Around the Calendar with Drisha

Every generation of Jews must see themselves as if they were slaves in Egypt and God took them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. While it may be comforting to think that Egypt is long gone and Pharaohs are a thing of the past, we would be foolish to believe this. The Exodus from Egypt retains such great power in the Jewish imagination because its themes constantly make their presence known in the world and in our lives. These classes will seek to explore its key themes through a close reading of the Biblical narrative and by drawing on midrash and traditional commentators alongside modern thinkers such as Sigmund Freud, Walter Benjamin, and Franz Rosenzweig.

Every generation of Jews must see themselves as if they were slaves in Egypt and God took them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. While it may be comforting to think that Egypt is long gone and Pharaohs are a thing of the past, we would be foolish to believe this. The Exodus from Egypt retains such great power in the Jewish imagination because its themes constantly make their presence known in the world and in our lives. These classes will seek to explore its key themes through a close reading of the Biblical narrative and by drawing on midrash and traditional commentators alongside modern thinkers such as Sigmund Freud, Walter Benjamin, and Franz Rosenzweig.

Every generation of Jews must see themselves as if they were slaves in Egypt and God took them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. While it may be comforting to think that Egypt is long gone and Pharaohs are a thing of the past, we would be foolish to believe this. The Exodus from Egypt retains such great power in the Jewish imagination because its themes constantly make their presence known in the world and in our lives. These classes will seek to explore its key themes through a close reading of the Biblical narrative and by drawing on midrash and traditional commentators alongside modern thinkers such as Sigmund Freud, Walter Benjamin, and Franz Rosenzweig.

Every generation of Jews must see themselves as if they were slaves in Egypt and God took them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. While it may be comforting to think that Egypt is long gone and Pharaohs are a thing of the past, we would be foolish to believe this. The Exodus from Egypt retains such great power in the Jewish imagination because its themes constantly make their presence known in the world and in our lives. These classes will seek to explore its key themes through a close reading of the Biblical narrative and by drawing on midrash and traditional commentators alongside modern thinkers such as Sigmund Freud, Walter Benjamin, and Franz Rosenzweig.

Every generation of Jews must see themselves as if they were slaves in Egypt and God took them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. While it may be comforting to think that Egypt is long gone and Pharaohs are a thing of the past, we would be foolish to believe this. The Exodus from Egypt retains such great power in the Jewish imagination because its themes constantly make their presence known in the world and in our lives. These classes will seek to explore its key themes through a close reading of the Biblical narrative and by drawing on midrash and traditional commentators alongside modern thinkers such as Sigmund Freud, Walter Benjamin, and Franz Rosenzweig.

Every generation of Jews must see themselves as if they were slaves in Egypt and God took them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. While it may be comforting to think that Egypt is long gone and Pharaohs are a thing of the past, we would be foolish to believe this. The Exodus from Egypt retains such great power in the Jewish imagination because its themes constantly make their presence known in the world and in our lives. These classes will seek to explore its key themes through a close reading of the Biblical narrative and by drawing on midrash and traditional commentators alongside modern thinkers such as Sigmund Freud, Walter Benjamin, and Franz Rosenzweig.

If Purim celebrates a historical moment of salvation and redemption, why don’t we recite Hallel (a sequence of Psalms recited during most holidays) during it? Answering this question requires investigating the very nature of this rather unique holiday itself. In preparation for this year’s celebration of Purim, join Dr. Shana Strauch Schick, R. Joe Wolfson, and Dr. Jon Kelsen for a roundtable conversation about the absence of hallel and the broader meaning of Purim.

In honor of Eid al Banat (women’s celebration on Rosh Hodesh Tevet/Hannukah), we will explore the incredible life and work of Farha Sassoon, an Iraqi philanthropist known for her scholarship and piety.

In this shiur, we will utilize halachic sources together with a teaching of Rabbi Yehuda Leib Alter, the Sefas Emes, to explore the unique nature of the obligation to recite full Hallel on Hanukkah.

In this session, we’ll examine some surprising features of Maimonides‘ masterful Laws of Hanukkah, paying especially close attention to its structure and his description of the miracle which stands at the center of the holiday.

