Rabbi Levi Cooper is Director of Advanced Programs at Pardes. His column appears weekly in The Jerusalem Post Up Front Magazine.

Each column analyses a passage from the first tractate of the Talmud, Brachot, citing commentators and adding a new angle to these timeless texts.

2009

Guardian Angels

The Quest for Tranquility

Hillel's Unrelenting Faith

Dangers of Bathing

Detailed Thanks

Justice and a Good Lawyer

On Leniency

On 'Humra' Tendencies

Two Evil Inclinations

The Gift of Giving

Sinai - the Sequel?

Seeing the Sea

Fiery Furnaces

The Halla Thief

Beauty and Judgment

Open Wide Your Little Mouth

'Nahas' for God

Does God Keep Mitzvot?

The Marks we Leave

Forget-Me-Not

The Wisdom of the Other

Pious Papus

Heavy Metal in Prayer

A Lot Can Happen in a Year

Like Fish in the Sea

Wings of a Dove

Cucumber Delicacies

A Fatal Glare

Sigh of Sadness

Gracious Guests

The Depths of the Talmud

The Wicked Son

The Sun's New Cycle

Dining with the Divine

Shabbat Requests

A Month of Exercise

The Careless Typesetter

I Just Can't Wait to be King

Clean and Fragrant Hands

Salty Hands

Audible Prayer

Success in Tough Economic Times

The Ability of the Disabled

Paths in Prayer

Hillel's Hassidic Court

Nice to See You

2008

Reedy Dreams

New Acquisitions

In the Presence of the King

The Blessing of the Masses

Overpowering Taste of the Future

Prayers for Learning

Rules of Prayer

Windows into our Inner World

Stirring up Peace

Appointing Leaders

A Taste of the World to Come

A Year that Counts

The Giver, Not the Gift

Empty Pomegranates

Perchance to Dream

Buzzing Flies

Being Privy to Changes

Tarrying at the Table

Our Cousins Ammon and Moab

Torah in Tempest

Giants of Old

Revenge

A Unifying Response

The Belly of the Matter

Blessings for the Bad

Raising your Voice

Time and Space

Close Encounters with an 'Arod'

Garlic Breath

Slithering Prayers

Bless You

Torah with Love

Amen, Brother!

Cornerstones of Gratitude

A Moment of Disruption

Enticing the Body to Join the Soul

Erev Pessah Forgetfulness

Let the Torah not Depart

A Joyful Countenance

Sweet Redemption

Purim Forever

Mystical Talmud

Spitting in Your Face

Power to Create Obligations

Wisdom at the Dinner Table

Rules and Exceptions

Olive Bulks

Walk the Walk

Part of the Divine Plan

From the Mouths of Fetuses

Enfranchising the Unlearned

Auspicious Signs

2007

Plundering Egypt

Missing our Beloved Deceased

Grace after Meals

Competing Values

Rabbi M.D.

After you, Sir

Whom you Marry

Fear Factor

Fruit of the Promised Land

Sweet Scents

Blessings in the Land

The Priority of Food

Day or Night - When do we Start?

I Will Bless Those Who Bless You

It's All in a Name

L'haim

Fear of God in Our Hands

Torah and Labor

Lessons Learned

Where Penitents Stand

Is There a Blessing Over Manna?

How Much Time Should it Take to Pray?

Foundations of a Mountain

Refusing to Lead

Unique Contributions

Admitting that we Don't Know

Compassion for the Unknowledgeable

Timbres of Encouragement

If You Can Be Good, Do Not Be Called Bad

Communal Learning

Minding Other People's Business

For the Benefit of the People

Absentminded Prayer

Windows for Prayer

Tempering Enjoyment

How Prayer Affects Study

Worth Paying the Price

To Forget or Not to Forget

The Power of Tears

Regarding Doctors

Filing Claims Against the Almighty

Unnecessary Havdala

Grabbing God's Lapels

Potency of Shabbat

Quest for Balance

Judging Divinely

Saying Good-Bye

Death at a Wedding

Undermining The Dream

A Conscientious Approach to Prayer

Burdens of Leadership

2006

The Student Legacy

Studying 'Higayon'

It Was Greek To Me

Holy Congregations

Adding Benches to the Beit Midrash

Halacha and Aggada - Inseparable Sisters

Sacrifices of the Heart

The Legal Power of the People

An Endless Journey

Birth Pangs

Dust in the Wind

Time And Time Again

Extraordinary First Steps

Vessels Filled With Shame

Last-Minute Preparations

For Pity's Sake

Mutual Responsibility

Human Dignity as a Legal Consideration

The Four Cubits of Halacha

War Charms

Marching Orders

Reading Far-Fetched Passages

Judging Favorably

The Mikve of Our Heritage

What Do The Dead Know?

Public Funds

Compromise or Decide

Post-Sinai Paradigms

The Core of Our People

Desiring the Heart

Repugnant Locations for Sin

Impressions from our Actions

Master Chefs of the Future

What's in a Name?

Effective Community Prayers

The Merit of Facilitators

Who Knows Four?

Fine-Tuning Our Prayers

Brazen Attacks on Contributors

Adding a Personal Prayer

Hand Motions During Prayer

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

Class Differences

Broadminded Activism

Seeking Truth

Where Will You Go for Community?

Preservation and Innovation

Prayer as a Strong Box

Passionate Encounters

Sweet Torah Study

2005

God: Teacher of Torah

Abundant and Everlasting Love

The Dining Room Altar

Harsh Words

Taking the First Step

Doorways to Prayer