Read Rabbi Cardozo’s eulogy for his wife Rabbanit Freyda Rachel Lopes Cardozo z”l
Yael Shahar spent most of her career in intelligence and security studies, with side trips into physics, graphic design, and digital layout.
She has lectured worldwide on a variety of topics, from Jewish education to security studies and threat assessment. Her research on the Internet as an enabler of political and social change led her to a deeper study of Jewish society over the ages.
Her writing on Jewish education and philosophy can be found at www.yaelshahar.com.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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!
In Parashat Vayechi by Yael Shahar
What is behind Yaakov's sudden adoption of Yosef's two sons? And why does he make Yosef swear to bury him in the land of Canaan? Is his son's word not enough? It seems that Yaakov--or rather, Yisrael--is once more taking the helm of the family, and he is about to hatch his most daring plot of all!
In Hanukkah by Yael Shahar
To the question “What is Hanukkah?” the Talmud doesn't give us the answer we expect. We're told only that when the victorious Maccabees rededicated the Temple, the sole remaining jar of ritually pure olive oil for the menorah sufficed for eight days. Why no mention of the military victory over vastly superior forces and the resurrection of an independent Jewish state? Why does the Talmud leave so much out?
In Parashat Vayetzei by Yael Shahar
In this week's parashah, Yaakov has his first vision of the God of his ancestors. It is significant that this encounter finds him in a state of vulnerability, a state of uncertainty. It is uncertainty that clears the way for us to accept the miracle of the encounter.
By Yael Shahar
In the weeks ahead, Israel will be facing one of the hardest tests a nation ever has to face, and it isn’t what we might think. The test is not to stay strong under the threat of rockets fired at our population centers, nor of repelling vicious incursions from across our borders, nor even of standing against the hatred of the nations when we fight back. The war now facing the State of Israel poses a greater challenge, and that is to hold on to the high moral standards that have sustained us since Israel’s founding. We must ensure that we do not become the very thing that we are fighting against.
In Halacha and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Yael Shahar
The Talmud manages to do what few legal systems even attempt: it integrates psychological and moral issues seamlessly with normative legal guidelines. But to appreciate the full extent of this integration, it's important to pay attention to something that is too often left out of today's Gemara classes: the aggadah.
A story of memory and redemption
In Holocaust and Jewish Thought and Philosophy by Yael Shahar
Publisher : Kasva Press LLCPublication date : September 4, 2018Language : EnglishPrint length : 504 pagesISBN-13 : 978-1948403009 How far will one man go to attain forgiveness? Alex died in Auschwitz, having betrayed his faith and his people. Now he’s been given a single miraculous […]
In Holocaust, Jewish Thought and Philosophy, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by Yael Shahar
This discussion guide explores some of the difficulties and dilemmas facing those who seek to heal the wounds of their own souls—especially self-inflicted wounds. These topics are explored through a series of dialogues between Ovadya ben Malka, former member of the Birkenau Sonderkommando and Rabbi David Ish-Shalom. The discussion topics are supplemented with sources from Jewish texts and sample questions. Foreword by Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo.