Rabbi Francis Nataf

Found 2 Search results

1. A Rabbinic Reading of Shaul: The Binyaminite Hero

   Rabbi Francis Nataf | 58 minutes

   An analysis of the composite picture that emerges from a tribal study of Binyamin as the background to the countertextual rabbinic preference for Shaul over David. Through this study, we come to a greater appreciation of rabbinic parshanut, both methodologically as well as regarding the hierarchy of religious values that account for the difference visions of leadership held by Binyamin and Yehudah.

    

2. Clothing and Unclothing as Leitmotif in Yaakov's Family

   Rabbi Francis Nataf | Hour and 1 minutes

   Clothing plays a major role in defining a person’s identity and character- both as perceived by one’s self and by others. We can gain a deeper appreciation of this concept through a close examination of stories in the book of Genesis, particularly tracing the characters of Yehuda and Yosef. Through an exploration of the narratives we can appreciate that clothing serves as a method of communication, a form of identity and self-perception, and helped shaped the story of the Jewish nation.