Note: I’m unsure how to even translate the word “derush”. Words like “research” or “investigation” come close, but the way it’s used in Torah literature has a clear overtone suggesting greater authority. And then, as we’ll see, there are two distinct ways the word is used even within the context of Torah. What exactly is […]| Marbitz.com
As Rabbi Michal notes on his Kotzk Blog, many of the customs currently associated with death in Judaism were formalized only in the last few centuries. Reading that article got me thinking about some specific practises and their origins. The first of those that came to mind was the protection (shemira) we insist in providing […]| Marbitz.com
This post is the latest addition to my Finding Tradition project. מודה אני לפניך מלך חי וקים שהחזרת בי נשמתי בחמלה רבה אמונתך Those 12 words mark the start of each day for many Jews. It’s a beautiful prayer and an expression of the many debts we owe to God. But three of those words […]| Marbitz.com