Essays, notes, poems, and prayers
Writing
Most of this started as a Facebook post and got a second life here. Every piece carries its date in two calendars.
- 15 April 2024ז׳ בניסן תשפ״דNote
“Recalling the Covenant”: Biblical Stats
I thankfully was able to obtain a copy of R Moshe Shamah's "Recalling the Covenant," which includes his commentary on the biblical censuses as well as an appendix on biblical...
- 11 April 2024ג׳ בניסן תשפ״דNote
Two Possible Answers
How did the physical constants of the universe become fine-tuned to support stable and ordered complexity in the universe? How did the first DNA replicators form and allow the diversity...
- 10 April 2024ב׳ בניסן תשפ״דNote
Historiography and the Holiday of History
Some thoughts on historiography, in preparation for Pesah, the holiday of history: History may not be a science, but it is a discipline that makes use of the sciences. That...
- 5 April 2024כ״ו באדר ב׳ תשפ״דNote
Selling Hamets: The Basics
AFAIK the best way to fulfill the precept of not owning any leavened bread foodstuffs during Pesah, is to get rid of it all before Pesah. If that's not feasible...
- 28 March 2024י״ח באדר ב׳ תשפ״דNote
The Easy Pesah Cleaning Guide
Someone could not translate their OU-approved easy Pesah cleaning guide from a well-known rabbi, so I figured I'd do a public service and share with you the Gil-approved easy Pesah...
- 22 March 2024י״ב באדר ב׳ תשפ״דNote
Anti-Zionism and Me
I used to hold space for anti-Zionism. Not any longer. The reaction since Oct 7 has clarified for me where anti-Zionists actually stand. I don't begrudge Jewish anti-Zionists their right...
- 8 March 2024כ״ח באדר א׳ תשפ״דNote
The Roots of the Maimonidean Project
R. Yitshaq alFasi disputed the Geonim and began the task of summarizing the practical law of the Talmud, making it accessible outside of the Geonic academies. Instead of establishing a...
- 25 February 2024ט״ז באדר א׳ תשפ״דNote
Palestinian Voters in a Jewish State
Morning thoughts: Sometimes solutions present themselves when you consider problems from alternate angles. Scared of how millions of Palestinians will vote, given the chance? Make sure your democracy is constitutional...
- 21 February 2024י״ב באדר א׳ תשפ״דNote
Ten Maimonidean Propositions
1) At Sinai, the people of Israel voluntarily contracted a bilateral covenant with the Creator, mediated by Moses, in which they agreed to follow the precepts instructed to them via...
- 6 February 2024כ״ז בשבט תשפ״דNote
Who is Indigenous?
Who is indigenous? The people of Israel speak the language of this Land, follow the calendar of this Land, retell the myths and stories of this Land, tend and protect...
- 5 February 2024כ״ו בשבט תשפ״דNote
The Revolution of Hebrew Philosophy
When you think about it, part of the cultural revolution that occurred in Judea during the second commonwealth was the movement to institutionalize the authority of the sages in matters...
- 21 January 2024י״א בשבט תשפ״דNote
What is a Maimonidean Minyan?
Some have suggested that what makes a minyan "Maimonidean" is the rigorous exemplification of Maimonides' halakhic ideals and prescriptions (such as praying with the sunrise). Others have suggested it is...
- 17 January 2024ז׳ בשבט תשפ״דNote
A Short Meditation on International Law and Policy
The UN is a spectre in Israeli society and a byword among Israelis. For its part, the UN has maintained a persistent and consistent critique/condemnation of all Israeli policies vis-a-vis...
- 15 January 2024ה׳ בשבט תשפ״דNote
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Spoke Candidly on Israel
In 1968, ten days before he was murdered by a white supremacist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr of blessed memory was asked some rather direct questions: “What steps have been...
- 13 January 2024ג׳ בשבט תשפ״דNote
The Government Needs a Plan
Neutralizing Hamas's military capacity is the stated goal of this war (Bibi's jingoistic propaganda aside). Achieving that goal is necessary and while I have a lot of Questions, I don't...
- 11 January 2024א׳ בשבט תשפ״דNote
Equal Rights + Right of Return + Reparations
Hamas needs to be eradicated and Gazans need to go through de-Nazification. But from everything I've seen, the equation that ultimately solves for both security and peace in this land...
- 13 December 2023א׳ בטבת תשפ״דNote
Blood Libel vs The Facts
If the IDF wanted to genocide Palestinians, the war would have been over within a week. The Palestinian populations of Israel and the West Bank would be gone. The facts...
- 13 December 2023א׳ בטבת תשפ״דNote
Ethnic Cleansing in… Yemen
I'm still tryna formulate my thoughts on where there is and there isn't ethnic cleansing in Israel but while that's all percolating.... Did you know there's just one Jewish person...
- 29 October 2023י״ד בחשוון תשפ״דNote
Thoughts on the Present – and the Future
Two thoughts for you as the early ground operations are underway in the Gaza strip, after three weeks of continuous airstrikes against military targets embedded in a densely populated civilian...
- 25 October 2023י׳ בחשוון תשפ״דPoem
Hamas and My Daughter Cannot Coexist
Hamas and my Daughter can not Coexist because one of them wants to live a full life free and happy as a dove loving singing dancing wants to dream big...