Each Shavuot Jews gather to read the Book of Ruth… but why? The Book of Ruth doesn’t seem to have any connection to this joyous festival! Dig a little deeper however, and we can find many intricate hidden harmonies and surprising ties between the timeless tale of Ruth and the cherished holiday of Shavuot
Gershom Scholem’s acerbic wit was on full display in the notes he scribbled on works written by a particular Theosophist author…
Until the 18th century, tarot cards were simply playing cards. It was then that occult researchers became convinced that these cards in fact held magical properties, and that they contained a secret truth that originated in ancient Egypt and was preserved in Jewish mysticism…
Were they men or women, rabbis or sorcerers, legal experts or ignoramuses?
Message sent to ‘The Holy Ari’ reflects his influence at the time, outside the mystical realm
A new cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic was a great opportunity to speak with Emanuel Lottem, who translated Dune into Hebrew. The result was a fascinating conversation about fantasy literature in Israel and how Lottem came to translate the book while enlisting the help of his colleagues at the Foreign Ministry…
What are the strange biblical origins of the term “scapegoat”? And what does it have to do with the Jewish Day of Atonement?
Kabbalistic literature looked for ancient symbols through which it could express its daring innovations. It found such a symbol in the Menorah…
