Observation ·
Reading Exodus with Leon Kass: Moses and the Levites
By Leon R. KassWhy does Moses order every Levite to practice fratricide?
Moses
Latest Mosaic Content for Moses
Observation ·
Bookends to the Jews’ First Experience with Statehood
By Atar HadariMoses inaugurated Jewish national independence. The prophet Jeremiah comes to oversee its collapse.
Observation ·
God, Moses, and the Mystery of the Missing Kiss
By Marc Michael EpsteinWhy, in all of Jewish art, is there no image depicting the moment of Moses’ death?
Observation ·
The Problem with the Tablets
By Sarah RindnerThe Cecil B. DeMille version of the revelation at Sinai, in which Moses ascends the mountain on his own and returns bearing tablets, misses key aspects of the Israelites' experience.
Observation ·
Moses’ Farewell Song in the Desert
By Bex Stern RosenblattWhat does it mean to be God's chosen people? As Moses counsels the Israelites before he dies, their failure will have consequences—and failure is unavoidable.
Observation ·
The Sh’ma Is the Jewish Safety Net
By Atar HadariThe brave attempt at monotheism was bound to go wrong sometimes, and when it did, the Israelites would need help putting the pieces back together again.
Observation ·
The One Time When Moses Speaks in His Own Words
By David WolpeDeuteronomy erases the separation between leader and led; for better or for worse, they're yoked together.
Observation ·
The Bible’s Coalition of Complainers
By Sarah RindnerKoraḥ's failed rebellion against the leadership of Moses shows that a culture based on grievance cannot last.
Observation ·
Who Is “I Am That I Am”?
By David WolpeIn the Jewish tradition, the summit of religious awareness is to know that God is ultimately unknowable.
Observation ·
One of the Most Profound Paradigm Shifts in Jewish History
By Atar HadariA biblical story marks the moment when Judaism turned from charismatic authority to institutional authority, and from the rule of judgment to the rule of law.
Observation ·
Rembrandt’s Great Jewish Painting
By Rabbi Meir SoloveichikNot only strikingly beautiful, his painting of Moses holding the Ten Commandments also happens to be one of the most authentically Jewish works of art ever created.
Observation ·
The Most Boring Torah Portion of the Year?
By Atar HadariVayakhel records in painstaking detail the making of the tabernacle. It also makes clear one crucial truth: the central task of Jewish leadership is not atonement but teaching.
Observation ·
Why Moses Resists Being Chosen to Lead the Israelites
By Atar HadariHe insists he's not cut out for the job, and his reason has something to do with the way he speaks.
Observation ·
Why Doesn’t the Jewish Tradition Hold Noah in Higher Esteem?
By Atar HadariAbraham and Moses are considered wholly righteous men, but Noah isn't quite. That's because, unlike them, he does what he’s told without question.
Observation ·
How Moses Let Go
By Atar HadariFor 40 years, Moses held tight to the Jews lest they relapse into idol worship. As his time drew to an end, he forced himself to loosen the reins.
Observation ·
Mutiny in the Bible
By Atar HadariWhat happens when the people rebel against the leadership of Moses and Aaron?
Observation ·
The Bible’s More Than Three-Dimensional Pharaoh
By Atar HadariYou can hear the man’s voice as he keeps changing his mind. What’s the point of such a Shakespearean portrayal?
Response ·
A Reply to My Respondents, and My Friends
By Leon R. KassBeyond the distinctive insights offered by each respondent, the overall result is fascinating, not least because the four responses wind up unintentionally but profoundly disagreeing with one another.
Response ·
Why Two Covenants?
From the Patriarchs and the Family to Sinai and the Nation. A video conversation with Leon R. Kass.