Halakha, theology, practice, and the inner life of Jewish observance.
Rereading Golden Doves after almost twenty years, to see what I understand better and what ideas I still find persuasive. It’s a trip. Every page has an insight or claim that resonates deeply. The book is full of associations, parallels, and references that, for the careful reader, are mind-blowing to consider and transform one’s understanding … Read more
I woke upFrom a dream of youTo your light shining through a windowI called to youI cared for the friend you gave meI left you at homeAnd crossed a city with youI finally arrived at your doorstepYour smile and your greetingInvited me inward to your workYou built something newIn a heart you openedThrough hands you … Read more
Arabic is central to my Judaism. Without it, the Sepharadi legal scholars (from whose waters I drink) would not have had such complete access to the cultural corpus of Geonic interpretations, rulings, and traditions, all of which are fundamental to correctly understanding the Gemara. There is much more to say, but let that simmer for … Read more
If there’s anything we learn from the megilla of Esther it’s that egotistical autocrats make poor leaders/allies but good instruments of divine providence. Stay Frosty Friends 😎
I’m so frum that whenever an ayatollah fires a hypersonic missile barrage, I put on my shoes left foot first
If someone is superstitious Telling them they’re bad for being superstitious Will not make them less superstitious Teaching them – dare i say, inspiring them – to reason, trust, be confident, and have equanimity will make them less superstitious
Why do Rambamists write so many posts about how other Jewish people are basically idolators? What does this actually accomplish? Is it possible that to whatever extent Rambam may have been something somewhat approaching a philosophical elitist, emulating that tendency may not actually be productive towards promoting Torah, or in the cases of most people … Read more
Many sleepersHave called me the enemyOf the nightmares they createSleep walking through the streetsSleep talking of This and ThatTribes and SinsGood and Evil You’re dreaming,I remind themThese are but shadowsYou cast onto the wall of your cave
Most blessings conclude in a participle – describing the Creator as the One who does things. The subsequent blessing after the Shema concludes with a perfect verb – describing the Creator as the One who liberated Yisrael. This unique praise of God expresses a fact of history: some 3700 years ago, the Creator intervened in … Read more
The birthrightThe voiceThe handsThe blessingThe escapeThe loveThe trickThe workThe feudThe saleThe famineThe slaveryThe criesThe memoryThe bushThe bloodThe frogsThe liceThe swarmsThe pestilenceThe boilsThe hailThe locustsThe darknessThe deathThe seaThe passageThe songThe complaintThe foodThe restThe countThe daysThe weeksThe purityThe thunderThe lightning The blastThe fireThe mountainThe revelationThe lawThe graceThe covenant