Tag Archives: Torah
For a consensus on rabbas, learn halacha
‘When all else fails, read the instructions’ The most surprising feature of the Office of the Chief Rabbi’s recent statement in the Jewish Chronicle, opposing women’s ordination, was that it did not mention halacha. Instead it labelled women’s ordination as unacceptable because … Continue reading
Relations with the enemy
Jewish thought usually takes care not to demonize enemies. But Purim might be an exception. The rabbis connect Haman, the villain, with Amalek, a destructive nation whom we are commanded to exterminate. Our relationship with Amalek is close to a … Continue reading
Slaves or Slave-Owners?
An extraordinary comment in the Jerusalem Talmud over-turns our self-image as “slaves in Egypt” and reminds us that we might have been slave-owners too in Egypt. It suggests that Passover commemorates not only the day when we became a free … Continue reading
The Broom Tree 