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A Mother’s Influence: Why Is Jewish Identity Matrilineal?
Ever since matan Torah, the answer to the question of who is a Jew has been straightforward and unanimous: one who was born to a Jewish mother. There was no motivation, nor reason, to contest the status quo, and until the 20th century there is no record of such a challenge. The religious discourse that…
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Cracking Up a Joke: A Torah Perspective on Laughter
Humor is part and parcel of Jewish life; both to cope with our 3000 year old (plus!) history of ups and downs…
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A Married Woman Taking On Her Husband’s Customs
The concept of minhag is a vast one with a wide spectrum of authority and functions…
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Guarding the Gates: Eyes and Heart
The sixth and final of the six constant mitzvot is the commandment, “Do not be misled by your heart and eyes.” We find the exhortation in the following verse: וְהָיָ֣ה לָכֶם֮ לְצִיצִת֒ וּרְאִיתֶ֣ם אֹת֗וֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כׇּל־מִצְוֺ֣ת יְ-הֹ-וָ֔-ה וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תָת֜וּרוּ אַחֲרֵ֤י לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַחֲרֵ֣י עֵֽינֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ That shall be your fringe; look at it…
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A Torah Approach to Clothing: Enhancement or Treachery?
Immediately after Adam and Chava’s sin, the Torah tells us that they realised they were naked (3:7)…
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Does Romantic Love Exist in Judaism?
Romantic love has undergone many iterations over the centuries, and philosophers and thinkers have differed in definitions…
