糖心出品

The Meaning of the Shmurah Matzah

Apr 18, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Pesah

One of the centerpieces of seder night is the eating of matzah, the unleavened bread.

Preparing for Seder Part 3鈥擵isual Midrash on the Four Children

Apr 11, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Pesah

The four children (formerly known as the four sons) are among the most provocative part of the seder鈥攆or children provoke their parents. That is why Elijah is needed to restore peace between the generations. The evolution of the text as we find it in our Haggadah is complex, and interesting explanations can be found in the recent JTS collection of Sound Bytes of Torah for Passove on YouTube. I have long been fascinated by the interpretation in imagery that offers four books, presumably each book representing one of the four 鈥渢ypes鈥� of child. But which one is which?

Sacrifice and Humility

Apr 11, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Aharei Mot

The Torah reading opens with God speaking to Moses in the aftermath of the death of Aaron鈥檚 two sons, Nadav and Avihu, who 鈥渄rew too close to the presence of the Lord鈥� (Lev. 16:1). But most immediately, as is the case in the aftermath of any trauma, we want to learn how to avoid another tragic 鈥渁ccident.鈥�

For Millennials and Their Families

Apr 10, 2014 By Arnold M. Eisen | Commentary | Shabbat Hagadol | Pesah

I gathered six students from JTS鈥檚 undergraduate Albert A. List College of Jewish Studies in my office last week to talk about the ways in which family dynamics add meaning鈥攁nd tension鈥攖o family Passover seders. I wanted to find out how these dynamics play out at the seders of my students, and share their insights with you here鈥攎illennials and college students, teens and tweens鈥攊n the hope that our discussion about the holiday will enrich yours.

The Bitter Truth

Apr 8, 2014 By David C. Kraemer | Short Video | Pesah

This short video details the history of maror and suggests the possibility of a maror tasting to reflect on what best symbolizes slavery at a seder.

Men And Women: In The Kitchen And At The Seder

Apr 8, 2014 By Judith Hauptman | Short Video | Pesah

The Right Answers For The Wrong Questions

Apr 8, 2014 By Julia Andelman | Short Video | Pesah

Sharing Blessings For The Afikoman

Apr 8, 2014 By Lisa Gelber | Short Video | Pesah

Wise And Simple: A Rabbinic Ideal

Apr 8, 2014 By Lilly Kaufman | Short Video | Pesah

Why Is This Historic Event Different From All Other Historic Events?

Apr 8, 2014 By Burton L. Visotzky | Short Video | Pesah

The Gefilte Fish On My Seder Plate

Apr 8, 2014 By Anne Lapidus Lerner | Short Video | Pesah

Singing The Seder

Apr 8, 2014 By Nancy Abramson | Short Video | Pesah

Two Kinds Of Freedom

Apr 8, 2014 By Eliezer B. Diamond z”l | Short Video | Pesah

Elijah’s Cup: A Time For Family Reunion

Apr 8, 2014 By Daniel Nevins | Short Video | Pesah

Breath of Life鈥擭ight or Morning

Apr 3, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

The journey through the Passover seder is beloved by many households and communities that gather together. While the meal itself is a feast, the Aggadah, the telling of the story that comes before it, is a rich and multifaceted experience that brings together text and song, classic primary sources, modern interpretations, and personal experience.

Paying Attention to Our Bodies and Ourselves

Apr 3, 2014 By William Friedman | Commentary | Metzora

What are the rituals that help us transition from one experience to another?

Boundaries: Not Only Healthy, but Divine

Apr 3, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Metzora

Boundaries are the focal point of Parashat Metzora, and indeed they are the obsession of the book of Leviticus.

Elijah鈥擣amilies and the End of Days

Mar 27, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary | Pesah

Elijah is an enigmatic and beloved figure in the Passover seder, with a myriad of explanations for his appearance and role. It鈥檚 worth noting that Elijah appears first in our liturgical texts even before we sit down to begin the seder: the haftarah for Shabbat Hagadol (the Shabbat before Pesah) is from the end of Malachi, and concludes with the haunting words, 鈥淏ehold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and awesome Day of Adonai; and he will return the hearts of parents to their children, and the hearts of children to their parents.鈥�

Parashat Tazria and Circumcision

Mar 26, 2014 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Tazria

Parashat Tazria, at the heart of the book of Leviticus, presents a challenge of almost epic proportions in the search for modern, practical relevance.

Time and Eternity on Shabbat Morning (Part 2)

Mar 19, 2014 By Samuel Barth | Commentary

Here is a parable for worship from the experience of my wife, a management consultant. A professor comes into class at Harvard Business School with a glass bucket, which he places on the desk. He then takes some large rocks from under the desk, places as many of them in the bucket as will fit, and asks the class if the bucket is full. The students (of course) reply that it is. He then takes out some pebbles and pours them into the bucket until it overflows, and, upon being questioned, the students again affirm the bucket is full. A bag of sand is then procured and poured into the bucket, followed by the same question, and finally water鈥攅ach of these examples drawing some suspicion and hesitancy from the students. The class is then asked the point of this exercise, and a couple of bright ones who have read The One Minute Manager reply that it鈥檚 always possible to squeeze a little more into the day, to achieve one more small task. The professor replies, 鈥淭he only way to get the big rocks in is to put them in first.鈥