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J.j Gross

J.j Gross

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

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Help! The opening of Parshat Tzav makes no sense

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ And God told Moshe, say thus (i.e. repeat verbatim) צַ֤ו...

tuesday 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

Is God Really That Hungry? (Parshat Vayikra)

וַיִּקְרָ֖א אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֵלָ֔יו מֵאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד לֵאמֹֽר׃...

16.03.2026 50

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

The Mishkan was meant to unify, because it was not a temple (Vayakhel-Pekudei)

Is the Talmud destroying us today, the way the Beit Hamikdash destroyed us twice? The creation of the Mishkan/Tabernacle was meant to be a project in...

09.03.2026 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

The subtle but significant difference between forgiving and forbearing (Ki Tisa)

If we stop and think about it, the opening verses of Parshat Ki Tisa (Shemot/Exodus 30: 11-13) don’t quite add up. וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר...

02.03.2026 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

Artists? Musicians? Dancers? Poets? Anyone? Anyone? (Parshat Tetzaveh)

וְאַתָּ֗ה תְּדַבֵּר֙ אֶל־כׇּל־חַכְמֵי־לֵ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִלֵּאתִ֖יו ר֣וּחַ חׇכְמָ֑ה...

23.02.2026 50

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

Of Kings and Temples: Was Shlomo the Jeffrey Epstein of his time? (Terumah)

וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָֽׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will...

16.02.2026 90

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

A colossal rabbinic blunder caused by a drop of spilled ink? (Mishpatim)

10.02.2026 30

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

Of abandoned children, national pride, and poison envy (Parshat Yitro)

02.02.2026 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

Yehudah and Tamar / Boaz and Ruth: Déjà vu? (Vayeshev)

10.12.2025 60

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

Like Father like Son: Yitzhak and Esav would give anything for a meal (Toledot)

19.11.2025 30

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

No need to demythologize Avraham. The Torah does it for us (Vayera)

03.11.2025 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

The role of ADONAI and ELOHIM in Ki Tavo and Ruth

09.09.2025 70

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

How to “twist the words of the righteous” – Parshat Shoftim

26.08.2025 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

Should we really be praying for another Temple in Jerusalem? (Parshat Re’eh)

19.08.2025 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

Did Moshe Have a Sense of Humor? Plus some nitpicking on parshat Ekev

11.08.2025 80

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

The Spiritual Big Bang, plus Two Strikes and Moshe and Aharon are Out (Hukkat)

29.06.2025 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

To understand the depth of haredi contempt for Israel, read the fine print

08.06.2025 50

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

The sublime connection between our parsha and its haftarah (Naso)

04.06.2025 30

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

Of Fires, Faces and Fields. Knowing Our Outer Limits: Aharei Mot-Kedoshim

06.05.2025 30

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

Understanding the First Verse of Parshat Vayikra

31.03.2025 50

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

About Kings and Temples: What if we got it all wrong? (Parshat Terumah)

24.02.2025 60

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross

The Self-Destructive Jewish Addiction to the Diaspora (Parshat Vayehi)

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף הִנֵּ֥ה אָֽנֹכִ֖י מֵ֑ת וְהָיָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙...

08.01.2025 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

J.j Gross