The AJR Center for Judaism and Science has an annual competition for the best student D’var Torah infused with science. Click here to view the entries that have won our לדעת חכמה (Lada’at Hokhmah) Award.
Parashat Vayeitzei – 5786
November 26, 2025
Rabbi Wendy Love Anderson
Separating Joys A D’var Torah for Parashat Vayeitzei By Rabbi Wendy Love Anderson When Jacob finally marries his uncle Laban’s daughter in Parashat Vayeitzei, he discovers that he and Laban disagree about which daughter he is supposed to marry. But Jacob and Laban do agree that every wedding is a week-long affair; Jacob makes no objection to Laban’s suggestion that he wait to marry Rachel until “the week of this one” – Leah – is over. Apparently, the entire bridal week is spent feasting, judging by the later wedding precedents of Samson (Judg. 14:11) and Tobit (Tob. 11:18). An anonymous baraita in the Babylonian Talmud (Ketubot 7b) updates the practice for rabbinic norms: not only are there seven days of feasting, but also seven days of reciting the birkat hatanim – the grooms’ blessing. This blessing is the ancestor of our Sheva Berakhot, which can still be recited at a...
Parashat Toledot – 5786
November 17, 2025
Rabbi Cantor Inna Serebro-Litvak ('16)
A D’var Torah for Parashat Toledot By Rabbi Inna Serebro-Litvak Aa -pchee (I sneeze) “Bless you” – you say. Oh, thank you! Thank you for your blessings! I feel very blessed! To say “Bless you” after someone sneezes has become an integral part of our everyday speech and when we say it, we don’t even realize that we are “bestowing” a blessing over someone. One of the reasons Americans say “bless you” is because people used to believe a sneeze caused someone to expel their soul out of their body, and so “God bless you” or “Bless you” was used as a protection against the devil snatching your soul. One thing is certain – the word “blessing” holds a great power! According to Merriam-Webster.com, “blessing is defined as a) the act or words of one that blesses and b) approval or encouragement.” When we offer a blessing, we are essentially...
Parashat Hayyei Sarah – 5786
November 13, 2025
Rabbi Dorit Edut
A D’var Torah for Parashat Hayyei Sarah By Rabbi Dorit Edut For the last two years our Jewish people have been in a state of trauma and mourning – yes, I would say it is PTSD on a national scale. We’ve been worried constantly about what was happening in Israel, especially with the hostages, and worried about our physical safety and emotional security in the Diaspora. Now with the return of the living Israeli hostages from Gaza, and some of the bodies of the murdered hostages, we are able to have a modicum of relief, a chance to begin mourning rituals, and a ‘moment to breathe again’, as Rabbi Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Ha-Levi said in their recent “For Heaven’s Sake” podcast. As regards those of us in the Diaspora, there is a momentary lull, though we still live with much anxiety and keep both eyes and ears open...
Parashat Vayeira 5786
November 3, 2025
Rabbi Rachel Posner and PhD
Abraham’s Vision: Welcoming the Stranger A D’var Torah for Parashat Vayeira by Rabbi Rachel Posner, Ph.D. (AJR 25) In the middle of the day, under the full weight of the desert sun, God appears to Abraham as he sits at the entrance of his tent. So opens the scene in which we witness our patriarch’s radical hospitality. The theme of vision preoccupies the opening of our (appropriately titled) Parashat Vayeira (“and He appeared”): Genesis 18:1–2 וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ הֹ’ בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃ HaShem appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot. וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רׇץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃ Looking up, he saw three figures standing near him. Perceiving this, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them, bowing to the ground. God...
October 27, 2025
Rabbi Kaya Stern-Kaufman
The Eternal As Our Compass A D’var Torah for Lekha By Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman The Eternal As Our Compass A D’var Torah for Parashat Lekh Lekha By Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman (AJR ’11) Perhaps you are familiar with the opening phrase of this week’s Torah portion in which God speaks to Avram and tells him “Lekh Lekha-Go Forth, and leave your native land and your father’s house.” Much ink has been spilled exploring the meaning of these opening words; the command to leave behind all that is familiar. But this week, I want to focus on Avram’s destination. There is an interesting lack of clarity as to where exactly he, and by extension, we are meant to go. The complete opening verse states: And the Eternal said to Avram, Go forth from your native land, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” (Gen. 12:1) And thus, the story of the founding of the...
