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Resources and articles on Jewish Texts
A copy of a Bible forgotten in a Jerusalem attic brought Rabbi Mordechai Breuer to the end of his quest. He had already figured out the precise wording of the Bible; he was only missing the open and closed portions, or text divisions.
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By:
Yair Sheleg
Judaism
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Zionism
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Religious Zionism
The Jewish joke has a serious - and surprising - pedigree, and bears an instructive relation to Jewish tradition.
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By:
Hillel Halkin
Artistic Expressions
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
The book of Ecclesiastes is a philosophical account of the attempt to find happiness by a man who has everything. Written in the name of “Kohelet son of David, King in Jerusalem,” the book has traditionally been attributed to Solomon, who reigned during the golden age of Israel’s united kingdom, in the tenth century B.C.E. Twelve chapters long, it is one of literature’s earliest encounters between faith and reason: The author struggles to believe that life is meaningful despite his experience of the world. The book’s inclusion in the Hebrew Bible is therefore remarkable, testifying to Judaism’s interest not only in divine revelation, but also in man’s exploration of the meaning of life and mortality.
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By:
Ethan Dor-Shav
Jewish History
Jewish History
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@ Beginnings of time - 70: Biblical Age
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
People
People
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@ Beginnings of time - 70: Biblical Age
Have you ever wondered where the world 'zion' actually comes from? This article explores Zion in the Bible, aggadot, customs and laws, ancient and modern poetry, and through the Zionist movement itself.
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By:
Briana Simon
Artistic Expressions
Jewish History
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@ Beginnings of time - 70: Biblical Age
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Zionism
The Temple Mount. In Hebrew, Har HaBayit. No other religious site arouses as much passion and controversy as this particular piece of real estate.
Within the context of Israel's present-day situation, control over Jerusalem's destiny is like the fury of a hurricane, with the Temple Mount encompassing the very eye of the storm.
Endless political and historical commentaries have been written about this particular storm. However, standard textbooks cannot explain the deeper underpinnings of the existential struggle for control over the Temple Mount.
Fortunately, the esoteric writings of the Kabbalah provide lucid answers not only to the multi-faceted triumphs and tribulations of daily life for the Jew, but also to the core mystery surrounding the Temple Mount.
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By:
Chaim Yochanan Cohen
Israel
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Jerusalem
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
The topic of our discussion, "the State of Israel in Halachah," seems fascinating both as an intellectual exercise and on account of its cardinal significance as an existential issue.
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By:
Gerald J. Blidstein
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Zionism
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Religious Zionism
The people of Israel, on the land of Israel, according to the laws of Israel." This was, still is, and must always remain the ultimate slogan of religious Zionism. This a phrase which captures with amazing clarity and with surprising brevity the essence of the movement. It also spells out the dilemma of the orthodox Jew and the modern State of Israel.
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By:
Joseph Grunblatt
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Zionism
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Religious Zionism
There is always something faintly unnerving about the idea of implanting one's ideas in the mind and heart of another.
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By:
Shalom Carmy
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Zionism
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Religious Zionism
It is a fact that from its inception to the present day religious Zionism has not enjoyed the support of the majority of Rashei Yeshivah and Torah authorities of the contemporary generation.
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By:
Cyril Domb
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Zionism
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Religious Zionism
Two divergent messianic conceptions are represented in our classic literature.
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By:
Martin L. Gordon
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Zionism
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Religious Zionism
The Tikkun Leil literally “night of healing” is a tradition which refers to a night of learning and discussion on the festival of Shavuot. This haggadah is intended to guide you through the evening with readings, discussion points, songs, activities and recipes for that cheesecake it is customary to eat on Shavuot.
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By:
Anton Marks
Jeremy Aron
Judaism
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Holidays with a Twist
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Shavuot
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Provided by Ta Shma, this article gives the reader background on the Jewish sources informing conversion, the process of conversion in Israel, and the controversy that surrounds it.
