Kotzk Blog

Professor Shalom Sadik Introduction A recent book by Professor Shalom Sadik—‘A Call For The Revival of Religious Philosophy’ (in Hebrew)[1]—has sparked a ferocious but fascinating debate over the resurgence of interest in the philosophical views of Maimon…

Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva in Otwock during the 1930s Introduction This article—based extensively on the research by Professor Wojciech Tworek—examines a unique Megillah (Scroll) compiled in 1936 by the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-19…

2024 marks the five hundredth anniversary of the Second Rabbinic Bible printed by Daniel Bomberg and edited by Yaakov ben Chaim Adoniyah.

A fragment from the Cairo Geniza in the hand of Maimonides' only son, Avraham ben haRambam Introduction This article—based extensively on the research by Professor Ronald Kiener—examines the contested origins of Jewish mysticism, including the neglected q…

Oleksa Dovbush 1700-1745 Introduction This article—based extensively on the research by Professor Boris Czerny[1]—examines some unusual similarities between the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of the Chassidic movement, c.1700-1760) and Oleksa Dovbush (the Ukr…

Milk urns used to bury documentation form the Warsaw Ghetto as part of the Ringelblum Archives Note: This article deals with an unusual and peripheral view that the biblical Sarah committed suicide after she heard that her son Isaac was bound on the altar.

Tiferet Yisrael by Maharal of Prague.

The Kabbalistic Eitz Chaim as depicted in an early 18th century diagram from the Klau Scrolls Collection showing the complicated mystical path to unio mystica.

This is another guest post by Rabbi Boruch Clinton, and originally appeared on his B'chol D'rachecha site.

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Hishtachavaya (full body prostration) on the Temple Mount.

The Roaring Lion by R.

Introduction This article—based extensively on the research by Professor Shai Secunda—explores aspects of the cultural, legal and spiritual background to the Babylonian Talmud.

Introduction This article—based extensively on the research by Professor Israel Koren—explores a most unusual approach to sociability, friendship and family, in the teachings R.

The Bat Rabim collection of manuscripts in the Russian State Library.

Introduction This article—based extensively on the research by Rabbi Dovid Campbell—examines the often-overlooked intellectual legacy and deep influence of Philo Judaeus of Alexandria (20 BCE-50 CE) on later Jewish thought.

Kefar Sachnin in Galilee Introduction: This article—based extensively on the research by Professor R.

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My copy of Likutei Halachot by R.

The Kedusha in a 1745 Siddur according to the custom of the Arizal Introduction This article—drawing extensively on the research by Dr Leore Sachs-Shmueli—examines a fundamental shift in the mystical interpretation of the Kedusha, recited during the commu…

548) Early Mussar: Demonic threat management and displacement of the Divine Yiddish translation of Kav haYashar Introduction In a previous article, we delved into the possibility of Sabbatian connections to, if not outright authorship of an early Mussar (…

Cairo Geniza fragment of the writings of Maimonides' son, Avraham ben haRambam Introduction This article—drawing extensively on research by Professor Paul Fenton—expands upon the previous discussion of six generations (Fenton 2025-)[1] of Maimonides’ Egyp…

Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo Introduction This article seeks to explore how thirteenth-century Jews often sought Fatwas (religious edicts) from Islamic courts to intervene during the intense period of Maimonidean Conflicts.

Homological scaffolds of the brain before and after psilocybin (Petri G., et al. 2014).

Part I Introduction Alcohol and drug abuse have long been perceived as problems external to the Jewish religious community.