This series considers a few distinct directions in which Avodat Yom ha-Kippurim is re-lived today, through rituals and liturgies: Rituals relating to atonement, specifically Kapparot and Tashlikh. 3 Amitz Koach and other Piyyutim about the Temple service itself. Pleas for atonement that correlate with aspects of the Yom Kippur Temple service, including Selihot and Vidduy.

This series considers a few distinct directions in which Avodat Yom ha-Kippurim is re-lived today, through rituals and liturgies: Rituals relating to atonement, specifically Kapparot and Tashlikh. 3 Amitz Koach and other Piyyutim about the Temple service itself. Pleas for atonement that correlate with aspects of the Yom Kippur Temple service, including Selihot and Vidduy.

This series considers a few distinct directions in which Avodat Yom ha-Kippurim is re-lived today, through rituals and liturgies: Rituals relating to atonement, specifically Kapparot and Tashlikh. 3 Amitz Koach and other Piyyutim about the Temple service itself. Pleas for atonement that correlate with aspects of the Yom Kippur Temple service, including Selihot and Vidduy.

We often think of the liturgy for the Yamim Noraim as static words confined to the pages of the machzor. However, these prayers draw from the rich tapestry of the Tanakh. In the first part of this two-part series, we’ll explore the biblical inspiration that breathes life into Psalm 27, sometimes called “L’David Hashem.” Many have the practice of adding this psalm to their daily prayers during Elul and Tishrei. This psalm-prayer has intriguing intertextual parallels with the passages in Tanakh that describe a city of refuge, a connection that holds rich significance if we read the psalm as a meditation on guilt and responsibility. In part two, we’ll explore the passages from the book of Nehemiah that become climactic phrases used in Selichot, the prayer added during Elul and on Yom Kippur. Understanding the desperation and hope that characterized Nehemiah’s time period yields add meaning to the recitation of these prayers.

We often think of the liturgy for the Yamim Noraim as static words confined to the pages of the machzor. However, these prayers draw from the rich tapestry of the Tanakh. In the first part of this two-part series, we’ll explore the biblical inspiration that breathes life into Psalm 27, sometimes called “L’David Hashem.” Many have the practice of adding this psalm to their daily prayers during Elul and Tishrei. This psalm-prayer has intriguing intertextual parallels with the passages in Tanakh that describe a city of refuge, a connection that holds rich significance if we read the psalm as a meditation on guilt and responsibility. In part two, we’ll explore the passages from the book of Nehemiah that become climactic phrases used in Selichot, the prayer added during Elul and on Yom Kippur. Understanding the desperation and hope that characterized Nehemiah’s time period yields add meaning to the recitation of these prayers.

Yom Kippur is a dramatic day, but that drama is often compounded by additional circumstances. We will learn aggadot and halakhic literature about various Yom Kippurs throughout history, from biblical and rabbinic times, through observance of the fast during a cholera epidemic, and up to the Yom Kippur war.

Yom Kippur is a dramatic day, but that drama is often compounded by additional circumstances. We will learn aggadot and halakhic literature about various Yom Kippurs throughout history, from biblical and rabbinic times, through observance of the fast during a cholera epidemic, and up to the Yom Kippur war.

In this series, we will reflect together on several chapters of Psalms which are associated by their content and tradition with the Yamim Noraim season. For those who would like to follow along independently, sources are available here: https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.51?lang=bi https://www.sefaria.org/II_Samuel.11?lang=bi https://www.sefaria.org/II_Samuel.12?lang=bi

In this series, we will reflect together on several chapters of Psalms which are associated by their content and tradition with the Yamim Noraim season. For those who would like to follow along independently, sources are available here: https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.51?lang=bi https://www.sefaria.org/II_Samuel.11?lang=bi https://www.sefaria.org/II_Samuel.12?lang=bi

In this series, we will reflect together on several chapters of Psalms which are associated by their content and tradition with the Yamim Noraim season. For those who would like to follow along independently, sources are available here: https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.51?lang=bi https://www.sefaria.org/II_Samuel.11?lang=bi https://www.sefaria.org/II_Samuel.12?lang=bi

