Rashbam: Habitual vs. Strategic Action (Shmini)
Nadav and Avihu offer strange fire and burn up instead in God’s fire. What did they do wrong? Rashbam suggests it’s a matter of habit versus strategy.
Rashbam
Rashbam: Uproot and Interpret (Tzav)
Rashbam – an avowed pshat interpreter – nonetheless includes a rabbinic interpretation that “uproots the plain meaning of the verse.”
Rashbam: Teaching Atonement (Vayikra)
With priests, sacrifices, and sins, Leviticus has lots of ways for people to ritually repair mistakes. What happens when the priests themselves mess up?
Rashbam: Clouded Out (Pekudei)
The Mishkan is finished. But Moses can’t enter and speak with God. What’s clouding this relationship? Rashi, the midrash Tanchuma, and Rashbam share ideas.
Rashbam: A Teacher for the Ages (Vayakhel)
It’s my 100th post! My teacher of the year Rashbam teaches about teaching, and I reflect on some of my early gimmicks for adding content to the blog.