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Author Archives: Rabbi Leib Zalesch
The Fall and Rise of Levi, Once and Future Priest
We discussed in a recent post (link) the motif throughout Bereishit of bechira over bechora – that in almost every instance, the firstborn is passed over in deference to a favored younger sibling. As Leah’s oldest two children, Reuven and Shimon should rightfully have received the priesthood and … Continue reading
Posted in Parshat Hashavua
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The Modern Jewish Personalities Series
Over the past year I have given adult ed classes on the lives and literary hallmarks of four important Jewish personalities. Here are the handouts, for anyone out there who may find them to be useful. Perhaps at a later … Continue reading
Posted in Jewish History
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Caste and Privilege: Bechora and Bechira in Sefer Bereishit
Watching the drama unfold when Yaakov blesses Yosef’s sons in Parshat Vayechi (see Bereishit 48:13-22), two questions emerge: Why does Yaakov elect to bless Yosef’s sons (or Yosef himself, if you prefer) before blessing his older sons? And why does Yaakov switch … Continue reading
Posted in Parshat Hashavua
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Blame Rav Aharon Lichtenstein: A Response to Marom Zour
I came across an eye-opening item in a friend’s Facebook trough late last week. She was re-posting something which had come across her inbox from an irate secular Israeli with whom she is not personally acquainted. (The first words below … Continue reading
Posted in Communal Matters
Tagged Aharon Lichtenstein, Gush, Gush Etzion, Har Etion, Israel, Modern Orthodox, Yeshiva University
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The Millennia-Old Problem of Yom Ha’atzmaut in America
I asked a friend tonight if he could identify the most recent time in Jewish history that every single Jew was in the Land of Israel at the same time. He noticed that it wasn’t the time of Yehoshua, because … Continue reading
Posted in Communal Matters, Yom Ha'atzmaut
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Does a Spoonful of Bitter Make the Liberty Go Down? Questioning the Seder of the Seder
In the pantheon of great ideas, coining the term “seder” for the seder was probably right in the middle. On the one hand, there is clearly an intrinsic importance to the order (seder) itself, as shown by our naming the … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays, Pesach
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Pharaoh’s Man Problem and the Birth of Jewish Exceptionalism
Did Pharaoh have a problem with men? Or did he have a larger agenda in ordering the boys to be killed? Exploring two parallel stories – the first near the beginning of Parshat Lech Lecha, the second spanning the end … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays, Parshat Hashavua, Pesach
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Parshat Pinchas: Advocacy and Partnership in Zealotry
This past week we read one of rarest of all Haftarot (thanks to Shlomo for this link), one that has not been read since 2005 and will not be read again until 2035. What makes the Haftarah so rare is … Continue reading
Posted in Communal Matters, Parshat Hashavua
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Three Weeks, Two Musings, One Shiur
Yesterday I was privileged to deliver a Shiur on the Three Weeks period, which begins this Tuesday. Click here for the Mareh Mekomot. To these I will append the following philosophical insight which I also shared yesterday, based on the … Continue reading
Posted in Halacha, Three Weeks and Tisha B'Av
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Parsha Perspicacities 