Doing Violence for God
Jul 11, 2014 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Pinehas
What are we to think about Pinehas, son of Eleazar son of Aaron the high priest, after whom this week鈥檚 Torah portion is named?
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To Go Out of the Wilderness
Sep 1, 2012 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Ki Tetzei
This week鈥檚 Torah portion is directed at Israelites about to 鈥済o out鈥� of the wilderness; next week鈥檚 portion offers guidance to those about to 鈥渃ome in鈥� to the Promised Land. Deuteronomy is anxious for the Israelites to build a society distinct from the one that had enslaved them and no less distinct from the other societies and cultures that will surround them in the Land of Canaan. It wants a people united in their new nation-state鈥攁nd, to that end, propounds a series of wide-ranging laws designed to bring and keep them together.
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Choose Life and Torah
Sep 19, 2014 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Nitzavim | Vayeilekh
The Torah wants to speak to Children of Israel in every time and place, in a way that leads them鈥攍eads us鈥攖o carry forward the project that Moses has directed. It succeeds in that effort: we too are stirred by Moses鈥檚 language, compelled by his vision, moved to undertake responsibility for his Torah. Four passages in Parashat Nitzavim seem to me especially crucial to Moses鈥檚 teaching and our response.
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His Father鈥檚 Son
Dec 12, 2014 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Vayeshev
We stand in a very long line of children of Israel who have been fascinated with Joseph, the first person to have stood in that line. It鈥檚 hard in 2014 to see him, like the Rabbis, as a great tzadik, even if he did resist the temptation of betraying Potiphar by sleeping with his wife; brought his brothers to teshuvah (repentance) through an elaborate and risky ruse; forgave them for selling him into slavery; and apparently administered the entire wealth of Egypt without ever profiting personally from his position. Joseph seems too worldly for the role of tzadik, too complex, too much a man of action rather than reflection.
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Innovation and Tradition
Jan 30, 2010 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Beshallah
I鈥檇 like to suggest that from the first words of this week鈥檚 portion to the last, we find lessons of direct relevance to issues of revelation and commandment, faith and covenant that have been on the minds of thoughtful Jews for centuries and remain matters of concern today.
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The Four Parents
Mar 27, 2015 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Shabbat Hagadol | Pesah
Let鈥檚 think for a moment, inspired by one of the seder鈥檚 most famous passages, about the four kinds of parents who are found around the seder table: wise, wicked, innocent, and not knowing how to ask.
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A Tale of Two Dreamers
Dec 18, 2015 By Eliezer B. Diamond z”l | Commentary | Vayiggash
Shortly after Jacob arrives in Egypt Joseph鈥攗ndoubtedly eager to introduce his father and his patron to each other鈥攁rranges an audience with Pharaoh for his father. Following the time honored traditions of polite conversation, Pharaoh asks a prosaic question: 鈥淗ow many are the years of your life?鈥�
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God鈥檚 Earth: Between Blessing and Curse
May 15, 2015 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Behar | Behukkotai
Here is Leviticus鈥攊n many ways the most intimate of the Torah鈥檚 five books, because it usually meets us frail, mortal, human beings where we live, in our skins and with our families, in private spaces of home and tabernacle鈥攊nstructing us as a society, as a species, that divine blessings of rain and sun will turn to curses if we do not do our part in stewarding God鈥檚 earth properly. The text insists that a fateful choice is in our hands. And it seems far from confident that we will make the choice wisely.
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