Musings on the Torah

The uniquely Jewish year doesn't start in Tishrei but rather in Nissan which is the month of the Exodus—הַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם רֹאשׁ חֳדָשִׁים רִאשׁוֹן הוּא לָכֶם לְחׇדְשֵׁי הַשָּׁנָה (Shemos 12:2).  Tishrei is the seventh month of the Jewish covenantal calendar year and yet we celebrate the New Year on its first day—not Nissan's.  What gives? The Mishnah (RH 1:2) pegs the first day of Tishrei as the day upon which all humans are judged for the year—בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כָּל בָּאֵי הָעוֹלָם עוֹבְרִין לְפָנָיו כִּבְנֵי מָרוֹן. Human judgement and accountability aren't particular to the Jews, it is a species-wide event encompassing all of humanity.  Cue the Deluge and Sodom; Nineveh is exhibit A for the concept and power of Teshuvah.  The annual agricultural cycle commences and concludes in Tishrei.  The opinion adopted by the Rosh Hashanah liturgy is that the world was created on the first day of Tishrei—זֶה הַיּוֹם תְּחִלַּת מַעֲשֶׂיךָ זִכָּרוֹן לְיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן (wi...

Judaism. So many definitions. But boiled down to its (Rabbinic) core a very specific and gendered essence begins to emerge.  Consider the Eved Canaani. He is obligated in mitzvos like a Jewess. When he is freed he is stepped up to the full observance reserved for Jewish men.  What about a Shifcha Canaanis? Is there any difference between her obligations in mitzvos and that of a full fledged Jewish woman? Apparently not (see Avnei Neizer YD 350:2 ). She is under the same halachic system as a Jewish woman (personal status issues aside). What then distinguishes her from a Jewess? Her ability to birth Jews. She is just as obligated in mitzvos as a Jewish woman but being that her children aren't Jewish she too isn't.  Prior to Mattan Torah, Chazal are of the opinion that Avraham and his progeny were Jewish.  What was the implication of that designation? For males it was circumcision.  What about for females? Ramban writes that from when Avraham entered the Bris he ...