The fundamental issue of ownership of animals is one of agency. — It is my theological conviction that animal ownership is incompatible with veganism. The problem begins with the very act of owning another sentient being and ends with the inevitable decision to end the life of said sentient being. …

“Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels” — 4 Now the wife of a member of the company of prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but a creditor has come to take my two children as slaves.” 2 Elisha said to her, “What shall I…

“the true source of Samson’s strength was his outward appearances” — “(16) Finally, after she had nagged him and pressed him constantly, he was wearied to death (17) and he confided everything to her. He said to her, “No razor has ever touched my head, for I have been a nazirite to God since I was in my mother’s womb. If…

A midrash on Cain’s true purpose in murdering his only brother — Why did Cain kill Abel? Jealousy? Fear? Anger? What drives a human to kill another human — at that, one’s brother? Perhaps there is more to the story than meets the eye… perhaps Cain thought he was doing something good in the Lord’s eyes… Genesis 4. What are we told? …

Or, why my husband and I do not want a pet. — My husband and I do not want a pet. This surprises many people because we are vegan. We love animals (dogs and cats included), but we do not want to own an animal. Sure, travel is part of the problem. With family all over the USA and the Netherlands, the…

Who she is and why you’ve never heard of her — Eve, the first woman, has a concrete written tradition that has been passed down to us in both the Torah and Talmud. The opposite is true for another important Jewish female literary character: Serah bat Asher, known for her role in the Tribes of Israel and her subsequent immortality. Serah…

A Modern Application of Mark 12:38–40 — “As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and…

“Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?” (Job 35:11) — One brief scroll on Twitter or the New York Times will demonstrate that we are far from Eden: the place of plenty, without bloodshed or death. The industrial systems of food production the humans have created since leaving Eden appear more “evil” than “good.” Food should be a source of…

Racist and Colonial Themes in Disney’s Animal Kingdom — James Cameron’s 2009 film, Avatar, was a cultural phenomenon. …