JTS Torah Commentary

What’s in a Name

Dec 11, 2004 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Miketz

Names and titles speak to our very essence. This truism becomes all the more clear as we explore Parashat Miketz.

Varieties of Devotion

Dec 4, 2004 By Ismar Schorsch | Commentary | Vayeshev

This past week, my two-and-a-half year old granddaughter spotted me one morning davening by the window in our living room. She recognized the telltale signs of the act, my tallit and tefillin. Spontaneously, she announced her intention to daven also, took herself over to the drawer where we keep some old JTS benchers (small grace books), removed one, and proceeded to strut about with the bencher in her face. Later, I found the bencher on the floor in another room, but for a few tender moments at least, I had a precious soul mate in greeting God that morning.

The Gift of Shabbat

Oct 25, 2003 By Rachel Ain | Commentary | Bereishit

In Parashat Bereishit, we are told that “God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen 1:27).

In God’s Image

Oct 25, 2003 By Rachel Ain | Commentary | Bereishit

In Parashat Bereishit , we are told that “God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen 1:27).

Sexual Immorality

Oct 12, 2002 By Lauren Eichler Berkun | Commentary | Noah

The Flood story in Parashat Noah is a frightening account of divine punishment.

On New Beginnings

Oct 5, 2002 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Bereishit

As a teacher for JTS Kollot: Voices of Learning, I hear many voices of Torah that open my eyes to creative ways of reading the texts of our sacred tradition.

Sight and Knowledge

Oct 5, 2002 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Bereishit

As a teacher for JTS Kollot: Voices of Learning, I hear many voices of Torah that open my eyes to creative ways of reading the texts of our sacred tradition.

Between Moses and Genesis

Oct 17, 1998 By Ismar Schorsch | Commentary | Bereishit

For the rabbis, the gap between the death of Moses at the end of the Torah and the creation of Adam and Eve at the beginning is bridged by divine compassion. The Torah closes as it opens, with an act of kindness, in order to establish the doing of good deeds (gemilut hasadim) as the supreme value of Judaism. Our exemplar is none other than God, who in each instance is moved by human plight.

Bereishit

Jan 1, 1980

⁵ Thus said God the Lord,
Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread out the earth and what it brings forth,
Who gave breath to the people upon it
And life to those who walk thereon:

Bereishit

Jan 1, 1980

¹ When God began to create heaven and earth — ² the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water — ³ God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

Exploring Kabbalah: In the Beginning

By Eitan Fishbane | Podcast or Radio Program

This episode introduces the central themes of Jewish mysticism which will be developed throughout this series. The themes are spiritual awareness and consciousness, monism (God is the oneness of ALL being) or pantheism (God is the oneness in all reality), cultivation of contemplative experiences, the principle of Ineffability (what lies beyond the ability of ordinary […]

Senior Sermons: Class of 2025

Presentations by senior Rabbinical School students in 5785 Find the written text for the senior sermons on Exploring Judaism Rebecca Gallin – Bereishit Sass Brown – Lekh Lekha Alex Friedman – Vayera Claire Shoyer – Vayera Aiden Pink – Hayyei Sarah Lara Rodin – Vayetzei Alicia Rothamel – Bo Ariel Dunat – Yitro Anina Dassa […]