In this 3-part course, we will explore key ideas about teshuvah, repentance, in Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik’s theology. Taking his lectures in On Repentance as our jumping off point, we will weave them together with texts from across his writings to see the full picture of his ideas. Class 1: Be Your Own Messiah: Teshuvah as Self-Creation and Self-Redemption Teshuvah = Freedom. But how? And why? This enigmatic equation sets Rav Soloveitchik off on a journey, from the classic texts of the Rambam to modern conceptions of time and the self. Rejecting forms of teshuvah based on feeling bad about the past, he describes a model of teshuvah that is future-oriented and activist in nature. Teshuvah, Rav Soloveitchik argues, is key to freeing ourselves from a deterministic, deadening sense of time, and opening up revolutionary new possibilities in our lives. Class 2: Waking Up from Modernity: Teshuvah as Self-Awareness and Realism How do we realize that we need to do teshuvah? How do we realize we need to change without yet having changed? For Rav Soloveitchik, this problem lies at the heart of what it means to be a Jew in the modern era. Modernity has brought many blessings on both the Jews and the world as a whole, but it has also brought on numerous catastrophes. In this class, we will see how the problem of “waking up” from our routine ways of thinking about ourselves and the world—being self-critical and realistic—is key to avoiding the sins and idolatries inherent to human potential. Class 3: Spiritual Exile and Political Redemption: Teshuvah Beyond the Individual Teshuvah is often thought of as a spiritual endeavor of the individual Jew. There is another form of teshuvah, however: the teshuvah of the collective. Starting from the laws of communal sacrifices which atone for communal sin, Rav Soloveitchik depicts sin, exile, and redemption as a historical drama culminating in but—not exhausted by—a Jewish state. Imagining the Jewish people as a single being—an organic whole—he says that teshuvah must go beyond the actions of individuals and be realized in the life of the nation. On the national level, sin alienates us from our national self and leads to exile from the land, and redemption will mean returning to ourselves and to our land. This means a return to Jewish sovereignty, but also to a critical distance from it: sovereignty can never become all of what it means to be Jewish.

In this 3-part course, we will explore key ideas about teshuvah, repentance, in Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik’s theology. Taking his lectures in On Repentance as our jumping off point, we will weave them together with texts from across his writings to see the full picture of his ideas. Class 1: Be Your Own Messiah: Teshuvah as Self-Creation and Self-Redemption Teshuvah = Freedom. But how? And why? This enigmatic equation sets Rav Soloveitchik off on a journey, from the classic texts of the Rambam to modern conceptions of time and the self. Rejecting forms of teshuvah based on feeling bad about the past, he describes a model of teshuvah that is future-oriented and activist in nature. Teshuvah, Rav Soloveitchik argues, is key to freeing ourselves from a deterministic, deadening sense of time, and opening up revolutionary new possibilities in our lives. Class 2: Waking Up from Modernity: Teshuvah as Self-Awareness and Realism How do we realize that we need to do teshuvah? How do we realize we need to change without yet having changed? For Rav Soloveitchik, this problem lies at the heart of what it means to be a Jew in the modern era. Modernity has brought many blessings on both the Jews and the world as a whole, but it has also brought on numerous catastrophes. In this class, we will see how the problem of “waking up” from our routine ways of thinking about ourselves and the world—being self-critical and realistic—is key to avoiding the sins and idolatries inherent to human potential. Class 3: Spiritual Exile and Political Redemption: Teshuvah Beyond the Individual Teshuvah is often thought of as a spiritual endeavor of the individual Jew. There is another form of teshuvah, however: the teshuvah of the collective. Starting from the laws of communal sacrifices which atone for communal sin, Rav Soloveitchik depicts sin, exile, and redemption as a historical drama culminating in but—not exhausted by—a Jewish state. Imagining the Jewish people as a single being—an organic whole—he says that teshuvah must go beyond the actions of individuals and be realized in the life of the nation. On the national level, sin alienates us from our national self and leads to exile from the land, and redemption will mean returning to ourselves and to our land. This means a return to Jewish sovereignty, but also to a critical distance from it: sovereignty can never become all of what it means to be Jewish.

