Collection
At Madlik we light a spark or shed some light on a Jewish Text or Tradition. Created by Geoffrey Stern, an ex-Yeshiva student and along with Rabbi Adam Mintz we host Madlik Disruptive Torah on clubhouse every Thursday and share it as the Madlik podcast on your favorite platform.
madlik.com/Sheets
Filter
A New Meaning of MatzahParshat Vayikra - Leviticus opens its treatment of the sacrifices with the meal offering of unleavened cakes. The Rabbis ascribe the showcasing of this simple gift to the purity of intent of the poor and we use it to add a new perspective on the iconic start to our Seder.
The Bible's Secret SauceParshat Pekudei - The Tabernacle and its priests are ready to be dedicated and we explore the composition, context and history of the Anointment Oil as well as the generally neglected recognition of the significance of skin care and aromatherapy in the Torah.
The Tribes of IsraelParshat Tetzaveh - At the top of the hierarchy of the temple was the High Priest clothed in a breastplate and Ephod containing twelve gems representing the tribes of Israel. We explore the radical and revolutionary nature of the Tribal confederacy of Biblical Israel.
Joseph Slave TradeParshat Vayeshev - The Joseph Story connects Genesis with Exodus but breaks the rule that the father's favorite first-born son is not chosen. Joseph is different than his predecessors in so many ways. He is forced to leave his home, without a blessing or a promise of return. He is beautiful, immature and tactless, wise beyond his years, wildly successful and grows up without a mother. But most important of all Joseph is sold into slavery by his brethren.
Temples with no Cloud-CoverParshat Pekudei - We complete the Book of Exodus and its lengthy treatment of the construction of the Tabernacle. In so doing, we recognize the twofold message that the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Presence of God filled the Tabernacle but also that when the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the Israelites would set out, on their various journeys. We use this observation to address the challenge of temples which lose their spiritual cloud-cover and ruminate on the necessity for movement in Judaism.
Electric SabbathParshat Vayakhel - The explicit prohibition of the lighting and enjoyment of fire is unique amongst the forbidden activities on Shabbat and we explore how the interpretation of this taboo affects Sabbath observance up until today.
Geoffrey Stern•105 Views•March 16, 2025•Oneg Shabbat,Shabbat,Altar Fire,Shabbat Candles,VaYakhel,Electricity,Melacha,Work (מלאכה)
Feast of FoolsPurim - We focus on the irreverent celebration of this holiday rather than its story-line and text. We review Purim within the context of other similar non-Jewish holidays of irreverence and with the guidance of Harvey Cox, the esteemed Harvard theologian.
Geoffrey Stern•174 Views•March 6, 2025•Carnival,Crossdressing,Feast of Fools,Mardi Gras,Excess,Purim,Irreverence,Holi
Purim, St. Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras & moreParshat Tzav - Grab a drink as we explore this week’s Torah reading and how it relates to Spring Folly and Spring Cleaning. Exposed to the ingredients that are used in the sacrifices we realize that Hametz, Matzah and Bread (not to mention hard liquor) have significance unrelated to the Exodus story and more related to the trials, violence as well as joys of life.
Torah on the MoveParshat Terumah - As the details of the design and furnishings of the mobile Tabernacle are introduced it becomes clear that the focal point is the Ark housing the Tablets and/or Torah. We explore the seminal concept of a people moving with their sacred text.
Geoffrey Stern•163 Views•February 23, 2025•Sefer Torah,Parshat Terumah,Ark of the Covenent,Tabernacle,Terumah,Ark
Lost & FoundParshat Ki Teitzei - The Torah teaches that one must return a lost object and the great sages Abaye and Rava argue over the dynamics of loss and despair! We swim in this iconic Talmudic text to find what we have lost...
Geoffrey Stern•1713 Views•September 10, 2024•Abaye,Talmud,Rava,Greek,Despair,Anthropology,יֵאוּשׁ,Sociology
Torah - Not a Code of LawParshat Mishpatim - We look at the so-called "Code of Law" presented in Exodus, and immediately after the revelation at Sinai, through the lens of Umberto Cassuto, one of the greatest Biblical scholars unknown or ignored by Biblical scholarship.
