The Ethics of Usury
A closer look into Rashi’s commentary on the prohibition to borrow money with interest as elucidated through examining varying nuances in ancient manuscripts.
View ArticleThe Creation of Light
Exploring various interpretations of the light created on the first day and how it differs from the luminaries created on the fourth day of creation, with special attention to Rashi’s commentary as...
View ArticleWhen Abraham Challenges G-d
A closer look at the manner in which Abraham approached G-d to reconsider destroying the cities of Sodom. Examining the commentary of Rashi, as recorded in the manuscripts, sheds light on the narrative.
View ArticleWere the Patriarchs Noahides or Israelites?
A detailed analysis of the Torah status of the Patriarchs and the 12 Tribes. Were they merely in the category of Noahides with extra personal commitments or did they actually convert to be Jewish?...
View Article"These Are the Generations of Isaac"
A closer look at the opening narrative in the Torah portion of Toldot about Isaac and his offspring—examining the differencing approaches in the commentaries, with special emphasis on Rash’s...
View ArticleThe Parable of a Pearl in the Sand
The Torah portion begins with Jacob’s return to his father’s home, “And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojourning…These are the generations of Jacob… Following a brief overview of the...
View ArticleThe Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart
The verse statses: “Pharaoh’s heart is heavy (kaved); he has refused to let the people out.” A closer look at the two interpretations of the word Kaved found in the commentaries, and the reason Rashi...
View ArticleContribute to the Tabernacle for My Sake
G-d tells Moses to instruct the people to take for Me an offering i.e. contributions towards building the Mishkan. Explore Rashi’s terse commentary on the words “take for me”, through the lens of the...
View ArticleJudaism and Alcohol
Torah does not prohibit the consumption of alcohol. The pros and cons of alcohol as seen through the lens of Jewish law and tradition.
View ArticleWho Wrote the Torah? - A history of the canonization of the Bible
In contrast to newfangled, secular accounts of how the Torah came to be, Jewish tradition has its own thorough account of how the Torah was recorded and transmitted.
View ArticleThe Structure of Halacha - The Six Categories of Torah Law
An overview of six different categories of Jewish law including oral traditions from Moses, laws extrapolated from Scripture, and laws that were later legislated by the Sages.
View ArticleIs Chutzpa a Crime? - Impudence in Jewish Law
Jewish legal opinions on the issue of one who behaves in a way that is impudent without actually breaking any specific law.
View ArticleThe Oxford Manuscript of Mishneh Torah
Director of the Chabad Society at Oxford University, Rabbi Eli Brackman, discusses the Oxford library's treasured manuscript of Maimonides' Mishneh Torah and what makes it unique.
View ArticleA Case of Forced Apostasy? - Reflections on the Jacob Barnet affair in light...
Analyzing the fascinating story of Jacob Barnet, a respected Jew in Oxford in 1612, who had initially agreed to convert to Christianity, in-order to become a faculty member at Oxford, but subsequently...
View ArticleTragedy in Jewish Thought - How should we react when faced with tragedy?
Looking at various perspectives on the destruction of the 2nd Temple and two central approaches to tragedy. Is it proper to react with grief and mourning? Or can positivity be glimpsed through the...
View ArticleThe Liability of a Borrower to Repay Damage - Maimonides' Mishneh Torah in...
Analysis of a manuscript written in Maimonides' own hand. How the structure of the law in draft form differs from the final text. Formerly on display in the exhibition, 'Marks Of Genius' in the...
View ArticleTextual Annotations on an Employee’s Responsibility - Maimonides' Mishneh...
Analysis of a manuscript written in Maimonides' own hand. How the structure of the law in draft form differs from the final text. Formerly on display in the exhibition, 'Marks Of Genius' in the...
View ArticleThe Mysterious Charity Box - Unraveling the 300 year old mystery of the...
Tracing the history and possible usage of the 'Bodleian bowl', discovered in a moat in Norfolk, east England in 1696. Examining the meaning of its Hebrew inscription and its connection to the famed...
View ArticleThe Legumes Passover Controversy - Examining the prohibition of eating...
Examining the background of the kitniyot prohibition. Why it was accepted by Ashkenazic Jewry but not Sephardic Jewry. Looking at how the third Chabad Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek sourced this prohibition.
View ArticleTextual Annotations on the Liability of a Borrower - Maimonides' Mishneh...
Analysis of a manuscript written in Maimonides' own hand. How the structure of the law in draft form differs from the final text. Formerly on display in the exhibition, 'Marks Of Genius' in the...
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