Judaism (Page 33)


Know thy enemy

Hamas ' acts and those of the Gazans who came in their wake and cheered them on are a violation of the very foundation of the essence of what it means to be a human being. In fact, they are the essence of Amalek.

Know thy enemy

The importance of unity

Thanks to their unity, the People of Israel were able to receive the Torah.

The importance of unity

Setbacks and Redemption in writings of Rav Druckman

Setbacks, he reminds us, occur not only if we are caught unprepared by an enemy attack – setbacks can occur when the unity of the nation is weakened from fraternal turmoil.

Setbacks and Redemption in writings of Rav Druckman

Parshat Yitro:

Maintaining our Identity even in Exile

Moshe understood that there would have been no significance to his being saved from the sword of Pharaoh if he would land up assimilating and losing his connection to the burgeoning religion of his ancestors.

Maintaining our Identity even in Exile

Yitro: A pure Revelation

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: The Torah given to Moses by Hashem at Sinai is exactly what he gave the Jewish people.

Yitro: A pure Revelation

Behind the War on Hamas

The two great evils of history: The Islamists and Hitler.

Behind the War on Hamas

Eretz Yisrael in the parasha: The fifth commandment

Sefer Shemot Parashat Yitro- Honoring Parents and Eretz Yisrael

Eretz Yisrael in the parasha: The fifth commandment

Yitro: The greatest Heritages

The word מוֹרָשָׁה, morashah, meaning “heritage”, appears only twice in the Torah, referring to the two heritages of Israel. One cannot do without the other.

Yitro:  The greatest Heritages

The light keeper

There is only one source of light. There is no pluralism in the Torah. Our multiple opinions and traditions must align with the single source of the Torah’s light.

The light keeper

Yitro: A mussar lesson from the stones of the altar

‘We can learn from this about man, that even if he is engaged in a Mitzvah or worthwhile matter, how careful he must be not to act disrespectfully towards others.’

Yitro: A mussar lesson from the stones of the altar

Psalms for each hostage

A woman from Kiryat Malachi tells a chiling yet heartwarming story. Am Yisrael Chai.

Psalms for each hostage

We see what we want to see

We can characterize four parshiyot named after people by dividing them into two groups and contrasting the members of each group with one another.

We see what we want to see

The past and future will meet again

The song of praise will again be sung on the background of the punishment of Egypt by water.

The past and future will meet again

Rabbi Hirsch: Cardiac Jews, Orthopraxic Jews

Neither the heart nor the deed is sufficient. G-d wants both.

Rabbi Hirsch: Cardiac Jews, Orthopraxic Jews

Be strong, and we will be strengthened

Our soldiers who died sanctifying God’s name merit elevation to the level of holiness of the entire Jewish people, and we will make every effort to be worthy of their sacrifice, and continue in their path.

Be strong, and we will be strengthened

Tanya/Iggeres Ha’Kodesh - The Holy Epistle

The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life.

Tanya/Iggeres Ha’Kodesh - The Holy Epistle

Redemption and Hope

In our new post-October 7th world, there are also new priorities.

Redemption and Hope

The Community vs the Individual

With all the pain for each and every hostage and their family, there is something bigger: the existence of the entire Jewish people!

The Community vs the Individual

What would G-d want for post-war Gaza?

Why would a logical person ever want to give what is precious to him and was given to him by G-d over to someone who wants him murdered?

What would G-d want for post-war Gaza?

Parshat B'shalach:

The open war with our ancient arch-enemy

In this week's Parshah, the open war with the ancient arch-enemy of the Jewish People, Amaleik, begins

The open war with our ancient arch-enemy

Talking Parsha - Beshalach:

Amalek - what's with Moshe's hands??

What prompts Moshe to raise his hands, and what significance does this gesture hold?

Amalek - what's with Moshe's hands??

The proper time to light Shabbat candles

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Not too early, not too late - and why.

The proper time to light Shabbat candles

Rabbi Elkana Vizel's last letter

Jewish History Is a study of the future: “Moses and the Children of Israel will sing”.

Rabbi Elkana Vizel's last letter

Eretz Yisrael in the Parsha: Song of the Sea

Why did the Israelites connect the Red Sea with the Temple?

Eretz Yisrael in the Parsha: Song of the Sea

Godliness in ourselves and the world on Tu B’Shvat

The Sara Litton z"l mid-monthly Emunah essay. Many of us in Israel have had the unique privilege of seeing the amazing abundance of beautiful fruit growing on the trees and in the ground.

Godliness in ourselves and the world on Tu B’Shvat

Beshalach: In time of war...

What, then, was uniquely harsh about the Plague of Hail?

Beshalach: In time of war...

Of technology and miracles … and radical amazement

What wisdom, what forethought, what incomprehensibly intricate interdependence is evidenced in the universe around us!

Of technology and miracles … and radical amazement

Beshalach: Where did musical instruments come from?

What extraordinary faith brought the women to take musical instruments with them to the desert!

Beshalach: Where did musical instruments come from?

Lessons from the Exodus for Israel's government

Not surprisingly, it is those who most clearly represent evil that lead the charge against the Jewish people in every generation, but the Jewish people are not a one-time episode and the Torah tells us what to do.

