Scroll of Esther

At the beginning of the month of Tammuz 5349 [began June 15, 1589], in order not to remain idle, I began to give lessons in Torah to the son of Manasseh Levi of blessed memory and to Joseph the son of…

I set my table with metaphor: the curling parsley—green sign nailed to the doors of God’s underground; salt of desert and eyes; the roasted shank bone of a Pascal lamb, relic of sacrifice and…

This altar is approximately 3.5 feet (1.1 m) tall and 5 feet (1.5 m) square. The protrusions at its upper corners are reminiscent of the “horns” of the Tabernacle altar (see “The Tabernacle”)…