The institution of the Haftarah, reading a passage from the prophetic literature alongside the Torah portion, is an ancient one, dating back at least 2000 years. Scholars are not sure when, … more

The Haftorah to parsha Yzav on this Shabbat Hagadol, contains two well-known pasukim that conclude both Sefer Malachi and the Nevi’im section of Tanach. Malachi prophesizes the eventual … more

Sacrifices, the subject of this week’s parsha Vayikra, were central to the religious life of biblical Israel. What is deeply relevant today is the critique of sacrifices we find among the … more

I was wrong. I am sorry. Please forgive me.” These are rare words indeed, but I heard them pronounced clearly by a woman I once worked for, and whom I still admire. She was the … more

Different Jewish ethnicities have varying traditions regarding the proper way a Torah scroll should be written. Yet, vayikra — the first word of our parasha and the namesake of sefer … more

Melanie Reid, a journalist with The Times of London, is a quadriplegic who, with a wry lack of self-pity, calls her weekly essay Spinal Column. On Jan. 4, she told how she, her husband, and others in … more

The final five parshiot of Sefer Shemot describe every conceivable aspect of the construction of the Mishkan, including its kalim (vessels and utensils) and the bigdei kohanim (the garments worn by … more

Corona. Isolation. Quarantine. Closed schools and synagogues. Flights cancelled and travel limited. No large public gatherings. What is going on? In 1988, during the first Intifada, one of our … more

In the frenzy of last weekend, with many shuls shutting their doors, many of us were faced with the prospect of experiencing Shabbos in a way we had not before. Going to shul was off the table, so … more

What is life all about? One answer is that life is all about beginnings and endings. Birth and death, marriage and divorce, Hopeful anticipation and inglorious defeat. Most commonly, … more