History

What's in the Torah: the Ramban Edition

After last week’s post on whether the author of Sefer Hachinuch really thought that all possible human knowledge was included in the Torah, people urged…

Jul 26 • Boruch Clinton

Should We Expect Torah-Driven Historical Insights?

Through my decades teaching in yeshiva and girls high schools, I was probably not the only one who felt teachers should do more to identify God’s hand…

Jul 12 • Boruch Clinton

Protests in Halacha

I’m sure you don’t need me to help you firm up your opinions about Israeli anti-draft protests.

Jul 5 • Boruch Clinton

What Can We Learn From the Writing Style of Kabbalistic Source Books?

Many years ago, a Torah scholar speaking at a public gathering I attended said some strange things.

Jun 28 • Boruch Clinton

Drafting Jewish Soldiers in Tanach

What can we learn about Jewish armies and Jewish military drafts from Tanach?

Jun 15 • Boruch Clinton

When Did Prophecy Stop?

And what's currently available in its place?

Apr 26 • Boruch Clinton

Yeridas Hadoros: Are We Really Getting Dumber?

There’s a near-universal assumption in the frum world that the quality of Jewish intellectual and spiritual life is subject to ongoing decline.

Apr 16 • Boruch Clinton

Have (Halachic) Coins Always Existed?

When describing how the money used to redeem maaser sheni produce should be treated, the Torah (Devarim 14:25) requires:

Apr 12 • Boruch Clinton

Squaring the Kabbala vs Halacha Circle

Is questioning Zohar's authenticity compatible with the historical halachic process?

Apr 5 • Boruch Clinton

We are living in amazing times.

Feb 8 • Boruch Clinton

R' Hirsch: Decluttering Midrash

Modern kabbalists seem to enjoy using ambiguous statements from Tanach or Chazal to strengthen their theological or ideological positions.

Jan 20 • Boruch Clinton

What Is a Kingdom...and Why?

In different contexts, both Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (Essays on Ethics: Parashas Shemos) and Rabbi Meir Soloveitchik (in The Free Press) have noted the…

Jan 11 • Boruch Clinton

#nojs-banner { position: fixed; bottom: 0; left: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 32px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; background: red; color: white; font-family: -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; } #nojs-banner a { color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; } This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts