Klal Yisrael is built in living rooms, at Shabbos tables, in bedtime Shema, in stories told on a grandparent’s knee. The chain rests with us.
Either man accepts God’s authority as the Legislator of moral norms, or he will eventually fail in all attempts to create a moral society.
Why are the physical traits of the Land emphasized the first time Hashem talks about it to Moshe? Young Religious Zionistt Torah scholars provide answers.
How did Pharaoh’s daughter know that the baby in the Nile was a Hebrew child?
What do these enigmatic names - ‘I Will Be Who I Will Be’ and ‘I Will Be’ - mean?
The prolific Torah luminary whose Mishne Torah, Sefer Hamitzvot, Guide to the Perplexed, Letter to Yemen's Jews, and more light up the ages, is brought to life in Israel during the week of his yahrzeit, with the high point an annual three day Rambam Conference.
The Rabbis in the Midrash, always sensitive to nuance, focus our attention on the enigmatic words: "G-d saw that Moses turned to see, so He called out to him from amidst the bush." What does that symbolize?
Moshe as a baby, non-supervised milk, and the food that builds a Jew.
We live in an age of unprecedented Jewish freedom and unprecedented Jewish disappearance. The Haftorah tells us that those who have disappeared are not lost forever.
The midwives saw to it that a healthy body was accompanied by a healthy soul. So must we.
Hopes which are destroyed cause deeper despair than complete hopelessness. The Jews had hoped for a new Pharaoh who would ease their lot, but the opposite occurred. Where to turn?
How to gain from a crisis.
There is a struggle here over the source of shefa - the flow of blessing - in the world.
Our sages teach that public embarrassment is akin to bloodshed, yet it is far easier to ignore it, to go about our business and pretend nothing happened. We think why should I get involved and put myself at risk?
Commentators analyze the symbolism of the burning bush.
Moshe’s name conveyed a lifelong mission: to oppose injustice and to fight on behalf of the helpless.
Were it Halakhically permissible, we would have to recite Hallel every day here in Hashem’s Holy Land!
Every tyrant who oppresses his citizens and does evil is also an enemy of Israel - from Pharaoh all the way to Maduro and Khomenei.
Jewish communities of Ashkenaz, Sepharad, and the Yemenites each read a different prophecy as the haftarah for Parshat Shemot, with each focusing on a distinct aspect of this redemptive process.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
The mitzvah of tzitzit particularly expresses faith and the unique destiny of Israel. The most honorable garment is the four-cornered fringed tallit which expresses all the latent powers within the person and within the world.
Just remember, the future of Am Yisrael and Torat Yisrael are in Eretz Yisrael, and we are fortunate enough to live in the historic generation of kibbutz galuyot.
The writing of the Septuagint was celebrated by many, yet our sages describe this moment as darkness descending on the world. Why?
Hashem is sending a coded message of encouragement for the Jewish nation.
There is a dire need to teach the truth to all Am Yisrael, both in Israel and in the Diaspora.
We are not asking for more. We are asking that the chain remain unbroken.
Much good can result from recalling the punishment for wrongdoing, even if this motivation may appear beneath one’s spiritual stature.
What true leadersship looks like.
Why was Yehuda chosen to lead? For many reasons, but first and foremost, a leader has to be able to stand up and jump into action to tackle threats, without consideration of the fallout or personal risk.
What is the difference between a blessing given through the hands and a blessing given through the knees?
"...Thus, the true source of the tension between Yehuda and Yosef was this clash between an emphasis on Chessed, versus an emphasis on Torah..."
Why did Jacob ask to be buried in Israel? See what the commentators have to say.
There is disagreement among our commentators if these are prophecies of the times of the mashiach, or if they refer to other events.
There is profound humility in King David’s words. For all his achievements, he frames his legacy not around military victories or political triumphs, but around covenant.
God does not do anything by accident. Not now. Not last year, not a thousand years ago. Not ever.
It is not good for a victim to replay the horror he experienced and to keep active the pain he has gone through. He must instead remove the traumatic event from active consciousness.
The Midrash identifies Manasseh and Ephraim not only as concrete individuals, but also their descendants Yehoshua and Gideon. What is that based on?
If a swastika on a wall provokes outrage while an interfaith wedding invites applause, our moral compass is dangerously off course.
Israel’s political, intelligence and diplomatic corps along with the media must remember they are in the employ of victory on the battlefield and security during peace time.
Hashem gives each person a role, a mission, a contribution. Ephraim receives leadership; Menashe receives honor. One is not at the expense of the other.
One of the four fasts mourning the Temple's destruction, today marks the day the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem began.
The Levites were the officers responsible for the fulfillment of the commandments of war. From here we learn that yeshiva students may not be exempted from army service by claiming that they are like Levites
As I sit and study looking at the falling snow, I realize that each figure in Bereshit, which we will finish reading this coming Shabbat, is a bridge; each figure is a link in the destined chain. As we all are.
Just as Joseph's brothers were reconciled and unified and spoke one with another, also in our generation, the People of Israel, who are being gathered from among the nations, must become unified in the Land of Israel.
Meta-mitzvot are necessary because the Torah cannot possibly address every circumstance people encounter. Kedushah is an example.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
Why did Yaakov send Yehuda to Egypt before he descended there to see his son Yosef at last?
"The Jewish people are crowned with two qualities, Eidut (testimony) and Torah, one seen in Joseph and the other in Judah."
"I Am Who I Am, Because You Sold Me."
We have witnessed the resurrection of the dry bones. We have seen the ashes of Auschwitz giving rise to the miracle that is the State of Israel. In the past two years, through trauma, loss, and uncertainty, the Jewish people have survived. But endurance is not the final goal.
Yosef had been nearly killed, sold as a slave, and spent years in an Egyptian dungeon because of his brothers’ aspersions; his father, Yaakov, was grieving and suffering for 22 years-and yet, despite all of the above, Yosef understood that it is still more worthwhile not to embarrass his brothers, and reveal himself to Yaakov.
The temptation to despair is strong. But Torah teaches that we cannot remain there. We must act responsibly, together, and with unity.
How Yossef is showing and hinting to Yaakov how he dealt with the Egyptian world successfully.
The prophet clarifies: Unity demands shared purpose, honest self-examination and recommitment to what binds us together.
This is perhaps the most dramatic narrative in the entire Torah. Why did Yosef suddenly conclude the charade?
In the end, Rachel and Leah are is not a competition, but a single system.
Last week we celebrated Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights - which is all about Miracles. Why are miracles so important? Watch and find out.
Eight Jews stood in a Soviet courtroom like upright candles and declared their loyalty to the Jewish people. It happened during the dark days of Communism when that could mean exile to Siberia or worse. A true story.
There is really no way to leave a state of depression unless one has the courage and boldness to dedicate their energies to developing and honing their talents and doing something worthwhile for society.
We are now in transition, from Hannukah, the holiday of light and celebration, to a day of fasting and mourning. How do we do that?
The primary role of the members of the Tribe of Levi is to lead the army spiritually, and see to its disciplined behavior.
As in Miketz, after two years of war, we look back and glance at what is happening. It feels like a dream. And it goes on - like a prophecy.
In Judaism, there is a core and ancient teaching that we should strive to learn an important lesson from every experience in our lives, especially when that experience is connected to a significant and Divinely inspired holiday like Hanukkah. What we learn from olive oil.
There is no guarantee that our enemies will no longer attack us here in Israel - but at least their sadistic joy is guaranteed to be short-lived and thoroughly repaid. And one day we will sing a Psalm for the coming of Mashiach.
Hanukkah does not offer simple answers, nor does it lessen the pain. It asks something deeper of us: to hold on to faith even when matters are unclear and the Hand of G-d seems concealed.
The interpreter has a key function in the realization of a dream: his analysis can determine how the dream will come to pass.
We already know that everything that was created with man, was worthy of existing - except for the foreskin, as the Torah commanded us to remove it.
There are three awe-inspiring similarities between Yosef and the Hanukkah lights, starting with his name.
The prophet does not deny the danger. He transcends it.
When Mashiach comes, we will realize that we are currently in a dream. Our life is a living paradox, yet it seems to make sense to us as if it were normal.
From the Yeshiva's Beit Midrash in the Arab Quarter (actually the Old Jewish Quarter) of the Old City, Rabbi Aviner talks about miracles, why we don't say Hallel on Purim, and more.
Someone asked me if there is any way that we can forgive the Australian government and what it would take for them to regain trust of Australian Jewry. So, let’s talk about Yosef.
What was the real conflict?
When one signs onto idolatry, they are in fact [subconsciously or consciously] worshipping their own self interest; the idolatry is just an external rationalization of the undertaken path. Judaism, however, requires “Bittul", or self-awareness that there is one true G-d, Hashem, to whom we must pledge our devotion,
Grappling with questions of faith, forging a heightened awareness of God’s presence in daily life, and making the Creator accessible to the tens of thousands of Jews who thirst for His voice must stand at the very top of our educational agenda, but it is not on this one.
Rashi explains in the name of the Sifrei that the light of God’s countenance “gives you grace.”
How should Yosef have dealt with the Chief Butler so that his plight would be remembered after interpreting the two prisoners' dreams?
The four letters on the dreidel are not the same in Israel and the Diaspora. They tell us something we should pay attention to.
It is all too easy to look around us and feel hopeless...
It's time for a Hanukkah that simply says: As a Jew, I am the inheritor of Jews who fought for the political independence of the Jewish state. I am a Zionist just like Judah the Maccabee. Op-ed.
When darkness strikes one corner of the Jewish world, the shadows are felt in the heart of every single Jew globally. Your pain is deeply, personally our pain.
Why does the blessing mention one light when we light an ascending number of candles on the holiday?
Words of encouragement for Hanukkah.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
The victory in war and the dedication of the altar are one and the same. And in our time we have been privileged to see both.
Numerous Kohanim and the Levites participated in the wars of Israel. Even before they participated in wars as regular soldiers, they led the soldiers of Israel in their fighting.
The eternal challenge of Jewish leadership is knowing when to stand firm and when to acknowledge reality, when to pursue the ideal and when compromise is necessary.
Rav Yitzchok Hutner's thoughts on the significance of the Maccabees' victory over the Greeks: 'The rekindling of the Temple Menorah on Hanukkah represents a new era of Torah transmission.'
“Peace will prevail in the future,” Rabbi Kook concludes, “when people come to recognize clearly that all of the different, individual lights are truly one single light." And who would lead them?
Why did Joseph go to the brothers he knew hated him - and why did Jacob send him, knowing the same?
Sometimes what I perceive to be good for me could actually be bad, and what I think is bad could actually be something absolutely extraordinary for me.
The many impure sources of Redemption are a defense against the Satan - the adversary, whose purpose is to prevent the Redemption from coming into the world.
The Parsha shows us how individuals can go astray, The Haftorah shows us how nations do.
Yaakov thought there was no need for a future exile after all he had gone through. The Medrash explains.
The prophet Jeremiah brings G-d's comforting words to Mother Rachel, but how can she find comfort when the promise of redemption is far into the future?
The point of the Torah is not that great people are saints who never do wrong. They are ordinary humans who are imperfect beings and capable of serious mistakes.
In this parasha, we learn about Judah, the leader of the tribe that will give the Israelites the kingdom of David and ultimately, the Messiah.
A disagreement does not undo our connection. A quarrel cannot touch the neshamah within.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
G-d assured Yaakov that Eisav’s rule will eventually end. All Yaakov had to do was to ascend the ladder in his dream himself, and he would prevent this version of history from ever happening. Yet Yaakov refused to ascend the ladder.
The Maggid of Mezritch's yahrzeit is also the day the Alter Rebbe was released from Czarist prison - and the day that, many years later, Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Neria, founder of the Bnai Akiva yeshiva network, returned his soul to his Maker. Here are their stories.
Look at Joseph and his brothers as a model. The spark of holiness within every Jewish soul can bring people back together no matter what their differences.
My Jewish brethren, come to Eretz Yisrael - here you will know that you are alive, living a life that is worthy of its name, in the land of life.
This day marks the “birth” of Chabad Chassidism, when the long-hidden secrets of Judaism emerged from the womb of mysticism to illuminate and transform the totality of Jewish life.
What defines Eisav? Is it the vicious Jew-hatred which has defined so much of Christian civilisation? Or is it the genuine Christian love and support for Jews and for Israel that we have seen, particularly in this current war?
According to many halakhic authorities, the Torah obligation for men is to wear tefillin every day for just a brief moment. Others argue that one is obligated to wear tefillin all day, as was customary in the time of the Mishnah and Talmud.
Read how the human brain-arguably the most complex physical structure in the known universe-reflects the same archetypal numerical framework that Jewish mysticism describes spiritually.
The brit is how we identify ourselves as Hashem’s people and is a symbol of our relationship with Him. And of what that signifies in our personal lives.
“And I Will Remove the Sin of That Land in One Day”
Every human being is invited into a hero’s journey, maybe not quite as dramatic as Yosef’s or the Maccabees,’ but equally holy.
