Appreciating Our Blessings

Nov 3, 2006 By David Hoffman | Commentary | Lekh Lekha

Imagine the following request: leave your home, your family, everything that you know and cherish and go — completely walk away from the world of your ancestors.

Redemption: Israel’s Partnership with God

Mar 31, 2007 By Eliezer B. Diamond z”l | Commentary | Shabbat Hagadol

The first teaching attributed to Hillel in Tractate Avot is the following: “Be one of Aaron’s disciples, one who loves peace and pursues it, one who loves one’s fellow human beings and brings them near to the Torah.”

A Personal Relationship to Torah

Feb 3, 2007 By Marc Wolf | Commentary | Beshallah

In his parashah commentary several weeks ago on the beginning of the book of Exodus, our Chancellor-elect Arnold Eisen shared what I consider one of my favorite texts.

Whose Revelation Is It, Anyway?

Jan 29, 2016 By Stephen P. Garfinkel | Commentary | Yitro

Parashat Yitro is a Torah reading of monumental ideas, foundational concepts, and widely-recognized importance. By all measures, this week’s portion must be considered a highlight of the entire Torah, since it includes no less (and a lot more!) than the Ten Commandments. This seems to be the right place to explore questions such as these: what did the actual revelation (Exodus 20) include? What were God’s commandments? Why were these statements singled out, especially given the amount of law scattered throughout the Torah? What gives these brief pronouncements their distinctive importance?