The First Philosopher

Double Edged - Nov 12, 2026 - Toldot is filled with pairs that seem symmetrical—parents, prayers, names, and twin sons—but closer reading reveals persistent differences. One overlooked connection draws Yitzchak and Esav into the same landscape: the field. Following that thread through the struggle over the blessings brings the garments, the fragrance, and Yitzchak’s extraordinary trembling into unexpected focus, opening a new perspective on what he hoped to transmit to his children.

Avraham's Journeys - Oct 22, 2026 - Avraham's arrival in Canaan is one of the most familiar journeys in the Torah. Yet the opening verses of Lech Lecha raise a surprising question: whose journey is it?

Judgement - Oct 15, 2026 -

The First Philosopher - Oct 8, 2026 - The serpent in Gan Eden is among the Torah’s most enigmatic figures: Who is he, what does he want, and what is he really saying? A close reading of his conversation with the woman opens unexpected questions about the opening chapters of Bereishit—and the nature of temptation.

I Did the Hokey Pokey, But I Turned Myself Around - Multiple Perspectives on Teshuva: Heaven, Community, and Self - Sep 17, 2026 - A lecture that sets three perspectives on teshuva—God’s, the individual’s, and the community’s—against one another, exposing the fault lines where divine forgiveness, personal memory, and public trust do not line up.

Not Blowing the Shofar - Listening to Angels - Sep 10, 2026 - If the shofar can save us in a time of judgment, how do we remain silent when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat?

Erasure - Sep 3, 2026 - Hester panim is not a new idea at the end of Devarim. It has an antecedent — and it belongs to a larger topic of hiding, and of erasing, the other. Sometimes erasure punishes. Sometimes it heals.

Perpetual Acceptance - Aug 27, 2026 - A single unprecedented Hebrew verb at Arvot Moav — "you became a nation," in the past tense — raises the question of whether Israel's covenant was broken by the Golden Calf or simply renewed, and whether "today" ever really means today.

Bidirectional Morality - Aug 20, 2026 - What appears at first to be a collection of unrelated commandments may in fact be a carefully constructed lesson in moral consciousness

In Search of the King - Aug 13, 2026 - A cryptic phrase echoes through Parashat Shoftim: “do not turn right or left.” Tracing that thread uncovers a surprising connection between Sinai, Moshe, the king, Hakhel, and the enduring quest for the covenantal center.