The prohibition of gid ha-nasheh is meant to project a broad ethical aspiration, beyond the issue of how we should treat animals.
“For Israel Shall Be Your Name.”
Standing at the crossroads, the Torah reminds us that hatred of the Jew has never been cured by Jewish self-erasure. It has never been softened by Jewish timidity.
One of the greatest of all minchas is actually, the ring that the groom gives to a bride under the chuppah. In order to show that he loves and cares for her.
Why the insane obsession with Israel and Jews?
Their return is happening now. It is not accidental. It is not demographic or sociological. It is prophetic. And with prophecy comes responsibility.
As a response to the violation of their sister, Shimon and Levi proceed to destroy the city of Shechem. The commentaries seek to explain the rationale for their behavior.
In the midst of the many tragic events in the parasha, Hashem speaks to Yaakov. What is the underlying message in the timing of His words?
We know the problems. We can preach. We can wish for solutions. But none of that brings change. Each of us must take initiative. Start where we can. Do what we can.
Nothing is more important for the survival and welfare of mankind than the ability of enemies to resolve their grievances and to genuinely forgive one another.
Couldn't Yaakov simply avoided his brother?
Does Am Yisrael deserve the Brachot? Do we live up to the title we hold? Are we fulfilling our mission as the chosen nation?
Do we have the resolve to look past the opinions of others and seek the core truth of every person and situation?
The answer is a function of the country's needs.
Rav Kook asserted that in the era of Revival when Diaspora Jews begin to return to Zion in large numbers, the truncated Torah of Exile must be replaced with a Redemption-filled Torah of Light, of Eretz Yisrael, the "Redeeming Torah." This book opens the door to that light.
In the harsh reality he faced, Yehudah did the best he could, say some commentators. At the very least, he saved Yosef from death. Yehudah is praised for recognizing what was achievable. But others criticize him and feel he could have achieved more.
Reading about Yaacov’s marriages to Leah and Rachel is an appropriate time to recall some of the duties incumbent upon Jewish husbands.
Parashat Vayetzei's Ashkenazi and Sepharadi haftorahs are back to back in the book of Hoshea, but have different themes.
Although I am a Hebrew speaker, I traveled to the USA, in order to teach Torah, meet our Jewish brethren, learn about their strengths and the challenges they face, and counteract the negative picture of Israel in the media by describing the gooness of the Land of Israel.
When someone is in harmony, they connect to the soul's source, which exists beyond the limits of linear time. They operate at the level of "thought," which is instant and limitless.
Modeling is the only authentic and impactful form of education.
Whether the Jew is wealthy or poor, mighty or weak, it seems we face our troubles in isolation. Not during the Holocaust, not in 1948, noy today. Except that we are never actually alone.
Is this the country we have been waiting for? Absolutely! It’s not yet total light, but it has a lot of light.
Each of the three daily prayers has its own special nature.
One cannot deny Mamdani’s contribution to the efforts of encouraging Jews to return home.
When hatred becomes normal, when lies replace truth, and when the “faces” around us change, the Torah teaches us to recognize it. That is what Yaakov saw before he returned to Eretz Yisrael.
These are challenging times for our people, and for all good people.
In the end, they parted, by making a covenant - at Laban’s behest - between them, but what did Laban really want?
In this week's parasha, Leah thanks G-d when Yehuda is born and we thank G-d every morning before we get out of bed.
It was not about Kashrut or Shabbat or prayer, but something deeper and more pervasive.
There is a deep, ongoing tension within Am Yisrael regarding which tribe represents the proper approach to the Shechina, and which tribe should host the Mikdash.
May we take this poignant lesson to heart, and understand that Eretz Yisrael cannot be bargained for. It is our land, and the vision and desire of millions of our brethren, over thousands of years of Jewish history, have always rested on the Land of Israel.
Learning how to live one's life by emulating the deeds and words of a great man, a man of extraordinary humility, drive and moral clarity, a leader who carried Klal Yisrael in his heart.
Jews who are invited to the homes of non-Jewish acquaintances for a Thanksgiving meal should keep the Purim story in mind. Yes, it's your life, but the Torah includes the rules on how to live it.
![Guess who's coming for [Thanksgiving] dinner?](https://2.a7.org/files/pictures/203x125/1204437.jpg?autocrop=1 "Courtesy")
Yaakov Avinu reminds us that wherever a Jew may be, his inner compass must point to Eretz Yisrael.
