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Why Do Jews Still Adhere to the Torah’s Covenant?
May 7, 2021 By Jeremy Tabick | Commentary | Behar | Behukkotai
Why do we, as Jews, have fealty to the Torah? Why do many of us feel bound by the Torah’s laws?
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Does God Get Carried Away?: A Case of Inner-Biblical Midrash
Mar 13, 2020 By Jeremy Tabick | Commentary | Ki Tissa
What does it mean to be El kana, “a jealous / zealous God”?
This phrase appears in the Second Commandment:
Read MoreYou shall not bow down to [other gods] and you shall not worship them, for I am YHVH your God, El Kana, one who takes note of the sin of parents upon children, upon third and fourth [generations], to those who hate Me. But I am one who does love to the thousandth [generation], to those who love me and to those who keep My commandments. (Exod. 20:5-6/Deut. 5:9-10)

To Whom is Honor Due?
May 10, 2019 By Jeremy Tabick | Commentary | Kedoshim
Who deserves our respect and why? This vital question is encoded in the verse:
Read MoreBefore grey hair you should stand;
You should honor the face of an elder;
You should fear your God;
I am YHVH. (Lev. 19:32)

Reading Ourselves into Rabbinic Readings of Scripture
May 25, 2018 By Jeremy Tabick | Commentary
Wherever Midrash is taught, we are trained in two schools of reading: Rabbi Yishmael’s stuck to straightforward readings of the biblical texts; Rabbi Akiva’s spun far-fetched interpretations, relying on the smallest of details.
This picture has been incredibly influential in Jewish life and discourse. Reactions are strong to both approaches.
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Whose Words?
Dec 23, 2016 By Jeremy Tabick | Commentary | Vayeshev
[W]e push through the crowd, heading somewhere. Bodies clear frame and we see the HOMELESS MAN sitting on a park bench. His sign reads: “THEE END”. The Homeless Man smiles into camera. We continue forward and in a slow, mysterious, subtle fashion his face slowly transforms into the very pleased, FACE OF GOD, who winks and we CUT TO BLACK.
Read More—Script for Bruce Almighty by Steve Koren, Mark O’Keefe, Steve Oedekerk