My se’udah shlishit group was born about eight years ago on a long, summer Shabbat afternoon. My children were out and about, and I had already read, walked, and napped. I was restless. I had been reading a provocative book about the rabbinic treatment of women in the Talmud and I wanted to discuss it […]
Se’udah Shlishit in Denver Read More »
Some biblical episodes have generated reams of literary response, but Proverbs 31 is not one of them. Perhaps this is because, rather than being a psychologically compelling or suggestive portrait of a woman, Eshet Hayil offers a picture of someone who seems to have no flaws, no down moments, no doubts. Who can relate to
Hava Shapiro: A Modern Literary Response to Eshet Hayil Read More »
I cannot remember exactly when my family began singing Eshet Hayil at the Friday night table. I do know that it was we, the kids, who brought this custom into the house. When I was five years old, my family moved to Toronto from Sarnia, a small town in Western Ontario where my father had
How to Read Eshet Hayil Read More »
The popular and well-known liturgy that we now use for Kabbalat Shabbat is probably one of the latest to take shape as part of our liturgical canon. Lekha Dodi, which many of us consider the center and highlight of the service, is a relatively recent composition, written in Safed by the 16th-century kabbalist, Rabbi Shlomo
Candle lighting as a form of Shabbat acceptance has long been associated with women. Although both men and women are obligated to have candles lit in their homes, 2 women are usually the ones lighting in households containing adult members of both sexes. In the absence of any other form of kabbalat Shabbat (Shabbat acceptance),
Acceptance of Shabbat Through Candle Lighting Read More »
Recently, I was poring over some of the stories of famous women in the Bible – the matriarchs, Queen Esther, and others – and a detail, one that I had not previously noticed, caught my attention. All of these women are described as physically beautiful. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, is so beautiful that Abraham has to
Beauty: An Inherent Jewish Value? Read More »
One of humanity’s first errors was to hide from the all knowing God among the trees of Eden (Genesis 3:8). So it is paradoxical, perhaps, that even in private prayer we cover ourselves to encounter God. This covering cannot be an attempt to hide anything. It cannot serve the function of interpersonal modesty or cultural
The Majestic and the Everyday: Clothing for Blessings and Prayer Read More »
Because our bodies are receptacles of our souls, and vessels of God’s light, we must keep them healthy and consider carefully what we put into them. Traditional Jewish thought suggests that we must keep our bodies well for the sake of spiritual pursuits and in order to fulfill mitzvot. Today however, a focus on fitness
A Jewish Approach to Wellness Read More »
Human culture has long ascribed to human hair varied and wondrous powers. In different cultures, in both East and West, priests and ascetics searching for greater holiness would shave their hair or grow it for its supernatural powers (as did the biblical Samson). In patriarchal cultures, one of the ways to rule over women’s bodies
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