A Bold Exegetical Gambit
Nov 2, 1995 By Ismar Schorsch | Commentary | Vayetzei
Why does Jacob abandon the security of his parents home in Beer-sheba?
Read More
Political Extremism in Hebron
Nov 9, 1996 By Ismar Schorsch | Commentary | Hayyei Sarah
Our parasha opens with the death of Sarah at the age of 127. Later in the parasha, when Abraham will breathe his last “at a good ripe age, old and contented (Genesis 25:8),” he will have celebrated 175 birthdays.
Read More
Abraham the Noble Warrior
Nov 4, 1995 By Ismar Schorsch | Commentary | Lekh Lekha
The Torah does not give us a complete biography of Abraham, only a series of striking vignettes.
Read More
Praying for Rain
Sep 25, 1995 By Ismar Schorsch | Commentary | Sukkot
Rainfall has been sparse this summer in much of the northeast, and the reservoirs of New York City are some 24% lower than normal for this time of year.
Read More
Asking Questions
Jan 27, 1996 By Ismar Schorsch | Commentary | Bo
Isidor I. Rabi, who was born in Austria in 1898, won the Nobel prize in physics in 1944.
Read More
Forging Faith: Persistent Human Effort Vs. Divine Miracles
Feb 3, 1996 By Ismar Schorsch | Commentary | Beshallah
The end of a story often illuminates its beginning.
Read More
Fulfilling Our Potential
Sep 28, 2012 By Jonathan Milgram | Commentary | Devarim
When the end of the week arrives and we settle into our Friday night routine of rituals, I often try to encapsulate in a few short sentences what I think is the main thought or idea in the parashah so that my children leave the table with a 鈥渢akeaway鈥� lesson.
Read More
Conquering Passions
Oct 28, 1995 By Ismar Schorsch | Commentary | Noah
My favorite Jewish ritual is the recitation of havdalah at the end of Shabbat. It is a love rooted in childhood.
Read More