Jewish Thought & Ethics

How Genesis gave rise to modern secularism

Two Centuries of Rebellion

To be a Jew is to express gratitude toward God for all He has given us.

One must pass down the mitzvot not just through education, but through action.

If loving one’s family is natural and intuitive, why does the Hebrew Bible command it?

The ritual of washing one's hands before eating bread has a deeper significance beyond cleanliness.

The holiday of Purim is full of dualities, and the mitzvot of the day embody this spirit.

One must say a blessing before performing a mitzvah. Why?

One must prepare for Shabbat as if royalty is about to enter one’s own home.

The Shabbat meal not only provides enjoyment in the present but also summons us back to the covenantal past.

The eruv is a reminder that those living around us are more than just anonymous neighbors.

The mitzvot of the Shabbat and Hanukkah candles embody the different ways we experience holiness.

If one issues a cherem, an angry declaration, against one's land, the property is given to the kohanim.

How does Laura Ingalls Wilder's famous children's novel connect with Temple rituals?

The rituals of the Temple refer back to the Abrahamic covenant and teach a vital lesson about Jewish time.

A law that Judaism applies to everyone, not just Jews, helps us better understand Jewish ethical ideals.

The laws of terumah, priestly dues, remind the kohanim of the love they must feel for the people of Israel.

Setting aside a portion of meat for the priests reminds Jews that every meal takes place within a covenant with God.

Eating food used for idolatry is forbidden not just because it is idolatrous, but because it inverts sacred Jewish rites.

The contrasting marriages of Hamlet and Ruth reveal the values of Jewish matrimony.

The children's novel The Phantom Tollbooth helps explain the reasoning for a strange Temple sacrifice.

The grain offering brought by the High Priest serves as a symbol of Aaron's love for his brother.

What does a famous painting have to teach us about the Hebrew Bible's aversion to the pagan god Moloch?

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.

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

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.