into the idea of monetary compensation despite the Torah’s clear language? Exploring the hermeneutical revolution: charitable interpretation, internal contradictions, and the radical claim that meaning is created, not discovered By Lior Tal Sadeh

The Objects You Cannot Touch Where did the concept of muktzeh come from, and why does moving a hammer on Shabbat matter so much? Dr. Yoel Kretzmer-Raziel traces the history of this overlooked part of Jewish law from the Bible to the Talmud By Alex Stein

Kedoshim and Acharei Mot Torah Portions: A Society of Deceit Exploring how the Torah’s plural language warns not only against personal wrongdoing, but against the normalization of dishonesty within the moral fabric of society By Lior Tal Sadeh

Not Only Hardship: Toil in the Declaration of Independence “Honest toil” is a short phrase from the Declaration of Independence that holds within it a great vision. Lior Tal Sadeh offers an important reminder for Independence Day By Lior Tal Sadeh

Between Revelation and Reason When modern scholarship began to treat the Bible as a document written by humans, Orthodox rabbis fought back – not by rejecting critical thinking, but by mastering it By Gilad Halpern

Parashat Tazria-Metzora: On Circumcision Circumcision creates a covenant in flesh, making a newborn baby part of an ancient story. Yet to a modern observer, this ritual raises difficult questions about tradition, autonomy, and what we owe our children By Lior Tal Sadeh

Wisdom of the Future Professor Yossi Turner believes three thousand years of Jewish texts hold hard-won answers about despair and recovery – answers we’ve largely stopped consulting, and urgently need now By Alex Stein

Dayenu: What Is Enough for Us? The popular Passover song Dayenu hides a radical idea – the Exodus matters more than everything that followed. From feminist retellings to simple daily blessings, each generation redefines what “enough” truly means By Lior Tal Sadeh

The Writing Isn’t Always on the Wall There is no trace of the Exodus in ancient Egyptian inscriptions – so how do some scholars still claim it was a historical event? Prof. Joshua Berman in an interview on cultural appropriation, shifting the lens, and agendas in academia By Noa Sorek

Parashat Tzav: What Remains After the sacrifice burns, ash remains. After the war ends, debris remains. The Torah’s ritual for clearing ash offers a lesson about tending carefully to what is left behind – and releasing what lies beyond reach By Lior Tal Sadeh

Funny Knows No Age Ephraim Sidon, at 80, remains one of Israel’s most sharp-tongued voices – from television to children’s books, his wit has never dulled. On March 30, he brings that wit directly to children in a live online session from BAC By BAC Staff

Red Rosa Rosa Luxemburg was a revolutionary thinker, a fearless activist, and a woman who found beauty even from behind bars. A conversation about her letters, her legacy, and why she deserves to be remembered By Noa Sorek

Parashat Vayikra: The Calling When worthy leaders withdraw, the bramble reigns. Moses repeatedly tried to step aside, and God repeatedly called him back. Today, we must become the voice that calls reluctant leaders forward – and answer our own callings By Lior Tal Sadeh

The Man Who Came from the Forest What can XVIII century mystic teach us about trauma, human body, and the search for meaning? Get to know the revolutionary teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and their surprising relevance today By Alex Stein

Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei: Bialik’s Tabernacle Hayim Nahman Bialik saw the Hebrew University as a modern Tabernacle – the sacred space where Israel’s spirit resides. In days of war, his vision challenges us: Are we letting our sanctuaries crumble? By Lior Tal Sadeh