In this 3-part course, we will explore key ideas about teshuvah, repentance, in Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik’s theology. Taking his lectures in On Repentance as our jumping off point, we will weave them together with texts from across his writings to see the full picture of his ideas. Class 1: Be Your Own Messiah: Teshuvah as Self-Creation and Self-Redemption Teshuvah = Freedom. But how? And why? This enigmatic equation sets Rav Soloveitchik off on a journey, from the classic texts of the Rambam to modern conceptions of time and the self. Rejecting forms of teshuvah based on feeling bad about the past, he describes a model of teshuvah that is future-oriented and activist in nature. Teshuvah, Rav Soloveitchik argues, is key to freeing ourselves from a deterministic, deadening sense of time, and opening up revolutionary new possibilities in our lives. Class 2: Waking Up from Modernity: Teshuvah as Self-Awareness and Realism How do we realize that we need to do teshuvah? How do we realize we need to change without yet having changed? For Rav Soloveitchik, this problem lies at the heart of what it means to be a Jew in the modern era. Modernity has brought many blessings on both the Jews and the world as a whole, but it has also brought on numerous catastrophes. In this class, we will see how the problem of “waking up” from our routine ways of thinking about ourselves and the world—being self-critical and realistic—is key to avoiding the sins and idolatries inherent to human potential. Class 3: Spiritual Exile and Political Redemption: Teshuvah Beyond the Individual Teshuvah is often thought of as a spiritual endeavor of the individual Jew. There is another form of teshuvah, however: the teshuvah of the collective. Starting from the laws of communal sacrifices which atone for communal sin, Rav Soloveitchik depicts sin, exile, and redemption as a historical drama culminating in but—not exhausted by—a Jewish state. Imagining the Jewish people as a single being—an organic whole—he says that teshuvah must go beyond the actions of individuals and be realized in the life of the nation. On the national level, sin alienates us from our national self and leads to exile from the land, and redemption will mean returning to ourselves and to our land. This means a return to Jewish sovereignty, but also to a critical distance from it: sovereignty can never become all of what it means to be Jewish.

Teshuvah seems to require both that we transform ourselves into someone new and that we return to who we once were and really are. Looking to a range of classical and modern rabbinic texts, we’ll explore this tension and the ways in which genuine and effectively transformative teshuva requires embracing who we’ve been and who we are in the present. We’ll consider these questions with respect to individuals, communities, and the human world at large.

Teshuvah seems to require both that we transform ourselves into someone new and that we return to who we once were and really are. Looking to a range of classical and modern rabbinic texts, we’ll explore this tension and the ways in which genuine and effectively transformative teshuva requires embracing who we’ve been and who we are in the present. We’ll consider these questions with respect to individuals, communities, and the human world at large.

In this class we will examine the key themes in the published Teshuva lectures, both in English and Hebrew, of the late Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, one of the intellectual thought leaders of the Modern-Orthodox world in the last half century. We will look for recurring patterns and concepts, how these themes integrate with R. Lichtenstein's broader world view and some comparisons and contrasts to other thinkers on repentance such as Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and Rabbi Yitzhak Hutner.

In this class we will examine the key themes in the published Teshuva lectures, both in English and Hebrew, of the late Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, one of the intellectual thought leaders of the Modern-Orthodox world in the last half century. We will look for recurring patterns and concepts, how these themes integrate with R. Lichtenstein's broader world view and some comparisons and contrasts to other thinkers on repentance such as Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and Rabbi Yitzhak Hutner.

In this class we will examine the key themes in the published Teshuva lectures, both in English and Hebrew, of the late Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, one of the intellectual thought leaders of the Modern-Orthodox world in the last half century. We will look for recurring patterns and concepts, how these themes integrate with R. Lichtenstein's broader world view and some comparisons and contrasts to other thinkers on repentance such as Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and Rabbi Yitzhak Hutner.

In this class we will examine the key themes in the published Teshuva lectures, both in English and Hebrew, of the late Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, one of the intellectual thought leaders of the Modern-Orthodox world in the last half century. We will look for recurring patterns and concepts, how these themes integrate with R. Lichtenstein's broader world view and some comparisons and contrasts to other thinkers on repentance such as Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik and Rabbi Yitzhak Hutner.

