Torah Library
What does it mean to stand in relation to God—as an individual and as a community? How can mere humans stand before God—and what if we have doubts about God in the first place? These kinds of fundamental questions take on new richness and depth when viewed through the prism of Torah—and as a prism through which to view Torah itself.
Every year, we read the entire Torah, one portion per week. Every year we find ourselves, our troubles and our victories, our hopes and our dreams, reflected in the text. Hadar produces weekly podcasts and essays on the parashah. In previous years, these Divrei Torah have been written by Rabbi Shai Held, Rabbi Ethan Tucker, Rabbi Avital Hochstein...
What is the proper way to act towards our fellows (bein adam lehaveiro)? Where does Judaism intersect with ethics? How much should I be giving to tzedakah/charity? These fundamental questions to leading a Jewish life are explored in these resources.
There has always been a complicated relationship between Jews living in Israel and in the Diaspora, made all the more so by the founding of the State of Israel. Come and explore our relationship and obligations to each other here.
One of the founding principles of Mechon Hadar is gender egalitarianism in a Torah-driven halakhic framework. But this doesn't mean that gender and sexuality has no impact on our lives. Explore this here.
What, and who, is a Jew? And what do different answers to these questions tell us about what Judaism means to its members and to the world at large. These resources present a considered, thoughtful, and nuanced examination of this vital, contested, and too often troubled, question.
What is the role of kashrut in the modern world? How else does my religion impact the food I eat? Is vegetarianism a substitute for/replacement of kashrut? Lofty ideals and practical applications.
Jewish prayer isn't just reciting liturgy—it's a movement of the soul, and a matter of communal politics at the same time. These resources will guide and inspire further exploration—and practice—of tefillah/Jewish prayer.
What is Shabbat all about? Why is Sukkot the festival of joy? Should I fast on the day before Pesah? The rhythm of the year is one of the main access points between us and our heritage. These resources are designed to help deepen that access. You can browse our archive by holiday using the arrows on the "Featured Collections" panel below.
In this section, you will find faculty treatments of broad textual collections (e.g. R. Ethan Tucker on Rashbam's commentary on Genesis). Here the classes are organized more by the text itself rather than any overarching theme.