Parasha Ki-Teitze
For those of you who love text study, or just enjoy reading different interpretations of Torah, JVoices has three different readings on this week’s Parasha, which examines the Torah’s prohibition on cross-dressing. For Rabbi Eli Kukla and Reuben Zellman, prohibitions are not always as they appear. Jill Weiss gives a personal account of growing up in an Orthodox Jewish commmunity and coming to understand her identity as a transgender woman and Aaron Freeman provides a little comic relief.
Enjoy!
If the Torah was a steel beam “Rabbi” Eli Kukla would be superman bending it into a pretzel. In all the years I visit Jewschool ( not many) I have never read such meaningless drivel.
Two references to the Talmud and we are supposed to be duped into thinking he is not simply explaining his own preconceived notions?
—formermuslim · September 1st, 2006 at 8:02 am
I’m so glad that you’ve cleared up for us how Torah should be interpreted. I was wondering who makes those rules. Tell me, how many Talmudic references are required in order to make your cut? I have a feeling that it was the content, not the number of Talmudic references, that might have made you react negatively to this piece.
How about bothering to engage with content next time before you dole out criticism?
—saltyfemme · September 1st, 2006 at 8:39 am
The article was vague. I am used to reading Torah exegesis where even the most abstract concepts were eventually made concrete. This article had none of that. It started vague, it ended vague: ?:
‘Bring out your inner gender without harming anyone?’
Ten bucks are waiting for you at paypal if you can explain what exactly he meant.
—formermuslim · September 1st, 2006 at 8:49 am
Formermuslim,
Seriously, why do you read Jewschool, and why do you post comments? You disagree with virtually all of the opinions, and you seem to dislike most of the people who hang out here. In fact, as I was clicking on the “Comments” link, I thought “formermuslim will have something negative to say about this - and there it was.
You complain constantly about the “liberal” bias displayed here, but you know, going in, that this is considered to be a progressive blog. Wouldn’t you be happier at a blog maintained by a Chareidi or right-wing Modern Orthodox person?
—cipher · September 2nd, 2006 at 6:23 am
formermuslim, what about the saying “The Torah has sevety faces” and the “Spirit of the time”?Both are mentioned extensively in halachaic debate- the rules of the Torah(if you believe in them) were built as a guide to a better life, not as unchanging prison bars.
—AntonGarou · September 2nd, 2006 at 3:12 pm
cipher- I don’t dislike the people here. And I don’t complain about the liberal bias, I voice(write) my disagreements. They are many, I know.
And being a progresive blog does not mean you have to accept nonsense.
—formermuslim · September 5th, 2006 at 8:56 am