Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
Posted on February 3, 2012 by Barer
On this week’s podcast, Rav Meir discusses the parsha describing Bnei Yisrael‘s journey from being slaves to a free nation. Beshalach 5772
Posted on February 3, 2012 by Barer
In this week’s parsha the Israelites truly become free, as they finally and unmistakably escape from the Egyptians, singing jubilantly after seeing the Egyptians drown in the Red Sea. Immediately after the Song of the Sea, we are introduced to one of the motifs of the time in the midbar (while traditionally translated desert, there Continue Reading »
Posted on January 31, 2012 by Barer
[Cross posted from my blog] Last week at Pardes marked the end of a four-part lecture series given by professor James Kugel, one of the preeminent scholars of the Bible alive today. He painted an extremely interesting picture in answering the question that titled the lectures: Has Modern Biblical Scholarship Killed the Bible? The lectures Continue Reading »
Posted on January 27, 2012 by Barer
In this week’s podcast, Neima Novetsky discusses the notion of Bnei Yisrael ‘borrowing’ goods from the Egyptians as they leave Egypt. Bo 5772
Posted on January 27, 2012 by Barer
In this week’s parsha, the story of the ten plagues ends, and Bnei Yisrael (the Children of Israel) finally leave Egypt. One source of potential moral consternation is the collecting of all sorts of goods on the part of the Israelites from their (former) Egyptian slave-masters. Hashem gives the instructions for the fulfillment of a Continue Reading »
Posted on January 20, 2012 by Barer
This week’s podcast features Alex Israel talking about the seeming redundancy of some of the early sections of Vayera Vayera 5772
Posted on January 20, 2012 by Barer
This week’s parsha documents the well-known story of Moshe and Aharon repeatedly coming before Pharoah asking to go worship Hashem, only to be repeatedly rebuffed, even in the fact of nasty plagues (this week’s parsha has the first eight). There are so many points of focus to pick from when you are dealing with the Continue Reading »
Posted on January 16, 2012 by Barer
Thanks to the creative efforts of Amir Zinkow, Naomi Zaslow, Derek Kwait and Adrienne Silver, we have haikus for each and every one of the returning students (in alphabetical order). Enjoy! Benjamin Barer Loves his Vancouver Canucks Second year fellow Jess C. Belasco Editor, Pardes lit. mag. Leins lots for egal Aliza Berger Premier opera Continue Reading »
Posted on January 15, 2012 by Barer
Growing up in the Sephardi community in Toronto, Esther’s Judaism derived mainly from her mother and the weekly Shabbat dinners at her grandmother’s house. Her father, who comes from an essentially secular background, did not push for such a traditional upbringing, and Esther fondly remembers being snuck into McDonalds by her father, where he would Continue Reading »
Posted on January 13, 2012 by Barer
On the podcast this week, Rabbi Daniel Roth discusses the concept of one nation oppressing another. Shmot 5772 [Don’t forget the handout]
