Although isru chag, the day following Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, is widely observed as a moderately joyous day, the halakhic literature is hardly in unanimous support. Rif, Rambam and Rosh fail to codify isru chag. What is more, as noted by Magen Avraham (O.C. 429:8, 494:3; see

As an educator, it is fascinating to consider the following passage in Meiri's introduction to Beit Habechira, where he explains why he found Mishneh Torah inadequate as a restatement of Jewish law: And this is because the natural inclination of a person is to achieve an understanding of

I still remember the Friday night of December 27, 2002. I was scheduled to join my Israeli friends for a Shabbaton at the Otniel Yeshivat Hesder, but for reasons I no longer remember I decided at the last moment to stay back in Alon Shevut. As it turns out, that

Recent years have seen a surge of attention to the question, does Judaism endorse natural law? At first glance, this seems like a purely theoretical question. In fact, however, this issue carries profound implications for the extent to which, over and above Jewish texts, our natural instincts ought frame our

Special thanks to my colleague Dr. Eileen Watts, bibliographer of the Bernard Malamud Society and author of a forthcoming article in the Torah Umada Journal about thematic linkages between Malamud and Rav Soloveitchik, for her insightful comments and edits. All references are to the 2004 edition of The Fixer, published

The application of literary theory to sacred literature, while running the risk of diminishing the elevated stature of sacred texts, also carries the potential to deepen our appreciation for these sources. The upside to bringing literary methodologies to bear is especially evident in regard to piyyutim, religious poetry. In connection

Yesterday afternoon I was honored to read the Haftarah, which records the massive teshuvah movement spearheaded by the heroic young king Yoshiyahu, culminating in a Pesach sacrifice unprecedented "since the days of the Judges" (II Melakhim 23:22). Having recently written studied Shivat Tzion, the Second Temple biblical

Many have noted the numerous parallels between Tisha B’av and the Seder. Here’s one that only occurred to me more recently: in both the Hagadah and the Kinnot we encounter a seemingly bizarre debate regarding the precise degree of thanksgiving or suffering we have experienced. Toward the end

The Talmud (Sotah 11a) attributes the Egyptian redemption to Jewish women, explaining that they seduced their husbands to continue bearing children, despite Pharaohs' cruel decree to toss all Jewish baby boys into the Nile. What is odd, however, as noted by R. Yehuda Rozanes in the fifth section of

Many have posed the classic question: in selecting a biblical passage to analyze in the Hagadah, why do we choose the Mikra Bikkurim, the farmer's declaration upon bringing the First Fruits to the Temple, in lieu of discussing the passage from Parshat Bo that details the Exodus proper?

For those who have long commutes and/or are looking for some pre-Pesach prep, here are some new Beit Midrash shiurim that are now posted on YUTorah.org: 1. Reunifying Mikra and Mishnah: On the Haftarah of Shabbat HaGadol [http://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/876483/rabbi-tzvi-sinensky/reunifying-mikra-mishnah-the-puzzling-haftarah-of-shabbat-hagadol/] 2.

Written together with my colleague, Dr. Eileen Watts, and inspired by our interdisciplinary course in American literature, general philosophy and Jewish thought at Kohelet Yeshiva. Published by the Forward here [http://forward.com/scribe/369002/what-atticus-finch-and-rav-kook-can-teach-us-about-fighting-bigotry/] . For many American Jews, Passover is not only about recalling the history of the

Published in Hakol Nishma, Shabbat March 17-18, in Honor of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks' Visit to Kohelet Yeshiva I still vividly remember the lunch and learn. A group of advanced students at Yeshiva University, all of us members of the Kollel Elyon, had gathered for a special event featuring

Are we witnessing a new trend in day school education? Check out my newest piece [http://www.thelehrhaus.com/commentary-short-articles/2017/3/13/adult-education-a-new-frontier-in-the-jewish-day-school-movement] up on The Lehrhaus. Would love to hear your thoughts!

Cemeteries desecrated. Schools and JCCs evacuated. Community-wide rallies. It has been a tense time for Jews across the United States, perhaps none more so than the Jews of Philadelphia. One word captures the mood of recent days: vulnerability. What is particularly unusual about this experience is its coincidence with the

Alternative facts. Fake news. Distinguishing fact from falsehood has become one of the burning political issues of our time. And it’s not just a challenge in the political arena: in an age of mass information and the rise of independent media, a critical educational question has arisen: what analytical

-Initially posted on torhamusings.com: Contemporary Halakhah, the study of a set of texts with an eye toward legal application, is a well-trodden, time-honored approach to Torah study. But there is a potential cost to this goal-oriented method of learning: when we examine selected sources in an attempt to derive

“I have a confession-brag: I have basically zero interest in reading this OU statement that everyone's talking about.” Thus ran one fairly typical response to the rabbinic panel’s recent position paper on female clergy. Others, instead of ignoring the statement, have lashed out against it. Whence all

I spoke earlier today with Dr. Rivkah Blau, daughter of Rav Pinchas Teitz, who encouraged me to share the below text of her father's speech on Civil Rights. The talk was delivered at a rally at the Polo Grounds on Sunday, August 25, 1963 to urge participation in

By Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky With Martin Luther King Jr. Day fast approaching, many will recall the key role played by prominent Jews in the 1960s civil rights movement and the wider Jewish commitment to social action. Advocacy on behalf of non-Jewish causes, widely termed tikkun olam, is often associated with

http://www.thelehrhaus.com/timely-thoughts/2016/12/28/searching-for-the-vaticans-menorah I still vividly remember the image. Our Talmud class was studying Tractate Pesahim, for which we regularly consulted the commentary of the outstanding medieval scholar, R. David of Bonfil. While only that single volume remained extant, legend had it that R.

I recently responded to an article written by Rabbi Herzl Hefter for The Lehrhaus. Check it out here. http://www.thelehrhaus.com/timely-thoughts/2016/12/18/theres-no-need-to-sacrifice-sacrifice-a-response-to-rabbi-herzl-hefter

Earlier this year, I experienced a miracle. But first, some background. I have the good fortune of teaching a class at Kohelet Yeshiva High School popularly known as the “Tikvah” course. It was originally funded by the Tikvah Fund, but when the Tikvah’s high school program was discontinued, Kohelet

Not a day goes by when I don't recall the impact of my youthful exposure to Mori ve-Rabbi Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt"l. Rav Aharon and Rav Amital both expended significant energies exploring the concept of natural morality. I am therefore reposting this brief piece ahead of

I am proud of Yeshiva University for so many reasons, but was disappointed by Ben Shapiro's recent talk at YU. Below is a letter I submitted this morning to The Commentator, YU's student newspaper. As a proud alumnus, musmach, and past Kollel Elyon Fellow at Yeshiva