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By:
Mordechai Goldberg
Judaism
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Conversion
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Judaism
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Streams of Judaism
The Haggadah, from the Hebrew root "to tell" (he-gid), emphasizing its narrative nature, has actually been printed in more editions and languages than any other Jewish book. Pomerantz introduces us to different Haggadot.
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By:
Batsheva Pomerantz
Judaism
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Holidays with a Twist
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Pesach
Judaism
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Jewish Symbols
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Since the Rabin assassination, more attention has been focused on relations between religious and secular Jews in Israel. This article, based on first-hand interviews with relevant organizations, explores what some organizations are doing to bridge the divide.
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By:
Lisa Richlen
Judaism
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Israeli Judaism
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Following a series of brutal terror attacks, in which innocent people who were not involved in any political posturing in the Middle East Conflict were killed, we attempt to get on with our lives. In order to do so, we continue to study Jewish texts in the overall context of History: these books continue to provide us with fascinating windows on the present.
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By:
Marcelo Kisilevski
Sharonah Fredericko
Jewish History
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@ Beginnings of time - 70: Biblical Age
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Peace Process
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Terrorism
Samson (Shimshon in Hebrew) was a legendary warrior whose incredible exploits hint at the weight of Philistine pressure on Israel during much of the early, tribal period of Israel in Canaan (1200-1000). The Book of Judges ranks him with other divinely inspired warriors who delivered the community to establish themselves as its judges.
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By:
Anton Marks
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
People
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@ Beginnings of time - 70: Biblical Age
King David, and the complex array of political forces which brought him to power, are a subject of great interest to the non-Biblical scholar. The political threats which the Philistine and Israelite armies represented to each other played a major role in bringing David's predecessor Saul to power; David's own charisma would engender another story, rife with historical drama, including a love affair with the daughter of the late king Saul, and a tragic friendship with Saul's son Jonathan, and , perhaps, David's role in the assassination of Jonathan's brother....
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By:
Scott Copeland
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
People
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@ Beginnings of time - 70: Biblical Age
It is easy to assert brazenly that Jewish law discriminates against women, but to make such a sweeping generalization is to ignore completely the historical context in which Jewish law developed. Many of these same standards were designed to protect the Jewish woman from destitution, in the remote Talmudic epoch in which they were designed. Today a new reinterpretation is possible, perhaps more in accordance with the spirit, rather than with the letter of, the original.
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By:
Diana Villa
Judaism
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Cholent: Little bit O' this, Little bit O' that
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Following are a variety of texts from both the Bible and modern writers concerning the relationship of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel.
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Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Judaism
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Judaism and the Environment
In promoting vegetarianism since 1977, I have been arguing that Jews have a choice as to whether or not to be vegetarians. In support of the view that Jews need not eat meat today is the Talmud (Pesachim 109a states that since the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, Jews are not required to eat meat in order to rejoice on festivals), scholarly articles by Rabbi Alfred Cohen and Rabbi J. David Bleich that indicate additional sources and arguments supporting the view that Jews do not need to eat meat in this period, and the fact that several Chief Rabbis are strict vegetarians.
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By:
Richard H. Schwartz
Judaism
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Jewish Food
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Judaism
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Judaism and the Environment
David, a shepherd, was the son of Jesse of Bethlehem. He was anointed by Samuel to be successor to Saul who was first king of the united Israel. David entered Saul's service as a musician, but when David defeated Goliath, the Philistine champion, Saul became jealous. Soon Saul tried to kill David, but Saul's son Jonathan, who was David's close friend, helped him to escape. David lived as an outlaw for a time. Once Saul entered a cave where David was hiding. Instead of killing Saul, David secretly clipped off the corner of Saul's robe, showing his loyalty to the king. Eventually, Saul died in battle with the Philistines, the men of Judah made David their king.
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By:
Anton Marks
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
People
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@ Beginnings of time - 70: Biblical Age
Moses was the greatest prophet, leader and teacher that Judaism has ever known. In fact, one of Rambam's 13 Principles of Faith is the belief that Moses's prophecies are true, and that he was the greatest of the prophets. He is called "Moshe Rabbeinu," that is, Moses, Our Teacher/Rabbi. Interestingly, the numerical value of "Moshe Rabbeinu" is 613: the number of mitzvot that Moses taught the Children of Israel! He is described as the only person who ever knew God face-to-face (Deut. 34:10) and mouth-to-mouth (Num. 12:8), which means that God spoke to Moses directly, in plain language, not through visions and dreams, as God communicated with other prophets.
