91快播

Reading and Rereading

Oct 28, 2016 By Avi Garelick | Commentary | Bereishit

There’s a good quip about the Jewish people: we’re the longest running book club on the planet. This week, in synagogues and study halls across the world, Jews are rolling the scroll of the Torah back to the beginning and starting again.. This is a different kind of reading than we do in other spheres of our lives. We read books, articles, and stories at specific times. They could be life-changing鈥攚e might return to those texts and re-read them鈥攐r they could quickly be forgotten. Some people will do that more than once, at which point they have become either fans or scholars, giving those texts a place of privilege in the formation of their individual identity.

Aleph: The First Breath

Oct 28, 2016 By 91快播 Alumni | Commentary | Bereishit

By Joshua Hooper (DS ’17)

My artwork is inspired by the opening verses of Bereishit, when God’s first breath calls forth light (讬讛讬 讗讜专) out of the darkness (Gen. 1:3). This holy light (shown in blue) is timeless鈥攖he first manifestation of God’s will. The Aleph is depicted as emerging out of the darkness surrounding it while the holy light is concealed within it. The essence of this light radiates outwards (towards the lower worlds, which are expressed by the three colors that surround the Aleph’s form). The light transcends all levels of Creation.

Face to Face

Oct 21, 2016 By Stephanie Ruskay | Commentary | Sukkot

We鈥檝e lost touch with how to speak with one another. How else can we understand our current political reality?

Seemingly overnight, our national conversation has sunk into a morass of racism, classism, Islamophobia, and misogyny. And yet it didn鈥檛 happen overnight. We created鈥攁nd allowed to be created鈥攁 system that encourages each of us to demonize anyone from a different background and with a different perspective. We got used to interacting only with people who agree with us.

Adele Ginzberg鈥檚 Sukkah

Oct 21, 2016 By Shuly Rubin Schwartz | Commentary | Sukkot

Such a luscious array of branches and gourds proudly displayed by Adele Ginzberg鈥攚ife of 91快播 Talmud professor Louis Ginzberg鈥攁s she prepared to once again adorn the 91快播 sukkah!

This photo from The 91快播 Library evokes for me the loving care with which many early twentieth-century 91快播 faculty wives cultivated religious spirit and community.

Making Every Word Count

Oct 14, 2016 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Ha'azinu

Ha鈥檃zinu is remarkable in two respects: what it says, and how it chooses to say it. My focus here will be the latter, but let鈥檚 note with regard to the former that in this, his final address to the Children of Israel before a set of farewell blessings, Moses reviews all of his people鈥檚 past, present, and future. He begins by calling on the God who had called Israel into being and called him to God鈥檚 service. He reminds Israel that God has chosen them and still cares for their well-being. He prophesies that despite all that God and Moses have said and done, Israel will abandon God, as they had in the past. God will punish them, as in the past, but never to the point of utter destruction. In the end, God and Israel will reconcile.

Parts That Are Left Behind

Oct 14, 2016 By Sarah Diamant | Commentary | Ha'azinu

As we approach the end of the Torah and read Moses鈥檚 parting words, we share with you this work which was created as part of 91快播鈥檚 Artist-in-Residence program, and is on display at 91快播 as part of the Corridors exhibition.

The Art of Fly Fishing and Teshuvah

Oct 11, 2016 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Yom Kippur

I went fly fishing this summer with my son and a very patient instructor, and came away with three lessons directly relevant to the work of teshuvah.

First, fly fishing is hard, very hard, and if my skill at casting that day is any indication, it鈥檚 unlikely I will ever be very good at it.

Is This the Fast I Desire?

Oct 11, 2016 By Julia Andelman | Commentary | Yom Kippur

When I was a congregational rabbi, my practice was to offer a sermon on Yom Kippur morning relating to social justice. I would raise an issue of ethical concern in the world; share my reading of what Jewish texts and tradition had to say on the matter; and suggest actions for individuals and for the community.

The Bluebird Inside Our Hearts

Oct 7, 2016 By Marcus Mordecai Schwartz | Commentary | Shabbat Shuvah | Yom Kippur

there’s a bluebird in my heart that
wants to get out
but I’m too tough for him,
I say, stay in there, I’m not going
to let anybody see
you.

Returning with God

Sep 30, 2016 By Mychal Springer | Commentary | Nitzavim

This week鈥檚 Torah Portion, Nitzavim, speaks profoundly about teshuvah, the literal and figurative struggle to return to God. When we turn back to God 鈥渨ith all [our] heart and soul,鈥� the parashah tells us, then God 鈥渨ill bring you together again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you鈥� (Deut 30:3). Being scattered is a state of disorientation and disconnection. Teshuvah represents a coming home. There鈥檚 an organic connection between the return to the Land of Israel鈥攖he land at the center of the Jewish soul, from which we have been banished鈥攁nd the return that involves changing our ways and opening our hearts to God.

