These and Those

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

Tag Archives: Ramban / Nachmanides

[Pardes from Jerusalem Podcast] MiKetz 5773: Yosef and Tzafnat Paneach

Posted on December 13, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

This week, Rabbi Michael Hattin discusses Parashat MiKetz. dfs Shabbat Shalom!

[PCJE Dvar Torah] Aviva Golbert — Oak of Weeping

Posted on November 30, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

While this week’s parsha, VaYishlach, includes some of our tradition’s high-points (Jacob struggles with an angel and prevails! Jacob’s name is changed to Israel and he is blessed with land and progeny!) as well as some of its low-points (the rape of Dinah; Reuben sleeping with his father’s handmaid, Bilhah), my favorite verse in VaYishlach Continue Reading »

[Alumni Guest Post] Sarah Mulhern on Parashat Lech Lecha

Posted on October 23, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

Sarah Mulhern (Year Program ’09, Fellows ’10) shares her dvar Torah for Parashat Lech Lecha with These&Those. This commentary is provided by special arrangement with American Jewish World Service. To learn more, visit www.ajws.org. Lech Lecha One of the things I find most inspiring about studying Torah is that the biblical characters are human. They Continue Reading »

Shofar and God’s Love of Israel

Posted on September 10, 2012 by The Director of Digital Media

by Rabbi Alex Israel Cross-posted from his blog Thinking Israel On the one hand, the cycle of the Jewish year is predictable and familiar: The solemnity of Yom Kippur, the smells and feel of the Sukka and the 4 species, the warmth and intimacy of Hannuka, Purim’s raucous frivolity, the tunes and tastes of Seder Continue Reading »

Dvar Torah for Shoftim

Posted on August 26, 2012 by Derek Kwait

This week was my last back at my shul Young People’s Synagogue, which last year, raised around $7,000 to send me to Pardes for a year. Yesterday, I delivered this speech to let them know how their investment turned out. So, how have you all been? For those who don’t know, from September through the Continue Reading »

Russel vs. Chamberlain

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Soffer

Originally Posted for Shabbat Lech Lecha: Wilt Chamberlain? There is not doubt that he was great. But, Bill Russel? He’s the best that ever was. In sports, greatness cannot be measured in simple statistics–if that were possible, Chamberlain would easily be the greatest player in NBA history. But, as any sports fan knows, there is Continue Reading »

[PEP Student] Sanctify within the Permitted

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Tamara Frankel

Dear Friends, I’d like to start today’s dvar Torah with a bit of a provocative riddle: What do a prostitute, Shabbat and a nazir (religious ascetic or monk) have in common? [I knew that would get your attention that way….. Now follow along with me and I’ll help you solve the riddle.] This week we Continue Reading »

Bereishit – The Beginning of My Chumash Project

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Barer

Since I was inspired to undertake this project due in large part to being at Pardes, I thought I would post this here too. My ‘Chumash Project’: My plan is to tackle one commentary a year, Rashi this year, reading Chumash with that commentary in line with the weekly parsha.  Given certain circumstances largely out of my control, Continue Reading »

Parshat Vayeishev

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Francesca

My post at Uri L’Tzedek below: In Parshat Vayeishev, after Yosef is captured by his brothers and sold into slavery, the Torah digresses to the esoteric story of Tamar and Judah. After the death of Tamar’s husband Er, Judah’s firstborn, she marries Er’s younger brother Oran. When Onan also dies, Judah instructs Tamar to wait in Continue Reading »