Articles from Rabbi Joel Landau

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The Jewish News of Northern California

the canopy of a tall tree, seen from below

Trees, humans, and the City of San Francisco: A Tu B’Shevat warning

by Rabbi Joel Landau February 3, 2023February 3, 2023

In the laws of warfare, the Torah directs, “When you lay siege to a city and wage war, you must not destroy its trees … for is a tree of […]

From "The Punishment of Antiochus" by Gustave Doré

Torah

What Hanukkah teaches us about the pressure to conform

by Rabbi Joel Landau December 6, 2018

"The Tower of Babel" by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1563

Torah

Tower of Babel: What is gained and lost in translation?

by Rabbi Joel Landau October 11, 2018October 12, 2018

"Gassed" by John Singer Sargent, 1919

From the time of Moses to now, what are the rules of war?

by Rabbi Joel Landau August 16, 2018

How much does the Bible really care about this red cow?

Does the Torah mean what it says literally?

by Rabbi Joel Landau June 22, 2018June 25, 2018

This week's Torah portion introduces the commandment to leave fallen harvest in the field to be "gleaned" by the poor, as illustrated here in "The Gleaners" by Gustave Doré from the 1865 La Sainte Bible.

What makes us different? And what makes us holy?

by Rabbi Joel Landau April 26, 2018

Imentet and Ra from the tomb of Nefertari, 13th century BCE. When the Israelites left Egypt, they felt lost without the rich visuals of Egyptian religion.

Put down your iPhone (read: idol) and teach some Torah to a child

by Rabbi Joel Landau March 2, 2018March 2, 2018

"The Stone Breakers" by Gustave Courbet, 1849

It’s hard. But you have to stop working all the time.

by Rabbi Joel Landau January 12, 2018January 12, 2018