“Rabbi Zera merely describes a stringent practice which Babylonian Jewish women had taken upon themselves”
This term, first used by medieval commentators (see Zimmerman, p. 27, note 6), is,...
Category Archives: Judaism
“Every Passover, we read the haggadah at the seder and we are reminded of the obligation to imagine ourselves being redeemed from Egypt…to a proud American Jew, living with equality and freedom, it seems impossible”
Every Passover, we read the haggadah at the seder and we are reminded of...
“The creators of the Mishnaic Haggadah structured it as a work of Greco-Roman rhetorical oratory, the most common and effective means of persuasion available in their culture…”
The creators of the Mishnaic Haggadah structured it as a work of Greco-Roman rhetorical...
“…scholars have argued that the Seder might be understood as a modified Roman symposium”
For over half a century, scholars have argued that the Seder might be understood...
“…the Israelites departed from Egypt, a country where this bread-beer was the only obtainable or national alcoholic luxury, to the land flowing with milk, honey, and wine…”
…the Israelites departed from Egypt, a country where this bread-beer was the only obtainable...
“…the words in Exodus xii. 19, “that which is leavened,” which in Hebrew are rendered מַחְמֶצֶת, or machmetzeth, was a beer similar to the modern Egyptian paste or bread beer…”
…I contend that the words in Exodus xii. 19, “that which is leavened,” which...
“…the substance now rendered as “that which is leavened” (Exodus xii. 19) was, in reality, the Hebrew beer…”
…the substance now rendered as “that which is leavened” (Exodus xii. 19) was, in...
“…parthenogenetic (self-fertilizing) hamantaschen—pubic triangles traditionally filled with black seeds—are pre-spring, full-moon fertility cookies…”
So…can I prove that hamantaschen are contemporary sacred vulva cakes? No. But it certainly...
“Jewish comedy was influenced by social types portrayed by the mask in the commedia dell’arte”
We wish to confine ourselves to showing how the mask was related to “the...
“I’ve noticed that Yom Kippur is the one day most Jews go to synagogue despite their level of observance, and I have no idea why”
I’ve noticed that Yom Kippur is the one day most Jews go to synagogue...