Torah Judaism

Books On My Night Table

August 14, 2019 by Robert J. Avrech Leave a Comment

As a Torah Jew I look to the wisdom of the written and oral Torah, knowledge and wisdom that goes back over 3,000 years. Thus, it’s natural for me (and a majority of Orthodox Jews) to be drawn to the philosophy of American Conservatism which traces its fountain of wisdom from Hobbes and Locke to the political thought of the founding fathers. Pulitzer Prize winning writer and Conservative icon George F. Will has written an astonishing volume that seeks to explore and explain what it means to be an American who believes in liberty and the principals of limited government. This is not an easy, breezy read but an in-depth analysis that demands the reader’s full attention.

K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches is a perfect companion to George Will for the leading conservative is also famously mad about baseball. The pitcher controls the game because batters react to each pitch, thus setting the plays in motion. Author Tyler Kepner has written an enchanting and informative work that goes into the craft, mechanics and legends of pitching.Who threw the first curve ball? What’s the difference between a splitter and a slider? How does a pitcher grip the seams in order to throw a 96 mph fastball? This is a fascinating volume that makes you—meaning me—want to try hurling a knuckleball. Oh, regarding the title; In baseball scorekeeping, a swinging strikeout is usually recorded as a K.

Succot 2018

September 23, 2018 by Robert J. Avrech 3 Comments

A Yemenite Jew named Yehia holding a lulav and etrog—the four species— in a succah, Jerusalem, 1939. — A Yemenite Jew named Yehia holding a lulav and etrog—the four species—in a Sukkah, Jerusalem, 1939.

As Jews all over the world make last minute preparations for the holiday of Sukkot, which begins this evening, here are a few wonderfully evocative pictures of Jews celebrating this joyous holiday in Israel — and a rare photo of Jews in Samarkand.

You will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths.

—Leviticus 23:42

On the first day, you will take for yourselves a fruit of a beautiful tree, palm branches, twigs of a braided tree and brook willows, and you will rejoice before the L-RD your G-d for seven days.

—Leviticus 23:40

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Sukkot, The Past is Never Past

September 27, 2015 by Robert J. Avrech 8 Comments

As Jews all over the world make last minute preparations for the holiday of Sukkot, here are a few wonderful pictures of Jews celebrating this joyous holiday in Israel (and Samarkand), a reminder that Torah Judaism is eternal. All photos are from The Library of Congress.

You will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths.

—Leviticus 23:42

On the first day, you will take for yourselves a fruit of a beautiful tree, palm branches, twigs of a braided tree and brook willows, and you will rejoice before the L-RD your G-d for seven days.

—Leviticus 23:40

First, Progressives Ban Circumcision…

October 7, 2013 by Robert J. Avrech 13 Comments

Yours truly, was sandek at the brit milah of our first grandson, Ariel Chaim, a few weeks ago. According to Jewish law any nation that outlaws Jewish circumcision is de facto, at war with Torah Judaism. — Yours truly (seated) was sandek at the brit milah of our first grandson, Ariel Chaim, a few weeks ago. According to Jewish law, any nation that outlaws Jewish circumcision is, de facto, at war with Torah Judaism, and must be resisted.

Study Jewish history and you will immediately recognize three narratives used by Jew-haters to delegitimize Judaism—all in the name of tolerance and humanity.

Brit milah, circumcision
Shehitah, or ritual slaughter of animals for food
Torah study

The commandment of circumcision—brit milah—is found in Genesis 17:10-14 and Leviticus 12:3.

And since Abraham, brit milah—Judaism’s sign of the eternal covenant between G-d and the Jewish people—has been under sustained attack.

The Greeks, the Romans, and the Nazis all banned circumcision.

Kashrut (dietary laws) is another fundamental of Judaism. Thus, inevitably, ritual slaughter is attacked as cruel and barbaric.

Of course, those who oppose ritual slaughter and circumcision in the name of progress and humanity are almost always a bunch of genocide-yearning Jew-haters.