At the start of the book of Ruth, Naomi suffers a series of profound losses. Her husband dies, and then her sons. Even though her daughter-in-law Ruth swears her eternal loyalty to Naomi. Naomi is unmoved and reports upon her return to Bethlehem (1:21), “I left here full and have returned empty.” Using midrash and rabbinic exegesis, we will do a close reading of the book of Ruth and explore how Naomi's understanding of family and relationships expands. We will consider what the book of Ruth can teach us as our community confronts the terrible losses of this year.

At the start of the book of Ruth, Naomi suffers a series of profound losses. Her husband dies, and then her sons. Even though her daughter-in-law Ruth swears her eternal loyalty to Naomi. Naomi is unmoved and reports upon her return to Bethlehem (1:21), “I left here full and have returned empty.” Using midrash and rabbinic exegesis, we will do a close reading of the book of Ruth and explore how Naomi's understanding of family and relationships expands. We will consider what the book of Ruth can teach us as our community confronts the terrible losses of this year.

At the start of the book of Ruth, Naomi suffers a series of profound losses. Her husband dies, and then her sons. Even though her daughter-in-law Ruth swears her eternal loyalty to Naomi. Naomi is unmoved and reports upon her return to Bethlehem (1:21), “I left here full and have returned empty.” Using midrash and rabbinic exegesis, we will do a close reading of the book of Ruth and explore how Naomi's understanding of family and relationships expands. We will consider what the book of Ruth can teach us as our community confronts the terrible losses of this year.

What happened at Sinai and why? Although the Torah has a lot to say, there is also a lot unknown. In this course we will study aggadot (narrative homiletical texts) about Matan Torah, unpacking how the rabbis read this pivotal moment, and what that says about them, and us.

What happened at Sinai and why? Although the Torah has a lot to say, there is also a lot unknown. In this course we will study aggadot (narrative homiletical texts) about Matan Torah, unpacking how the rabbis read this pivotal moment, and what that says about them, and us.

What happened at Sinai and why? Although the Torah has a lot to say, there is also a lot unknown. In this course we will study aggadot (narrative homiletical texts) about Matan Torah, unpacking how the rabbis read this pivotal moment, and what that says about them, and us.

Shavuot is a captivating holiday with dual significance. On one hand, it holds a legal aspect, emphasizing the giving of the Torah through the reading of the Ten Commandments. On the other hand, it embraces a human dimension through the Book of Ruth, a narrative centered around the harvest and the acts of kindness within the community. This course will emphasize the complementary nature of both aspects. First, we’ll examine various models of revelation and the different aspects of the Ten Commandments. Then, we will shift our focus to realization, delving into the practical challenges when living a Torah-guided life in society, as seen in the Book of Ruth. Through these texts, the course will address questions such as: What does it look like practically for a society to live accordingly to Torah law? What needs to shift and what accommodations need to be made? What messages do we get from both the law and narrative sections of Torah?

Shavuot is a captivating holiday with dual significance. On one hand, it holds a legal aspect, emphasizing the giving of the Torah through the reading of the Ten Commandments. On the other hand, it embraces a human dimension through the Book of Ruth, a narrative centered around the harvest and the acts of kindness within the community. This course will emphasize the complementary nature of both aspects. First, we’ll examine various models of revelation and the different aspects of the Ten Commandments. Then, we will shift our focus to realization, delving into the practical challenges when living a Torah-guided life in society, as seen in the Book of Ruth. Through these texts, the course will address questions such as: What does it look like practically for a society to live accordingly to Torah law? What needs to shift and what accommodations need to be made? What messages do we get from both the law and narrative sections of Torah?

Shavuot is a captivating holiday with dual significance. On one hand, it holds a legal aspect, emphasizing the giving of the Torah through the reading of the Ten Commandments. On the other hand, it embraces a human dimension through the Book of Ruth, a narrative centered around the harvest and the acts of kindness within the community. This course will emphasize the complementary nature of both aspects. First, we’ll examine various models of revelation and the different aspects of the Ten Commandments. Then, we will shift our focus to realization, delving into the practical challenges when living a Torah-guided life in society, as seen in the Book of Ruth. Through these texts, the course will address questions such as: What does it look like practically for a society to live accordingly to Torah law? What needs to shift and what accommodations need to be made? What messages do we get from both the law and narrative sections of Torah?