Geoffrey Stern•208 Views•February 16, 2025•Torah,Code of Law,Mishpatim,Hammurabi,Umberto Cassuto,Parshat Mishpatim
The Art of the StealParshat Yitro - The Ten Commandments are fairly straightforward until we get to the prohibition against stealing. Turns out that the Rabbis believe that "You shall not Steal' refers to kidnapping rather than theft. We explore the Rabbis deep interest and insight into stealing.
Geoffrey Stern•217 Views•February 6, 2025•Deception,Parshat Yitro,Sleep,Yitro,Livelihood,Gambling,Theft,Stealing
Root Experience - Beyond PhilosophyParshat Beshalach - A modern Jewish philosopher takes an innocuous Midrash on the Song of the Sea to explain the revolution in post-holocaust Jewish philosophy. Citing the works of Martin Buber, Elie Wiesel and Yitz Greenberg, Emile Fackenheim coins the term Root Experience and we gain a revolutionary new understanding of the Jewish dynamic with historical thinking and a new insight into the world of Midrash.
Making Lemonade from LemonsParshat Vayigash - Joseph reconciles with his bothers and the text provides a paradigm not so much of forgiveness but rather for rehabilitation, acceptance of failure and the ability to turn a culture of grievance to a narrative of ambition and success.
Geoffrey Stern•331 Views•January 1, 2025•Blame,Reconciliation,Joseph and His Brothers,Vayigash,Forgiveness (מחילה)
SolalunaParshat Bo - According to Rabbinic tradition, the twelfth chapter of Exodus’ requirement that the Israelites take the lunar month of Aviv as the beginning of their calendrical year is the first commandment in this book of Laws. We consider the substance and ramifications of the Israelite and latter Jewish calendar in the context of other alternatives and the Exodus story itself.
Geoffrey Stern•320 Views•January 26, 2025•Rosh Hodesh,New Year,Calendar,Solar,Time of the Redemption,Parshat Bo,Moon,New Moons,Lunar
Raise Your HandParshat Vaera - There's a lot of hand motions and sign language in Exodus. Aaron lifts up his rod and he extends his hand against the waters of Egypt and God promises to redeem the Israelites with an outstretched arm. Scholars have noted that the Torah has the richest source of gesture phrases of any ancient Near Eastern religion or literature. The Psalms are full of supplications that include the gesture of raising one's hands and God pledges to bring the Israelites into the land of Israel by raising His hand. So why are hand gestures virtually non-existent in Jewish ritual and prayer? We explore.
Geoffrey Stern•397 Views•January 19, 2025•Prayer,Non-Verbal Language,Gestures,Vaera,Hands,Kinyan,Washing of the Hands,Pledges,Oath
The Nativity of MosesParshat Shemot - The story of the miraculous birth, rescuel and rise to power of Moses is striking in how closely it parallels other birth of a savior myths both before and after. It is also striking how Moses’s birth story, like his final resting place is like an unmarked grave. It leaves little to no mark on Jewish tradition or the subsequent story of the Exodus. We explore.
unto the third generation - grandparentingParshat Vayechi - The blessing given to Ephraim and Manasseh is iconic and right up there with the Priestly blessing. It is traditionally given every Friday night to one's children around the Shabbat table. Surprisingly, it is actually a blessing of Jacob; a grandfather to his grandchildren. We use this as an opportunity to explore the role of grandparenting in our tradition.
IMAGINE and the jewsShabbat Hanukah - Christmas is a universal “Imagine” holiday while Hanukah celebrates the victory of the few against the many in the 2nd century BCE Seleucid Empire. There are those, especially nationalistic Jews, who have argued that Christmas and Hanukah actually showcase the contrasting world-view of Christianity and Judaism. The one naively universal and the other preferential, particular and partisan. The one utopian and the other multi-cultural. While there may be truth to these distinctions, we risk negating the universal and utopian from Judaism which gave historical progress and redemption to the world. So, join us as we use a traditional Shabbat-meal song to compliment John Lennon’s IMAGINE to make our point.
What Israel MeansParshat Vayishlach - From the first chapters of Genesis when Adam named the animals, naming in the Biblical narrative is a powerful tool which defines destiny. This process reaches a climax with the re-naming of Jacob and the birth of Israel. We explore the nuances of this name Israel, that until today defines and inspires the Jewish People and their land.
Geoffrey Stern•432 Views•December 10, 2024•Straight,Crooked,Limp,Heal,VaYishlach,Israel,Names,Yaakov
Editors
GS
Geoffrey Stern
Owner