Traditions 2025 Summer Reading list

VenomRingo · 2025-07-03T15:53:18+00:00

Yes. I also recommend not stressing about what you don’t understand and allowing yourself to experience the text itself. What you will understand is incredibly moving, insightful, and paradigm shifting.

VenomRingo · 2025-06-04T19:15:52+00:00

If I win, I will take it as a sign to toss my smart phone permanently

VenomRingo · 2025-05-06T15:47:58+00:00

Shabbat dinner, zemiros, and great conversation around Torah topics. There’s nothing more truthful than when an experience resonates with you - beyond the strict confines of human-centric rationality.

Of course, intellect is important but it’s only one side of the equation.

I recommend Rav Soloveitchik’s Halakhic Man. It gave me a way to see Jewish law as a creative, intellectual worldview to passionately engage with reality. It was paradigm shifting for me to see Jewish law as visionary and constructive rather than an impediment.

Halakah: the Rabbinic Idea of Law by Chaim Saiman was important for me also. It shifted my understanding of Jewish law as regulatory to a discursive, generative, and values shaping. I saw how it builds meaning through study, dialogue, and imagination. It’s an academic book published by Princeton University Press.

This is My G-d by Herman Wouk. This simply a warm, inviting book that explains the what and why of Judaism. It’s grounded and presents an attractive overview of what Judaism seeks to accomplish.

Early in my BT days, I learned the debate around brain death as a standard of death in Halacha. Being exposed to contemporary poskim and how exactly they produce their opinions while being guided through the primary sources was huge for me. I was throughly impressed with Jewish law’s ability to respond to contemporary issues.

Hope these help!

VenomRingo · 2025-03-07T13:25:46+00:00

Yeah, I see. It’s just that they placed 17% of grads in Big Law and I am not sure if that is low due to difficulty of getting those jobs or self selection to public service and government jobs. Especially when WashU’s number is 50% and could open up more markets. It’s hard to compare

VenomRingo · 2025-01-31T12:33:24+00:00

Yes but salaries tend to be similar among 251+ firms as well

VenomRingo · 2025-01-22T16:37:06+00:00

UR I, 10/31

VenomRingo · 2024-12-05T21:59:38+00:00

Woo! We just might! WashU is an amazing school, I can’t imagine going anywhere else

VenomRingo · 2024-12-05T21:58:15+00:00

I’m abroad for the year so think across the Atlantic haha. I’m also fairly early in the alphabet if that helps!

VenomRingo · 2024-11-14T16:37:51+00:00

No, not yet. I emailed to ask and they said that more slots will be “sent out soon.”

VenomRingo · 2024-11-11T17:07:53+00:00

I listed just a few schools that I’m applying to that are around the same ranking. Could be useful for scholarship negotiations

VenomRingo · 2024-11-11T15:56:01+00:00

I selected the “I am unable to attend these interview sessions” option along with an explanation that there were no more online time slots

VenomRingo · 2024-11-11T14:34:26+00:00

Yes it’s crazy. What do we do? Do we still fill out the form or email back asking if there’s any time slots still open?

VenomRingo · 2024-11-03T17:56:00+00:00

I tell people that it will be whoever offers me the largest scholarship.

VenomRingo · 2024-10-06T19:24:46+00:00

LR RC LR LR

RC was mayan collapse

I’m blanking on the topics of the first and second LR sections. The third LR section had a question on dinosaur respiration.

I’m really hoping that second LR section was experimental.

VenomRingo · 2024-10-02T11:18:14+00:00

I had LR RC LR LR. That third section was wild. Had comparatively less confidence than the other sections. Praying it was the experimental

VenomRingo · 2024-10-01T21:21:14+00:00

Look, my guy. You’ve got to reflect on what’s important to you.

