Podcasts

The rule against eating an offering before its blood is placed on the altar symbolizes the unity of body and soul.

The ban on offering the Passover sacrifice at private altars embodies how much Judaism values community.

The story of a wealthy Alexandrian Jew sheds light on a seemingly superfluous commandment.

How Genesis gave rise to modern secularism

The prohibition against necromancy is part of the Hebrew Bible's larger rejection of the pagan perspective.

Modernity continues to emerge with the writings of Montaigne and Shakespeare.

An exchange between the kings of Israel and Judah reveals the dangers of false prophecy.

The prohibition against pagan prophecy serves as a rejection of the Greeks' concept of tragedy.

The prohibition of invoking false gods provides surprising insight for the translation of a famous biblical verse.

The order of the blasts of the shofar teaches a valuable lesson about Jewish hope.

Why does the oral law connect the sh'ma with the purity of the kohanim?

The study of Kabbalah—Jewish mysticism—will play an outsized role in shaping not only Western thought but even modern science.

Only those who are pure may eat from Temple sacrifices, but on festivals like Sukkot, all pilgrims are assumed to be pure.

A prohibition related to war speaks to the spirit of Jewish courage.

An early act of brotherhood by Aaron explains why we are commanded to honor the kohanim.

The amount of bloodshed that took place following the Protestant Reformation is staggering.

What is the difference between confessing one's sins and repenting for them?

A verse in Leviticus serves as a reminder to read between the lines of the mitzvot.

A verse in Leviticus reveals Egypt and Abraham's contrasting views on immortality.

The Hebrew Bible and the Talmud's different approaches to undecided legal matters teach a profound lesson in faith.