Humility, anavah in Hebrew, is among the most important qualities of a Torah-centered life. It is sometimes mistaken for weakness, timidity, or the denial of one’s own abilities, but Jewish tradition understands humility very differently. True humility is the disciplined recognition of who we are before God and of the…

Personal responsibility stands at the very heart of Torah life. Judaism teaches that human beings are neither helpless creatures carried along by fate nor passive recipients of religious instruction. We are moral beings created with the capacity to choose, to learn, to obey, to repent, and to grow. Each person…

What Is a Prophet? Prophecy in Traditional Jewish Thought The prophet, or navi (נביא), occupies one of the most extraordinary roles in the history of Israel. In traditional Judaism, a prophet is not simply a moral teacher, social reformer, inspired preacher, or person with unusual spiritual insight. A true prophet…

From a traditional Jewish perspective, Paul of Tarsus occupies no place within the chain of Torah authority. Judaism does not recognize his writings as revelation, his theological claims as binding, or his interpretation of Israel’s covenant as possessing religious authority. Whatever role Paul may have played in the development of…

For a religious tradition so deeply concerned with morality, justice, holiness, and humanity’s relationship with God, the Hebrew Bible is remarkably restrained when speaking about what happens after death. The Tanakh does not provide a detailed map of heaven, describe the architecture of an underworld, or offer lengthy accounts of…

Expanding on my previous post on secular polygamy – from a Jewish perspective Few subjects provoke stronger reactions in the modern Jewish world than plural marriage. For many people, the word polygamy immediately evokes images of cults, exploitation, coercion, secrecy, or the mistreatment of women. Those associations cannot simply be…

I want to share some thoughts on polygamy from a non-religious/secular perspective. But I want to begin by defining and separating it a bit from other forms of polyamory. Polyamory is ethical and consensual non-monogamy, that is, having multiple romantic relationships between two or more people. Polygamy comes from the…

An examination of the Sources and Responsa in brief By Ian Adams Written Essay as part of my Semicha studies. Who is a Jew?  Is being a Jew a religious issue?  Is it one of culture, of society, can it be national or even racial?  Can you tell a person…