Writers’ Guild

The Cardozo Academy Think Tank opens its doors to voices that probe, question, and illuminate. These essays reflect rigorous thought, spirited debate, and deep engagement with Torah and lived experience. Readers will find essays that challenge preconceptions, explore timeless themes, and make meaning out of the complexity of faith and culture.

  • The Day after the Shabbat – What an ancient controversy teaches us about nation-building

    In Shavuot by Yael Shahar

    Shavuot is one of the three Pilgrimage Holidays mandated by the Torah, and yet the text tells us very little about the holiday or how it is to be observed. Even the date on which it is celebrated is left undefined, leading to intense debate among rival factions during the Second Temple era. In fact, this controversy was part of a much larger debate which threatened to split the Jewish nation along sectarian lines. The split hinged on a major difference of opinion over the nature of Jewish society and its foundation texts: Is the Torah a fixed text, unchangeable for all time, or is it a living document meant to be reinterpreted in the light of changing circumstances?

  • Parashat Midbar – Beyond the I-We Dichotomy

    In Parashat Bamidbar by Yael Shahar

    Sefer BaMidbar is the story of a great test: Can the disparate tribes of Israel put into practice the lessons learned during the revelation at Sinai and the subsequent building of the Mishkan. Can they forge themselves into a nation capable of conquering their ancestral homeland and building a just and lasting society?

  • Wedding canopy in a sunny meadow

    Rabbi Akiva’s Time Capsule – The Song of Songs in Context

    In Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Yael Shahar

    Imagine that civilization was going to be destroyed within five years, and that you were tasked with deciding what literary treasures to preserve? That is the background of the Tanakh that we have today. The Talmud records the bare bones of discussions where scholars fought for the inclusion of those writings that were dear to them, often against ferocious opposition from their colleagues. Amazingly, of all the possible things to include, the famous Rabbi Akiva chose a collection of bawdy wedding songs! What lay behind such an odd choice?

  • The Danger of Negating a Miracle

    In Parashat Shemini by Yael Shahar

    What was the crime of Nadav and Avihu, who were consumed by divine fire while offering incense? It turns out that by comparing this incident with a later one, in which Moshe strikes a rock to bring forth water, we can learn a lot about miracles, holiness, and leadership.

  • The Book of Esther as Political Critique

    In Purim by Yael Shahar

    While the Book of Esther bears all the literary marks of a fairy tale, the underlying themes are far from trivial: At what point does a ruler become unfit to rule? When is civil disobedience not only allowed, but imperative? Why continue to believe in social justice in a seemingly unjust universe?

  • Escaping the Luxury of Powerlessness: A cautionary tale

    In Purim by Calev Ben-Dor

    A curious midrash on the Megillah examines the attraction - and dangers - of exile. The powerlessness of exile can free us from the difficult moral decisions of sovereignty. But this freedom from guilt comes at the price of our ability to control our circumstances.

  • Parashat Vayakhel – The Limits of Creation

    In Parashat Vayakhel by Yael Shahar

    This week's parashah opens with an odd juxtaposition. Just before explaining to the Israelites how the Mishkan is to be constructed, Moshe pauses to exhort the people to sanctify the Shabbat. Why is the commandment of the Shabbat inserted here? The usual answer is that building the Mishkan—as important as it is—nevertheless does not over-ride the prohibition of work on Shabbat. But this only puts off the question: why are we are told to sanctify the Shabbat by ceasing all creative work on that day?

  • Parashat Tetzaveh – Amalek and Modern Antisemitism

    In Parashat Tetzaveh and Purim by Yehoshua Looks

    God has made two unconditional promises to the Jewish people: one that we are eternal, that we will not disappear; and the second that He will ultimately redeem us. Unfortunately, He has also warned us that a certain kind of irrational hatred will be our lot throughout the generations.

  • Parashat Mishpatim: The Power of Names

    In Parashat Mishpatim by Yael Shahar

    This week’s parashah takes place in the midst of the dramatic ceremony of the Covenant at Sinai. The Israelites have accepted the terms and conditions and now stand poised to sign on the dotted line. Now comes the small print: the actual terms and conditions they are to keep. But there’s something very odd about the way the names of God come up in presenting these laws.... The names of God hint at the nature of law, causality, and justice.

  • When God is Mute – Interpretation and honesty in reading texts

    In Theodicy and Parashat Beshalach by Calev Ben-Dor

    Is it appropriate to sing God's praises, when God is utterly silent to our distress? Jewish tradition has addressed the question in different ways throughout history. Some of these answers may be helpful to us, living through a period that includes both unimaginable lows and historic highs.

  • Free Will and Confirmation Bias – A lesson for our times

    In Parashat Bo by Yael Shahar

    One of the more perplexing aspects of the Exodus story is the repeated “hardening” of Pharaoh’s heart. This phrase—together with another that is equally mysterious—is the key to understanding the true miracle of the Exodus. Virtually every encounter with Pharaoh involves a dialog between two key concepts: the hardening of the heart is paired with God’s showing Pharaoh, the Egyptians, or the Israelites “that I am Hashem.” Why is it so important that the Egyptians learn the mysterious name of God? Surely the primary target for this lesson would be the Israelites themselves! The solution to both questions is bound up in the true miracle of the Exodus—and it isn’t what we commonly think!

  • The Tragedy of Moshe Rabbenu’s Fight for Justice

    In Theodicy and Parashat Shemot by Calev Ben-Dor

    Moshe was a warrior for justice. On three separate occasions, he fought for justice for others. He was simply unable stand idly by when he saw suffering. But this very inability to countenance injustice was also the source of Moshe's greatest tragedy.

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