Shavuot is a captivating holiday with dual significance. On one hand, it holds a legal aspect, emphasizing the giving of the Torah through the reading of the Ten Commandments. On the other hand, it embraces a human dimension through the Book of Ruth, a narrative centered around the harvest and the acts of kindness within the community. This course will emphasize the complementary nature of both aspects. First, we’ll examine various models of revelation and the different aspects of the Ten Commandments. Then, we will shift our focus to realization, delving into the practical challenges when living a Torah-guided life in society, as seen in the Book of Ruth. Through these texts, the course will address questions such as: What does it look like practically for a society to live accordingly to Torah law? What needs to shift and what accommodations need to be made? What messages do we get from both the law and narrative sections of Torah?

In this course, we will explore the Yom Kippur service of the Kohen Gadol, a significant but sometimes enigmatic aspect of the liturgy. By delving into the significance and symbolism behind key elements of the service, we will confront many of the fundamental questions of Yom Kippur, such as whether atonement can happen without repentance, the influence of fate and destiny, and the profound impact an individual’s actions can have on the community.

In this course, we will explore the Yom Kippur service of the Kohen Gadol, a significant but sometimes enigmatic aspect of the liturgy. By delving into the significance and symbolism behind key elements of the service, we will confront many of the fundamental questions of Yom Kippur, such as whether atonement can happen without repentance, the influence of fate and destiny, and the profound impact an individual’s actions can have on the community.

In his book The Prophets (1962), Abraham Joshua Heschel sought to resurrect before us the prophetic experience. In this lesson we will read his commentary on the book of Jeremiah in order to meet the prophet who cries at the destruction of Jerusalem. For him, it was not just a national or religious destruction; he cried out for God's pain.

More than any other holiday, Hanukkah is all about the home. The Jewish people, with our long history of exile and displacement, has a complicated relationship with the space and rootedness we associate with "home." Our study of the laws of Hanukkah candle lighting will shed some light on a uniquely Jewish vision of homemaking.

More than any other holiday, Hanukkah is all about the home. The Jewish people, with our long history of exile and displacement, has a complicated relationship with the space and rootedness we associate with "home." Our study of the laws of Hanukkah candle lighting will shed some light on a uniquely Jewish vision of homemaking.

More than any other holiday, Hanukkah is all about the home. The Jewish people, with our long history of exile and displacement, has a complicated relationship with the space and rootedness we associate with "home." Our study of the laws of Hanukkah candle lighting will shed some light on a uniquely Jewish vision of homemaking.

Often in Elul, Sukkot is forgotten. We focus on the High Holidays but forget that Sukkot comes immediately after. There are several unique rules that characterize the laws of Sukkot, such as mere discomfort exempting one from living in the Sukkah and the heightened requirements for beauty in the Arba Minim. We will explore whether these laws are unique to Sukkot or act as paradigms of broader Torah values.

Often in Elul, Sukkot is forgotten. We focus on the High Holidays but forget that Sukkot comes immediately after. There are several unique rules that characterize the laws of Sukkot, such as mere discomfort exempting one from living in the Sukkah and the heightened requirements for beauty in the Arba Minim. We will explore whether these laws are unique to Sukkot or act as paradigms of broader Torah values.

In this course, we will explore the Yom Kippur service of the Kohen Gadol, a significant but sometimes enigmatic aspect of the liturgy. By delving into the significance and symbolism behind key elements of the service, we will confront many of the fundamental questions of Yom Kippur, such as whether atonement can happen without repentance, the influence of fate and destiny, and the profound impact an individual’s actions can have on the community.

Session 2: Open the Gates Rosh HaShanah, through Yom Kippur, are viewed as a time when the Gates of Rahamim, Mercy, are particularly receptive - an Et shaareh ratson. We will look at several central piyytim that develop this theme, and that introduce the Shofar and prayers of the day.

How can we know what God wants of us? In Genesis 16, Sarai, Avram, and Hagar all struggle to understand their roles in God's covenant. Their interactions and their mistakes lay the groundwork for Genesis 21, the powerful Torah reading of the first day of Rosh haShannah. We will do a close reading of both of these biblical texts and utilize rabbinic midrashim to explore each character's motivation and why this story was chosen to be read on the Day of Judgment.