On Erev Shabbat BaMidbar, my teacher Byron Sherwin became an echo of Eternity. I first met Byron over the phone in 2000. I had heard about doctoral studies at Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago and hoped that this would be a way into more spiritual growth. At the time, I felt stymied: an associate Rabbi atContinue reading “Moreynu Rabbeynu Byron Sherwin זכרונו לברכה”
Tag Archives: Dr Byron Sherwin
Shabbat Hayye Sarah: Is the Torah Misogynistic?
This week’s parashah is called Hayye Sarah, “Life of Sarah”. The name is derived from the first verse of the parashah: וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה, מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים–שְׁנֵי, חַיֵּי שָׂרָה. “Sarah’s life was 127 years; these were the years of Sarah’s life.” (Gen. 23.1) This, however, is the beginning of what weContinue reading “Shabbat Hayye Sarah: Is the Torah Misogynistic?”
Shabbat VaYetze: Rediscovering the Power of Leah and Rachel
In this week’s parashah we read about the “baby wars” between Leah and Rachel as each try to outdo each other in giving their shared husband sons. It’s easy to dismiss as a misogynistic satire of two women fighting for their husband’s attention, but that’s only the top layer of this fascinating story. A closer lookContinue reading “Shabbat VaYetze: Rediscovering the Power of Leah and Rachel”
Torah for the 21st Century by Rabbi Ariel Stone 