Leon Morris Rabbi Leon A. Morris It will be helpful at the beginning to just look at the two texts of Hin’ni (see pages 226–227). These two versions of Hin’ni were provided in the Mishkan HaNefesh pilot for Rosh HaShanah evening. The first, which would go on the right side, is essentially just a new translation of … Read more
Rabbi Leon A. Morris I wanted to speak to two categories of ideas related to N’ilah, the first inside the machzor and then the second what operates beyond the machzor. First, in terms of inside the machzor, if you have the source sheet, this would be the first source. One of the cen- tral pieces … Read more
By KARL GROSSMAN “As you know, Dasee and I have always aspired to make aliyah to Israel, and to be a part of what we see as the most important project of the Jewish people in our time,” Rabbi Leon Morris wrote to the members of Temple Adas Israel in January. And on June … Read more
Rabbi Leon A. Morris The context for this discussion is that the highlight of the traditional Yom Kippur liturgy has historically been Seder HaAvodah. It is, of course, a poetic recollection and a kind of literary re-creation of the ceremony of Yom Kippur as it was performed in the days of the Temples, the First … Read more
Introduction The minyan, the required quorum of ten adult Jews needed for public prayer, has constituted a core component of Jewish life throughout the millennia. In the context of communal worship, the minyan represents a microcosm of the entirety of the Jewish people, whose primary spiritual experiences are public and communal. the notion of the … Read more
Rabbi Leon A. Morris The words of Seder HaAvodah recall the approach of the High Priest into the Holy of Holies and the sending off of the scapegoat into the wilderness. With the destruction of the Temple, sacrifices ceased, and the ancient rite of Yom Kippur came to an end. The sole means for effectuating … Read more
Pastor Katrina Foster and I discuss commonalities between Christianity and Judaism, as well as my future work in Israel and the challenges Israel is facing.
Rabbi Leon Morris and Prof. Steven Cohen, Tablet, February 4, 2014 Moses’ marriage has become the subject of much speculation in Reform circles recently. The websites of some of the most prominent outreach organizations in Jewish life, such as the Jewish Outreach Institute,Interfaith Family, and the Union for Reform Judaism all feature pieces about the … Read more
Adding Benches to the Study Hall – Rabbi Leon A. Morris Originally published in Hanan Harchol: Jewish Food for Thought – Exhibition Catalogue and Commentary. There is an intriguing story in the Babylonian Talmud about the ousting and succession of the man who held the highest rabbinic position in the land of Israel, the Nasi, or … Read more
Ha’aretz, October 9th, 2013 When being culturally ‘Jew-ish’ in America means little more than lox and bagels and a vague duty to repair the world, Israel should also be worried. The recent Pew Study revealed that 22 percent of American Jews describe themselves as having “no religion” (up from just 7 percent a decade ago). … Read more