Vayeira – Did G-d Have to Tell Abraham He Was Going to Destroy Sodom?
Before destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, G-d asked, “Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am about to do?” The wording suggests He didn’t have a choice.
Vezos HaBeracha – Moses, the Man of G-d, but Only at the End
Why does the Torah wait until the very end of Moses’ life to call him “Ish HaElokim,” the Man of G-d? What was it about Moses that earned him this extraordinary title, and why does the Torah choose this particular moment to give it to him?
Why We Really Fast on Yom Kippur – Updated
The Torah says Yom Kippur fasting is about afflicting yourself. What if it’s not about atonement, but it’s about stripping everything away to find the voice that’s honestly, deeply you?
Rosh Hashanah – Is ‘King’ a Demotion for G-d?
If Hashem is already God of all Creation, why is Rosh Hashanah so obsessed with crowning Him King? Isn’t “King” actually a demotion?
Nitzavim – The Day G-d Conceded Defeat, then Laughed
The Talmud tells of a time when the Rabbis rejected miracles, ignored a voice from Heaven, and G-d laughed, declaring, “My children have defeated Me.” What does *Lo Bashamayim Hi* really mean and how could G-d possibly delight in His own “defeat”?
Ki Savo – How Do Curses Even Work?
What exactly is a curse, and how is it supposed to work? Does Judaism even believe that curses are real? A look at the terrifying curses of Ki Savo.
Ki Seitzei – Not the Monster They’ve Decided I Am
Every day, my Reddit feed seems to bring another accusation about Israel, another person I admire repeating it, another reason to feel a little less welcome. So far, most of it has happened through a screen, but lately I’ve been wondering what happens when it doesn’t.
Shoftim — The Torah Commands Us to War. You’re the Soldier, the Enemy, and the Captive.
The Torah gives us rules for waging war. But the Or HaChaim reveals a far more personal battlefield. What if the enemy, the territory, and the person fighting are all you?
When Family Wants to Corrupt You – A Psychological Reading of Re’eh
The scariest part of temptation isn’t the first bad decision. It’s when the temptation stops feeling like an enemy… and starts feeling like a friend.
Eikev – “Do or Do Not, There is No Try” is Wrong.
Is there a mitzvah that you’re supposed to spend your entire life trying to fulfill, knowing you’ll never fully achieve it? That’s the question that drew me into Parshas Eikev.
