These and Those

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

Tag Archives: idolatry

The Ultra-Nationalist

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Benjamin Friedman

Drowsy in my Wooden womb I hide myself Inside this room As Ocean wishes to Consume me– Here I’ll lie, nursing contumely Oh– How they crash upon my ears! These waves of shouts and flood of

[Alumni Guest Post] ‘Setting the Right Example’ by Rabbi Peter Stein

Posted on August 1, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

Peter Stein (Kollel 2009-11) sent us these words of Torah on Parshat Re’eh – In this week’s Torah portion Re’eh, we find the commandment concerning the ir nidachat, a city consigned to destruction because its inhabitants have turned to idolatry. The Torah commands that should an Israelite city ever arise where the citizens go astray Continue Reading »

[Student Profile] Hannah Grossman

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Derek Kwait

Hannah Grossman is an explorer. Her Jewish journey has taken her from the farthest ends of the earth to the deepest corners of her psyche. Yet the further she has traveled from her native New Jersey, the closer she has come to finally finding her Jewish home. Hannah grew up in West Orange, NJ to Continue Reading »

[Pardes from Jerusalem Podcast] Mishpatim 5773: Explicating the Ten Commandments

Posted on February 7, 2013 by The Director of Digital Media

This week, Rabbi Alex Israel discusses Parashat Mishpatim in “Explicating the Ten Commandments.” Mishpatim ’73 Shabbat shalom!

Pardes From Jerusalem Podcast: Re’eh 5772: A City of Idol Worshipers

Posted on August 19, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

This week, Neima Novetsky discusses Parashat Re’eh. Click here to download.

ויקהל

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Barer

This week’s parsha details – again – the various vessels that were built for the Mishkan (Tablernacle).  While the question of why such repetition is in the Torah is a good one, I want to focus instead on the short narrative section of the parsha.  After repeating a few of the central laws to the people, Continue Reading »

Haman and Mordechai: A Third Story

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Eliyahu B.

Cross-posted from my Facebook note. In my Peace and Conflict class today we wrote what is called a “Third Story” regarding Amalek (the nation whose descendants have plagued Israel with wars and attempted exterminations). Here is what a Third Story is, and then I will share my “Third Story” of the conflict between Haman and Continue Reading »

וילך/נצבים, va’yelech/nitzavim

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

in this week’s double parsha nitzavim and va’yelech, we edge closer and closer to our separation with moshe and our coming together in the land of israel.  as God runs through His final instructions with moshe, He reveals that no sooner than moshe dies and the people enter the land, they are going to sin, Continue Reading »

ראה, re’eh

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Avi Strausberg

this week’s parshat re’eh teaches a bit of the old mixed with some of the new.  the old:  don’t worship other gods.  this is something pretty fundamental to our covenant with God that we’ve covered several times over in other places of the Torah.  however, the bit of the new: don’t worship אלוהים אחרים אשר Continue Reading »

The Burden of Submission

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Joel D.

A great Rabbi once spoke of his relationship with the Jewish people and its Law. Of the People he spoke of love, but of Law he spoke of submission. This I found to be gravely unappetizing. For to speak of submission is to speak of burden, not of loving embrace. To recognize Jewish Law as Continue Reading »