So Close to Me

Sep 30, 2016 By Bronwen Mullin | Commentary | Nitzavim

You say it鈥檚 in my heart
Like my heart is less a mystery than the great expanse of heaven
You say it鈥檚 in my heart
Like my heart is less a threatening thing than the deepest darkest ocean

What It Means to Enjoy

Sep 23, 2016 By Alan Cooper | Commentary | Ki Tavo

At one of our Shabbat afternoon Talmud classes some 50 years ago, after the usual bout of eating, drinking, and singing, the topic under discussion was what it means to 鈥渆njoy鈥� Shabbat and Yom Tov (Sabbath and Festivals). We discussed Rabbi Eliezer鈥檚 statement that Festival 鈥渞ejoicing鈥� is obligatory, as well as the two alternative ways he proffers for attaining pleasure: either by eating and drinking or by sitting and studying. Rabbi Joshua interjects that it should be half of one and half of the other (BT Pesahim 68b).

Everyone on the Team

Sep 23, 2016 By Craig Scheff | Commentary | Ki Tavo

Everyone on the team, from the manager to the coach, from a secretary to an owner, has a role to fulfill. That role is valuable if the team is to come close to reaching its potential. The leader must understand this. Every single member of your team needs to feel wanted and appreciated. If they are on the team, they deserve to be valued and to feel valued. Do you want someone on the team who doesn’t feel necessary and appreciated? How do they find out unless you let them know?

鈥擩ohn Wooden and Steve Jamison, Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court

Why Do We Need a Reminder to Remember?

Sep 16, 2016 By Yedida Eisenstat | Commentary | Ki Tetzei

When was the last time you memorized a phone number? In the age of Gmail, iPhones, and Facebook, remembering has become a passive activity. But at the end of this week鈥檚 parashah, the Torah commands us to actively 鈥渞emember what Amalek did to you鈥� do not forget.鈥� But what did Moses command Israel to remember and why?

Promises, Promises

Sep 16, 2016 By Cheryl Magen | Commentary | Ki Tetzei

Oh, promises, their kind of promises, can just destroy a life
Oh, promises, those kind of promises, take all the joy from life
Oh, promises, promises, my kind of promises
Can lead to joy and hope and love
Yes, love!

鈥斺�淧romises, Promises鈥� (from the 1968 musical of the same name), lyrics by Hal David

Corruption Begins at Home

Sep 9, 2016 By Hillel Gruenberg | Commentary | Shofetim

Only here are three prime ministers
investigated and don鈥檛 cooperate.

Only here do I feel belonging,
Even though I鈥檓 angry about the corruption.

Our Eyes Did Not See

Sep 9, 2016 By Eliezer B. Diamond z”l | Commentary | Shofetim

The history of murder begins with Cain鈥檚 slaying of Abel. That murder itself has a prehistory. When Adam and Eve ate forbidden fruit, God called them to account, and gave them the opportunity to acknowledge their sin and seek forgiveness. Instead, they chose obfuscation and recrimination. Adam shifted blame to Eve, who in turn argued that the serpent was culpable. As when they ate the fruit (Gen. 3:7), their eyes again were opened; each now saw that the other was capable of sin without remorse, and indifference born of self-interest.

Petition or Protest

Sep 2, 2016 By Adam Zagoria-Moffet | Commentary | Re'eh

One month from now, we turn to renew the Hebrew calendar, and our spiritual lives with it. On that day, 鈥渢he day the world is born,鈥� we read the story of Hannah (1 Sam 1:1鈥�2:10). After struggling for years to conceive, Hannah finally gives birth to a son, Shemuel, for whom she had prayed at the temple in Shiloh.

Dwelling with God

Sep 2, 2016 By 91快播 Alumni | Commentary | Re'eh

By Sonia Gordon Walinsky (LC ’04) and Nina Gordon

From Rosh Hodesh Elul, this shabbat, until the end of the holiday season, Psalm 27 is recited in the daily morning and evening services. It reflects a yearning for closeness with God fitting for the time of year when we seek to make teshuvah鈥攍颈迟别谤补濒濒测, returning to God.

Love the Stranger

Aug 26, 2016 By Ethan Linden | Commentary | Eikev

In our parashah this week we find an odd statement masquerading as banal鈥攁 revolutionary idea that at first glance seems familiar, but is something else entirely. In Deuteronomy 10:19 the Torah commands: 鈥�Ve-ahavtem et hager ki gerim hayitem be-eretz mitzrayim鈥� (鈥淟ove the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt鈥�).