The rabbis of the Talmud established a method of reading the Torah that is embodied in the 13 Rules of Rabbi Ishmael (known as the Yud-Gimel Middot) found at the beginning of the ancient midrashic collection, the Sifra. Those hermeneutical rules provided guidelines for transforming the text of Torah into a living and applicable document. Subsequent rabbis went further, providing for how to derive halakhot, specific laws, from the Torah’s timeless legislation as well.   Read more...

Ours is a culture which maintains a paradoxical relationship to individuality. On the surface, America is a place which elevates the rugged individual above all others. "It's you and me against the world, the popular song reminds us. By ourselves, we build our lives around initiative, energy and a willingness to break from the past. American democracy is robust and passionate about personal liberty. Our ideals may stress individualism, but our reality is starkly different.   Read more...

The definition of what is "religious" shifts throughout the ages.   Read more...