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By:
Anton Marks
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
People
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@ Beginnings of time - 70: Biblical Age
Miriam was the big sister of Moses. It was Miriam who was watching the basket of baby Moses as it floated on the river (Exodus 2). It was her that suggested to the daughter of Pharaoh the ideal of finding a women from the Israelites to take care of Moses. Miriam's quick thinking meant Moses was brought up by his own mother. If there was anything to know about Moses, Miriam knew it.
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By:
Anton Marks
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
People
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@ Beginnings of time - 70: Biblical Age
Sarah is found among the most prominent women of the Torah. Originally named Sarai, she was given the new name Sarah, meaning princess, after she had married Abraham. Sarah also means 'mother of nations'. Every time someone called Sarah or anytime she introduced herself to someone she was making a statement of faith, calling herself the mother of many nations even before she had a child.
She later became the mother of Isaac, and through Isaac the grandmother of Jacob, who was renamed Israel. Sarah is therefore one of the ancestors of all of the Israelites.
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By:
Anton Marks
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
People
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@ Beginnings of time - 70: Biblical Age
And these are the generations of Jacob. Joseph was an adolescent and spent all day with the goats. "The kid's weird," Jacob complained. Joseph went and brought home the report cards of all his brothers and they were p.o.'ed. And Jacob loved him more than his brothers which Dr. Spock tells us is definitely out.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Isaac was spending his golden years in a condo tent on the sunny beaches of the southern Negev Desert. His eyes were going dim and he forgot to change the bulb.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
It was a busy morning downtown where Abraham was shopping for clothes at Woolworth's, his two kids in tow. Ishmael was pulling him to the toy guns while Isaac was heavy into the Nintendo. Suddenly the loud speaker squawked "Abraham." Abraham continued to browse through the sizes wondering why he got stuck with the kids leaving Sarah at home playing Mahjongg with Hagar. The speaker persistently called again "Abraham, this is your God." Abraham Wouk up, "I just read it. Pretty good for a novelist." "Yo Abe this means YOU so button up and listen good" God growled. "Oh you mean me?" Abe asked meekly. "Forget the sales take your son and bring him to the mountain for a Big Mac." "Hey kids were going out to eat and God's footing the bill" Abe told his kids. "Welllll, not exactly" retorted God.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
And after forty days the people did look at their watches and Moses was late even for Jewish time. And they began to murmur... murmur... murmur, "He goes off on vacation to the mountains and we get stuck in the deserts."
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
... and so the Ministry of Housing did meeteth and decideth "Let us build low-cost housing so that we can get more votes in the upcoming elections." And there was much nodding of heads both in agreement and in slumber for it was a boring meeting.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
..and then there was Noah. Noah had three sons, but no TV series.
He named one Ham - "you got to be kidding" said God "I don't believe it, a nice Jewish boy from Brooklyn. What would your mother say?" So in Shame he also named Yafet.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Once we were a noble People and had a service for 16 but then you children came along and now we barely have for six and it was a sacrifice. And the Lord had slain the Egyptians and delivered our houses out of the mortgage banks and the people did prostrate themselves to the floor but the doctors assured us it could be operated on.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
And Jacob did beat it and split (although Moses did it better). He did journey and passed Howard Johnson's. Yes, as the day was hot, the masses were flocking around the entranceway. "Coke, we need Coke" came the cry. Alas the lock was jammed and the manager was tearing his hair out at the thought of all the business being lost.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
And the Lord of Hosts did come and spake URLy in the morning:
"I have decided that since you are a virtualis people I shall give you my lan and my code. Whereas it is only 8 bit you shall have 10 COM mandments. If ye shall accept it ye shall no longer RAMble. And I shall call it the Mosaic code." Moses decided to Gopher it. Moses asked the Children of Israel, "Will you download?" and they did reply as one logon.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Adam begat Cain and Abel, and lo each opened his own public relations firm. A tender was offered by the CEO of CEOs, to be known forthwith as God, for control of the first multi-national corporation - to be known herewith as The World.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
And Abraham was getting on in years; his pension check began to arrive at his tent on the 10th of every month. Then Abraham said to his trusted servant Tonto "Put thy hand under my thigh," and his servant was perplexed, for Abraham was always straight.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
And the Lord did lead them away into the Wilderness of Sin which bode no good for anyone. And the congregation began to murmur for they did remember the fleshpots of Junk food and they did even have cola withdrawal.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
And at the stroke of midnight did the Lord lead the children of Israel down the yellow brick road. And Moses did look around and saw before him the vast wilderness and did exclaim, "We are no longer in Kansas!" And the Lord liked his phrase so much that He adapted it for Moses' song of the sea 'Oz Yashir Moshe' (Exodus 15:1).
