My research is focused on the interpretations of biblical texts in the contexts of ancient culture, languages, and history.
This is a lecture by Shaye J. D. Cohen who is a Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. He is a well-known historian who also holds rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. His lectures often probe deep...
Many cultures around the world have rituals that signify the coming of age. Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies are customs of this variety that have developed in Jewish culture. In the Jewish context, however, the custom has to do with reaching spiritual maturity. It's a moment when a...
Learn the basics of the Day of Atonement in 3 minutes. Yom Kippur is the most holy day of the Jewish year and it is full of spiritual opportunity if you open yourself up to its customs, prayers and melodies. This short video is a basic primer on what Yom...
Have you wondered about the Shofar? This is a discussion on the tradition of sounding the Shofar, what it means, and its purpose. This interactive talk was recorded live and includes questions and comments from the audience....
The piercing note of a shofar – a ram’s horn used in Jewish religious ceremonies – cuts through the mountain air of the Galilee. Here in northern Israel, shepherdess Jenna Lewinsky is raising a flock of “Jacob Sheep” as a religious calling. With anything up to six horns on each animal,...
"A person is not what he knows, a person is not what he does. A person is what he is longing for." Rabbe Nachman of Breslov When making an acquaintance, it is common for people to ask each other what they do for a living. Occupations can somewhat...
Was Jesus a Rabbi? Some people would say yes, some no and some would be unsure how to answer. There is a good reason why the answers are often different. This is not a straightforward question. The term rabbi appeared sometime just prior to the first century CE and its...
Was Jesus a Rabbi? Some people would say yes, some no and some would be unsure how to answer. There is a good reason why the answers are often different. This is not a straightforward question. The term rabbi appeared sometime just prior to the first century CE and its...
The Psalms of Solomon are a collection of eighteen Jewish poetic compositions from around the second or first century BCE. They were originally composed in Hebrew or possibly in Aramaic. But the oldest manuscripts that have survived to our times are the Greek and Syrian Aramaic translations of the original...