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Reuven Chaim Klein

Feb 17, 2019, 10:27 PM

Ki Sisa: Mercy or Pity

As Moshe prayed to G-d to forgive the Jewish People for sinning at the golden calf, G-d revealed to Moshe His Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. Those attributes are key to understanding how G-d runs the world, and how one can attain atonement/forgiveness for sins. Although...

Feb 17, 2019, 12:33 PM

In the Land that our Founding Fathers Yearned for

A few weeks ago, I read a message in Facebook, posted by a friend of mine, a learned scholar who teaches Judaic studies in an upscale college in the United States. My friend was planning an undergrad course about...

Feb 16, 2019, 9:59 AM

Gematria, Merkabah and the Birth of the Alephbet!

Wadi el-Hol inscriptions no° II, reproduction of Proto-Canaanite inscription.

Welcome to my blog on gematria, the merkabah and the birth of the alephbet. It’s the last topic in particular, and how it connects with gematria and the merkabah that I’d like to draw your attention to today. The last...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Feb 13, 2019, 9:42 PM

Titzaveh: Is Cotton a Type of Linen?

The Hebrew language has several words to refer to "linen”: pishtah/pishtan/pishtim (“flax”), butz, sheish (Yoma 71b), and bahd (Zevachim 18b). In fact, the Talmud explicitly defines the last two words as “linen” — which is known in the Talmud as kitna (see also Targum to Ex. 9:31). The word kitna refers to “linen”...

Feb 12, 2019, 3:21 PM

Israeli Hebrew – a story of a language (2)

Israeli Hebrew and its native speakers At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Zionist activists began to call for Hebrew as the language of speech in the Land of Israel. At that time,...

Feb 11, 2019, 7:29 AM

The ubiquitous Israeli hand signal that signifies asking for patience.

In a recent Facebook exchange with a friend, I explained my issue with the word “tolerance.” To me, the concept is problematic. Much as I would like for our world to be a nicer, friendlier place, I don’t know...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Feb 9, 2019, 9:45 PM

Titzaveh: Of Hats and Belts

The Torah teaches us about the special garments to be worn by the kohanim(priests) while performing the ritual duties in the Tabernacle/Holy Temple. The regular kohen wears four such garments: pants, a belt, a hat, and a tunic. The kohen gadol (high priest) wears...

Feb 7, 2019, 2:37 PM

Candy stripes and the road

Kissing cars

Did you ever notice how Israeli parking is dictated by colors painted on the curb? Which are then ignored when the rules get in the way

Reuven Chaim Klein

Feb 6, 2019, 10:01 PM

Terumah: Cherubic Children and Other Angels

The Torah commands that atop the Holy Ark in the Tabernacle they should make two kruvim (“cherubim”) facing each other. The Talmud explains that kruvim looked like young children. At the same time, kruvim are also the name of certain destructive angels said to protect...

Reuven Chaim Klein

Feb 4, 2019, 10:06 PM

Terumah: Sacred Spaces

There are two words which refer to the accumulation of holiness on a spatial level: Mishkan and Mikdash. Although the Talmud (Eruvin 2a) admits that these two words can sometimes be used almost interchangeably, they are not truly synonymous. They actually refer to...

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