These and Those

Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem

Tag Archives: poems / poetry

Student-Selected Poems

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Aviva P.

In addition to some poems (1, 2) that we wrote after our ’10-’11 Pardes Poland trip, we also selected some poetry to share during our group’s commemorative ceremonies in Poland. We shared these with the rest of Pardes on Yom HaShoah. Then They Came for Me, Martin Niemöller Dead Men Don’t Praise God, Jacob Glatstein The Trees are Continue Reading »

בחקתי, behukkotai

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

in parshat behukkotai, God makes us an offer we can’t forget.  on one hand, if we follow all of His Laws and observe all of His commandments, all will be right in the world.  abounding peace, a land free of enemies, produce to our hearts’ content.  however, if we spurn Him, if we disobey His Continue Reading »

בהר, behar

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

Some of us grew up in childhood homes, to whose rooms we can still return.   family photos still adorn the staircase.  glass jars still line the counter.  crayon is still scrawled on the walls marking our growth through our youth.  yet, for many of us, that idealic home is long since gone.  we have moved.  Continue Reading »

[Take 5] Amy Martin: How I Pray

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Joel D.

אמור

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Barer

I would hesitantly posit, without verification, that this week’s parsha is the parsha that is read from the most in a Jewish yearly cycle, due to the inclusion of a summary of the major Jewish holidays in the middle.  However, upon reading through the parsha closely, what struck me was exactly how little the holidays Continue Reading »

אמר, emor

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

in parshat emor, God instructs moshe regarding all the rules and regulations that distinguish the life of a cohen from that of an ordinary bnei israel.  and these rules are not to be taken lightly.  the cohen gadol (high priest), in order to maintain his ritual purity, is unable to be around the deceased bodies Continue Reading »

קדשים, kedoshim

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

in parshat kedoshim, God opens by instructing us we’ve got to be holy because we’ve got a holy God.  and in case you weren’t sure how one goes about behaving in a holy manner, we’re presented with a pretty length lists of do’s and don’ts.  do honor your mother and father.  don’t commit adultery.   do Continue Reading »

אחרי מות

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Barer

Rashi, in his first comment on the parsha (16:1), asks the perennial question: Why, after two parshiyot talking about the details of ritual impurity, does the text remind us so clearly that Aaron has recently lost his two eldest sons?  Rashi quotes the book Torat Kohanim (The Book of Priests, 16:3), the main collection of Continue Reading »

אחרי מות, achrei mot

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

i would’ve wanted more.  two parshiot later after the death of aharon’s sons, parshat achrei mot, picks up at the moment following their deaths.  back in parshat shimini, where we actually learn of the boys’ all-too-close encounter with foreign fire, God speaks directly to aharon in a rare moment of personal revelation. okay, at least Continue Reading »

מצורע

Posted on April 8, 2011 by Barer

This weeks parsha largely continues the topic of last weeks: ritual impurity due to the affliction of tzara’at.  This week it extends to the case of tzara’at showing up on a house or clothes, and the resultant procedures of cleansing the clothes, or demolishing the house. A house, or body הוא טמא עד הערב Marked Continue Reading »