Naso, a brave new world
The drama of a nazir illustrates our delicate interface with the physical world which surrounds us. God crafted us as spiritual creatures- more angel...
Parshat Bechukotai: what drives history?
Our sedra contains the tochacha, a whole litany of curses that will befall the Jewish People should they turn away from a life of...
Parshat Behar: is the Torah speaking economics?
What is the Torah’s take on economics?
The laws of Shemittah and Yovel perhaps tell us. Every seven years was to be a “Shabbat of...
Torah reading: why specify the obvious?
Lineage
The sidra begins, "Say to the kohanim the descendants of Aaron". The definition of the kohanim as descending from Aaron seems too obvious to...
The changing tides of the Omer
Jews experience time very deeply. Different stages of our calendar are suited for different religious experiences. During the forty days leading up to Yom...
Sefiras Ha’omer: Achieving the impossible
Imagine a teenager lying on a grassy field, gazing into the night sky. As he stares up at the stars, he thinks to himself,...
Parshat Kedoshim: what is holiness?
What does the term kedusha mean? What is holiness? In what way is God holy, and how are we meant to copy it? Many...
OzTorah: vengeance – K’doshim
THE EXTRA PHRASE
The Torah constantly tells us who is speaking (generally God) and who is being addressed (often Moses, often the people of Israel).
We...
What sort of Jewish state?
The Palestinians and the world are not stupid. They know quite well that we are a Jewish and democratic State. Their deeds leave no...
Elon Musk and freedom of speech
Dear Rabbi
I wonder what you think about Elon Musk taking over Twitter. As a Jew, the idea of him opening up “freedom of speech”...
