Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on March 31, 2011 by Shibley
A few weeks back I authored a post about outdoor prayer. As I think I made clear, my preference is to remain indoors for all of the reasons that I mentioned. I also find it stifling to daven in an enclosed, stuffy location. In fact, there is a custom of at least building btei kenset Continue Reading »
Posted on March 27, 2011 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, This past week’s parsha includes one of the few narratives in the book of Vayikra, namely the divinely ordained death of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, upon presenting their voluntary fire offering. But the telling of the acts of Nadav and Avihu and their subsequent deaths are brief and perplexing. We do not Continue Reading »
Posted on March 24, 2011 by Pious Antic
In my halakha (Jewish Law) class last semester, we looked at a piece of gemara in which one rabbi asserts that an averah (sin) which is done for the sake of heaven (lishmah) is superior to a mitzvah (a good deed) that is done not for the sake of heaven. It is then countered that Continue Reading »
Posted on March 14, 2011 by Shibley
Let me begin this brief post by expressing explicitly that I believe wholeheartedly in communal prayer as a viable and necessary outlet of group expression. Furthermore, please do not leave your respective minyanim in a situation where they will be without a minyan, just for the sake of this post. Nor should those saying kaddish Continue Reading »
Posted on February 21, 2011 by Zach
About a month ago, we began our second semester at Pardes, giving us the chance to switch up our class schedules. I had been studying Tanakh (in the Intensive Tanakh Track), and enjoying it, but I didn’t find the Tanakh course offerings for the new semester very interesting. Instead, I decided to take advantage of the Continue Reading »
Posted on January 5, 2011 by Shibley
Last week I had the opportunity to visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Museum with fellow Pardes students. I had never been to Yad Vashem at night before, but I was surprised to find that the lack of natural light emphasized the murder of the Shoah. As I worked my way through the permanent exhibit, I Continue Reading »
Posted on December 26, 2010 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, It’s hard to believe how the winter months are passing and in particular, that the ‘holiday season’ is upon us. In Israel, you don’t really feel that it’s almost Christmas — there are no colourfully decorated trees in front yards, no “Jingle Bells” playing in the mall. Being in a dominantly Jewish society Continue Reading »
Posted on November 10, 2010 by Jean
When God began to create… darkness was over the surface of the deep… God said ‘Let there be light…’ God separated light from darkness. (Genesis 1:1) Rav Meir suggested that water and darkness are realms of the Divine. They were contracted to make a place where humans could thrive. The darkness is “an entity to Continue Reading »
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
Reading the beginning of Parshat Lech-Lecha, I was struck by its opening words. God’s command to Avraham to leave his home, his family, his country and move to a place that God will saw him is quite incredible! But it seems that God is demanding from Avraham more than the physical and emotional separation from Continue Reading »
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
This week I rediscovered the beauty and power of Shabbat. I learned in greater detail how Shabbat is one of the most important, if not the most important,ritual expressions of Judaism. I already knew of its greatness, as it is listed fourth in the Ten Commandments. What is so important about keeping Shabbat? The essential idea Continue Reading »
