Our guest today is Rabbi Etan Mintz, leader of the B’nai Israel congregation in Baltimore, MD. Rabbi Mintz studied for two years at Yeshivat Sha’alvim in Israel, and received rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University's Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He also holds a Masters Degree in Jewish Philosophy and Mysticism from the Bernard Revel Graduate School, and an M.P.A. from the Kennedy School at Harvard University. Prior to B’nai Israel, he served for five years as Associate Rabbi at the Hebrew Institute under the mentorship of Rabbi Avi Weiss. He also taught Jewish thought, text and practice at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, Maryland, and has served as a summer rabbi at The Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, NY. Rabbi Mintz is active in community affairs, serving on the Johns Hopkins University Bioethics Committee, and the boards of Historic Jonestown, Inc., the Center for Jewish Education (“CJE”), and various other Associated Jewish Federation’s foundations and commissions.
This week's Torah portion – Parashat Vayera (Genesis 18:1-22:24) – features several of the most well-known stories in the Bible, including the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the birth of Isaac, the banishment of Hagar and Ishmael, and the binding of Issac. Our discussion focuses on Abraham’s encounter with the three Angels and on the nature of these angels.
Our Past discussions of Vayera:
Rabbi Amy Levin on the binding of Isaac, and on the significance of the word Hineni ('here I am')
Rabbi Talia Avnon Benveniste on the lessons of the Binding of Isaac
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