Ki Savo – Cursed Be the Man Who…
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.
Category Archives: Posts by Ben
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.
Why Moses Couldn’t Enter Israel and Why the Temple Had to Be Destroyed
The destruction of the Temple is one of the greatest tragedies in Jewish history. But what if it was also a spiritual necessity?
Matos – Why Moses’ Final Battle Was with His Past
Why did Judaism’s greatest prophet end his story with an act of violent revenge? Confronting the chapters of our own past that refuse to let us grow.
Balak – When Perspective Threatens Identity
Why Balak was so threatened by the Jewish message.
Moses Saved His Life. Then He Tried to Destroy Him.
The tragic dynamic between Moses and Dasan, and the ultimate test of doing the right thing for the wrong people.
Shelach – Four Death Penalties and a Merciful God
I’m not a fan of the characterization of Hashem as the, “vengeful punishing God of the Old Testament.” To say that means you have to ignore all the wonders, blessings, […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 