Musings from Students of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem
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
I would like to frame this d’var torah as one in which I am exploring Judaism on my own terms. Much of the new ‘positive’ thinking that I have engaged in since beginning my semester at Pardes – that, on the heels of fairly wide-ranging cynicism that reached new heights this past summer – can Continue Reading »
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
After learning פרשת בראשית I began to see a lot of parallels between the stories of this chapter and the world we are living in today. If we look at the stories of בראשית we see the beginning of man and at the same time the downfall of man. Starting with the story of חוה Continue Reading »
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
on the flood a kick in the sand the castle lies at my feet to begin again on babel handfuls of feathers brought near to the lips of God scattered by his breath May we come together after the scattering. By Avi Strausberg
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Eryn
vayera, וירא Huge, life-changing events happen in this week’s parsha. A city is annihilated, the smoke and ashes of its people filling the land, an entire people are made barren and then healed by God and, the long-awaited child of Sarah and Avraham, Yitzhak, comes within in seconds of a young death, nearly sacrificed to Continue Reading »
Posted on October 31, 2010 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, It’s that time of the week again! Hopefully the coming week will be filled with lots of optimism, more rain (we need it here!), productivity, smiles and love for all of us!! In Israel, the Shabbat of Parshat Chayei Sara is often highly politicized. Since the Torah reading talks about Avraham’s purchase of Continue Reading »
Posted on October 28, 2010 by Joel D.
Thoughts on this week’s Parsha, חיי שרה. Not too long ago we were all eating, some sleeping, and many of us singing in little huts known as Sukkoth. Sukkoth is, as a festival, known as, “Zman Simkhateinu”, The Time of Our Joy. Surely eating and dancing in a wooden hut outside is fun in and Continue Reading »
Posted on October 27, 2010 by Avi Strausberg
we learn of three deaths in this week’s parsha, whose very title, חיי שרה, contains the word life. the first death, is that of sarah, for whose death, avraham wails and cries, seemingly alone in his grief. in constrast, after avraham’s own death, just pages later, he breathes his last breath, dies, and is Continue Reading »
Posted on October 25, 2010 by Tamara Frankel
Dear Friends, I hope all is well with you and that your week has been a productive and uplifting one! Thank God, I can say that mine has been very busy — but with the best of things: Torah study, Torah study, more Torah study, spending time with family and friends and enjoying the beauty Continue Reading »