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
And the Lord did speak to Moses, saying, "Go unto Pharaoh and tell him 'Let my People Go'." " Sure, but go where?" "It doesn't matter, just let my people go." "Wait a minute! Is this an existential question about the right to go in general or a problem with the digestive tract?"
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
And it came to pass in those days that Moses was grown up and he went out unto his brethren to look upon their burdens and see what he could pick up wholesale.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Once upon a time there was a maiden named Dina who Shore was fair. Dina liked nothing better than the night life. One evening at the local bar she did meet a becoming man of goodly proportions.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
And these are the generations of Isaac the son of Abraham who begat Isaac, who took Rebecca from Sunny Brook Farm, who was the sister of Laban, who was an Aramian, who really cares?
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Think about it: God has been around forever. Did you ever contemplate eternity? I thought I did when I took Chem. 201. Some sages disagree and state that eternity is root canal. Others from the more lenient schools of thought have described it as simply a dentist chair. Anyway back to God who is in His creative cooking mode: "What can I concoct? Maybe something that will really be freaky, something with a long nose that weighs 2 tons and is afraid of mice. Naaahh, no one would believe me."
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
The Book of Books, the Pentateuch, the greatest story ever told... Why would anyone want to do a spoof on the biggest best-seller of all time - especially if I don't make any money on it?
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Now Israel, a.k.a. Jacob, who believed in large families, brought 70 of his souls plus a mess of kids to vacation at Disney on the Nile and to see its Jewel, the pyramids. And Jacob was Agathed at the site.
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By:
Eli Birnbaum
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
Moshe ben Maimon (1135-1204), otherwise known as Maimonides or, in Hebrew, as the Rambam, is one of the greatest sages of Jewish history. He was a rabbinic authority, legal codifier, philosopher, and physician. Maimonides authored many important works, including the Guide to the Perplexed, the most famous book of medieval Jewish philosophy. He also wrote what is known as the Mishneh Torah, in which he extracted from the Talmud the whole of Rabbinic law and condensed it into a clear, concise, code. The Laws of Torah Study come from the first book of that work, known as the Book of Knowledge ("Sefer Ha-mada").
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By:
Moshe Ben (Rambam) Maimon,
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
People
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0600 - 1789: Middle Ages
R. Yohanon said: Through all the days of that righteous man, he was troubled about the meaning of the verse "A Song of Ascents. When the Lord brought back those that returned to Zion, ,we were like unto them that dream" (Ps. 126:1)
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Artistic Expressions
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Literature
Judaism
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Cholent: Little bit O' this, Little bit O' that
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
There IS something more to life. All is not futile, but to find it, we have to look beyond ourselves and our self-indulging pursuits. If you are a good person, it is somehow bound to come back to you, even if you don't understand the way in which it happens.
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By:
Robin Treistman
Judaism
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Holidays with a Twist
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
There is no doubt that the term "image of God" in the first account refers to man's inner charismatic endowment as a creative being. Man's likeness to God expresses itself in man's striving and ability to become a creator.
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By:
Joseph Dov Soloveitchik
Judaism
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Jewish Texts
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