Lessons from the Exodus for Israel's government

The first Tu B’Shvat in Shilo

Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook planted a sapling in Shilo on the first Tu B'shvat celebrated there. His stirring words continue tol inspire and a reserve soldier has written a timely addtion to them.

The first Tu B’Shvat in Shilo

Halakhic issues related to dried fruit

Tu B’Shvat, the New Year for the Trees, is a good time to review Halakhic issues related to dried fruit

Halakhic issues related to dried fruit

Rabbi Dr. Raymond Apple has passed away

Formerly the leading Jewish rabbinic spokesman in Australia, Rabbi and Mrs. Apple made aliya upon his retirement. His concise and well-chosen Divrei Torah were featured on Arutz Sheva for many years.

Rabbi Dr. Raymond Apple has passed away

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch on the parsha: Year zero

We’re not supposed to start from scratch every generation.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch on the parsha: Year zero

Planting with tears

We, as our ancestors before us, will plant the seeds of hope and faith from which one day, God-willing, joy and everlasting peace will sprout.

Planting with tears

Tanya video/lecture: The Holy Epistle

The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life.

Tanya video/lecture:  The Holy Epistle

The path to victory – complete Jewish unity

Even in times of spiritual hardship, when the Jewish people unite as one, God helps us defeat our enemies.

The path to victory – complete Jewish unity

"The day after" the war in Gaza conundrum

Difficult choices during difficult times. The Arabs of the Gaza Strip backed the wrong horse in this race and lost. They should pay for it. Op-ed.

"The day after" the war in Gaza conundrum

Draining Egypt

Israel's first Chief Rabbi: Why was it necessary to completely drain Egypt of its wealth?

Draining Egypt

Reliving Parshat Bo in Gaza

Only in Israel, where we have a holisitc identity as a people, do mitzvot take on their full meaning, as we build a society committed to the ideals of Judaism. In Gaza: Pidyon haben by means of tefillin.

Reliving Parshat Bo in Gaza

Bo: The secret alef

Tthe Hebrew word for Redemption, geulah, and the Hebrew word for exile, golah, are practically the same. The only difference is that geulah is spelled with an alef...

Bo: The secret alef

Depressing Time, Productive Time, Redemptive Time

Is time a storm in which we are all lost?

Depressing Time, Productive Time, Redemptive Time

Eretz Yisrael in the Parsha: As if given you today

Religious Zionist Torah scholars find connections to Eretz Yisrael in the Torah reading for Shabbat.

Eretz Yisrael in the Parsha: As if given you today

Talking Parsha - Bo:

Darkness - what's so scary??

As the plagues intensify in Egypt, the plague of darkness stands out as a unique phenomenon. Unlike the fiery hail or the me

Darkness - what's so scary??

Come

My “small package” response to those who ask my opinion regarding the exemption from military service of full-time Torah learners during this time of war.

Come

Unveiling the site of the Beit Hamikdash

How and when was the site of the Holy Temple finally revealed?

Unveiling the site of the Beit Hamikdash

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch on the parsha: Speak up!

Tell your children what you believe and why.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch on the parsha: Speak up!

Servant of God: A title of emancipation

Personal drive, self-induced pressure and competition have become the Pharaohs of today, the master we serve.

Servant of God: A title of emancipation

Why does the firsst mitzva sanctify the moon?

The underlying message of our reckoning by the moon, is that the moon is at times in absolute darkness, without even a sliver of light, yet even at this time, we know that it will soon return.

Why does the firsst mitzva sanctify the moon?

Setbacks and Israel’s Redemption

“A woman’s birthing pains are very painful,” Rabbi Druckman explains. “The same holds true for the birth pangs of Mashiach."

Setbacks and Israel’s Redemption

Tanya video/lecture: The Holy Epistle

The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life.

Tanya video/lecture: The Holy Epistle

Jews and astrology

What is the Jewish view of astrology? And for the Torah readings, why were two leaders necessary to take us out of Egypt? And what was the divine promise?

Jews and astrology

"Cleared for Publication" - The power of a name

Just as discovery of the Divine Name in the Vaera is itself a form of revelation, the release of the names of the fallen opens up to us the inner worlds of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live.

"Cleared for Publication" - The power of a name

Hope and Joy in times of war

The most reasonable solution for Gaza is encouraging the emigration of the residents. There is room for joy during this time, as long as we continue to remember our heroic soldiers, the fallen and kidnapped.

Hope and Joy in times of war

Senior rabbi to Hague:

"ICJ, Your verdict cannot defeat the word of God'

Leading Religious Zionist Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu warns the International Court at the Hague of the dire consequences of a ruling against Israel.

"ICJ, Your verdict cannot defeat the word of God'

Vaera: Moses introduces the concept "kal vachomer"

The unspoken answer of Hashem, to Moshe’s query, as to why the affliction increased after Moshe’s first approach to Pharoah, leads to a kal vachoerm.

Vaera: Moses introduces the concept "kal vachomer"

Vaera: Miracle within a miracle

Fire and water intertwined - so can we.

Vaera: Miracle within a miracle




























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