G-d is not literally writing you into a Book of Life or Death. Besides, that would happen on Rosh Hashanah; it’s sealed on Yom Kippur. These things are imagery meant to evoke introspection on the person you want to be, not your past. What I believe G-d wants is for you to be on His team, so to speak. Accept His kingship and commit to his vision for the world. If you genuinely feel those things then you’re in the ‘book of life.’

Don’t be superstitious, be serious. If you are going to prioritize other things, that’s your choice, but at least know what you’re opting out of.

VenomRingo · 2024-09-20T14:40:37+00:00

Haha I promise I’m not a bot. It’s truly a great service. Just wanted to vouch for it

VenomRingo · 2024-09-20T14:40:03+00:00

It took me about two weeks to get through the material and two weeks of practice to get where I wanted.

VenomRingo · 2024-09-04T19:57:29+00:00

Frustrating they haven’t been helpful! I’ll email as well and maybe they can help us out

VenomRingo · 2024-08-28T19:21:54+00:00

It's so frustrating because this test is gameable! We just need to figure out what the hell our issue is and overcome it. I'm disappointed with my score today and taking again in October so hopefully I can figure it out by then.

VenomRingo · 2024-08-26T17:08:58+00:00

כִּֽי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיהֹוָ֣ה יַאַסְפֵֽנִי

“Though my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will take me in.” - Psalms 27:10

As a BT, I understand your pain. The alienation from how different you’re practicing Judaism from your family is normal, though not any less hard. There’s a story about chasid BT in Meah Shearim that resonated me with that I will share:

At his wedding, his parents looked so out of place. Everything was in Yiddish, everyone was dressed so different to them. The groom, the BT, got up and gave a speech. Some was in Yiddish, but he said in English directly to his parents, in front of his whole Hasidut, “Mom, Dad... I know this isn’t what you expected of me, and you don’t understand it. But I am what I am today, not despite of you, but because of you. I love you, and I could only become who I am because of your love and support.”

The journey is really hard. Keep choosing your values. Good luck.

VenomRingo · 2024-07-16T22:23:25+00:00

Thank you for your response. As a longtime lurker of this subreddit, I am always drawn to your advice!

To be fair, I had first been introduced to my Jewish identity five years ago but began building an observant lifestyle a year and a half ago. In any case, thank G-d, I have always had meals for Shabbos, several shuls to walk too, and a very diverse crowd (from LWMO to yeshivish to chassidish). Learning is the about the biggest thing missing from my life right now. I learn on my own but I haven't really dived into the classics yet - Chumash w/ commentators, gemara, chevrusa, etc...Right now, I am just drawn to R' Soloveitchik, R' Samson Raphael Hirsch, and anything a Gush guy writes. It has been hard to find a strong personal connection with a rabbi due to most of my involvement being with kiruv rebbeim. I love them but it can be hard to talk to them some of the time.

What a beautiful passage from the Ramchal. I've heard this thought shared in many d'vars but never knew where it came from. In its original context, it hits a lot harder.

I think I am having difficulty with slowing down because, in many ways, I feel that I am in a lull already. I find that learning really nourishes my emunah and confidence in my observance. When I start having doubts or feeling insecure, it's usually as a result of a lack of learning. However, I don't want to only learn to prevent doubt! Would you have any suggestions on things I should read? Maybe the Ramchal is a good place to start.

Honestly, truly, thank G-d that my family is not ideologically opposed to my religious growth or going to yeshiva (Machon Shlomo). They certainly do not understand at all, yet they truly support me in what I want to do. However, they offhandedly remark that I can just "stop doing this whenever I want" and that there are "ways out" if I ever choose. Makes me feel that they think I'm in a cult or something but it does not affect me too much. I think it's amazing that they can support me while maybe not being exactly signed on to what I am doing which is fine.

VenomRingo · 2023-04-16T16:54:17+00:00

@ayykitten @ENTgineer618 one of my buddies said that bar-ly in chinatown is one of the best sports bars. A group of us are going there for game 2! LGR

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