^{Shavuot 5781 | May 2021}

Rabbi Jeffrey Fox, Rosh HaYeshiva - Welcome & Framing

The phrase "זמן מתן תורתינו" - "the time of the giving of our Torah" is oxymoronic; it focuses both on the fact that God gave the Torah rather than us doing anything in particular, but also addresses the Torah being ours rather than God's alone. This, says Rabbi Jeffrey Fox, it the beauty of the giving of the Torah.

Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter - Is there a Right Way to Learn Torah?

After so much time spent in isolation, the return to learning together can be an adjustment. To prepare for learning with a chavrutah, Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter cites the many forms of pair learning delineated in the Gemara to offer ideas for finding your match in Torah.

Rabbanit Amalia Haas - Womanhood, Shame & Vulnerability in Megillat Ruth

The megillah follows the development of an Other with a shameful past into a welcomed member of the community, but the journey to vulnerability is difficult. Using the psychology of Brené Brown, Rabbanit Amalia Haas shows the path Ruth and Boaz both embark upon, together and apart.

Rabba Rachel Kohl Finegold - Redemption in the Book of Ruth

Continuing in the theme of vulnerability and shame, Rabba Rachel Kohl Finegold speaks about the redemption process in the megillah, addressing both the complete legality of the actions and the attempt to right emotional wrongs.

Rabbi Dr. Erin Leib Smokler - Luchot and Shivrei Luchot: The Revelation We Remember

One of three religious icons carried around in the ארון, Ark, was the broken set of luchot smashed by Moshe. Rabbi Dr. Erin Leib Smokler, with a talmudic foundation, describes the hidden blessing in knowing when to shatter and when to repair.