Rabbi Michael Emerson is Director of Special Projects at Pardes. Raised in Memphis, TN, he graduated from Columbia University and completed a Master’s Degree in Education and Jewish Studies at NYU. Michael received rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, and is a Wexner Graduate Fellowship/Davidson Scholar alumnus.
Michael made aliyah from Columbus, Ohio, where he served as Program Director of the Wexner Service Corps, a service-learning fellowship for Jewish teens. He has taught Tanakh at SAR High School and at the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education. Michael lives in Israel with his wife, Dr. Adina Bitton, and their four children.
Parashat Chaye Sarah 5782 – Rivka: The Original Influencer Description: In Parashat Chaye Sarah, Avraham sends his servant Eliezer on a mission to find a spouse for his son Yitzchak. Avraham doesn’t offer much in the way of criteria, but…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chaye Sarah
Parashat Naso contains a variety of topics, including the Birkat Kohanim, the priestly blessing. While at first glance, the life of a Kohen, priest, is a life of glamour and elite status, when one delves a bit deeper into the…
Tanakh, Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers), Naso
Aharon’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, make a tragic mistake during the inauguration of the mishkan and it costs them their lives. When Moshe attempts to console Aharon, the Torah reports that Aharon was silent. How do we interpret this reaction?…
Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Shemini
After an impassioned speech from Yehuda, Yosef dramatically reveals his identity, and it is finally his chance to unleash his years of pent up anger and frustration on his brothers. However, Yosef chooses a different approach and calmly demonstrates to…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), VaYigash