In departing from his parents, Yaakov was in fact obeying their wishes and thus fulfilling the commandment to honor one’s parents. Why then should the Sages say that the length of his absence is a cause for punishment?
Life without familiar faces is difficult - even for great people.
The War of Gog and Magog is described in Ezekiel, Chapter 38, as a war in which all the nations of the world rise up against us, and with God’s help we are victorious.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
The Rebbe said in a letter written to someone inquiring about homosexuality, “if it were beyond human control, Hashem would not have made it a sin.”
Developments in Christian theological thought, and changing attitudes among Jews about engaging with others, may finally have us moving beyond the ancient conflict between Jews and Christians.
Every Jewish male is commanded to write a Torah scroll for himself. Today the practice is to fulfill the commandment of writing a Torah scroll in partnership. A woman too may study from the sacred Torah scroll.
Parents cannot prevent their child from performing a mitzvah, whether it be learning Torah, marrying, praying, or moving to Israel.
Our Sages teach in the Gemara that even one who has no field must give thanks to God, for ultimately the livelihood and survival of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel depend upon rain.
Eisav certainly ranks as one of the worst personalities presented to us in the entire Bible. And yet, here we see that he did excel in something.
Young religious Zionist Torah scholars connect Eretz Yisrael to the parasha. In Parashat Toldot, the Malbim explains that the “Shechina” resides in the Land of Israel.
This week’s Parsha, Toldot, provides understanding of Rav Kook’s philosophy of Jewish militarism and power. It sheds light on what should be a Jew’s attitude toward serving his Nation, and on the use of Jewish power.
Rivkah didn't want to deceive her husband, she Just wanted Jacob to display another side.
Isaac appreciated Esau’s ability to hunt and dominate the beasts, the trait needed to dominate bestial peoples. Could Yaakov do the same?
Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva, founded by Rabbi Avraham HaCohen Kook, served as the nucleus for the major spiritual and educational role played by Religious Zionism in the Jewish State. Last week thousands of alumni and friends came to offer their thanks and celebrate.
In our time, “the voice of Yaacov,” spoken with supplication, with gentle spirit, and with a sincere desire to bring satisfaction and goodness to others, must serve as a guiding light.
The wondrous outcome of Rivkah's pregnancy, is that all that the nations create in this world, in the end result, is for the benefit of Bnei Israel, in their service of Hashem.
Water has been a defining component of Israel’s history, from Noah’s flood through the lives of our Patriarchs to our own time. It is part of the symbiotic connexion between the Jewish nation and the Land of Israel. As the Land has welcomed its nation back home, so the nation has rejuvenated the Land.
The story of the blessing of Yaakov is full of deception. How can we understand that?
A reflection on the 18th anniversary of the Mumbai terrorist attack and the Yartzheit of Gavriel Noach and Rivka Holtzberg הי“ד. In memoria
Everyone invited to dinner gets to eat. G-d’s portion is the Torah that we study and the food we give to the poor.
This parasha teaches us that even when the chances of success seem slim, a person must make an effort, do his part, and leave the rest in Hashem’s hands.
From the root of the word atar (“to entreat”), the Sages derived that prayer is heard only when there is peace among those praying.
An appreciation of man’s godliness should both deter murder and inspire us to bring more human life into the world.
In recent years, the clear divide between the seen and unseen has diminished. The force that broke this divide was not religion but science itself.
Ethiopian Jewish immigrants to Israel brought a willingness to contribute and a pure Zionism centered on longing for Jerusalem as a heavenly city, but they also brought a previously unknown holiday that has been officially recognized in the State of Israel.
We all confront many situations in which it is tempting to put a spin on things and manipulate the facts so that they are more in line with our interests or prevent catastrophe. Are we allowed to do so?
Yitzchak and Rivkah loved what they lacked.
Rabbi Hauer's shloshim took place this week. His way of life was humility, but as our Sages wisely said, “one who runs from honor, honor chases after him.”
How can it be possible that so many great haredi Rabbis err in their opposition to Zionism?
The three great dangers that have always confronted Am Yisrael, in days of yore and today.
It is the “Patriarchs’ acts of kindness” and their vibrant, natural Torah that will redeem their descendants in the final generation
The children of Ishmael are destined to rule the Holy Land when it is empty, and they will hinder Israel from returning, until the merit of their circumcision, which is an incomplete covenant, ends, just as the period of the giants ended.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: The Morning, Dusk, and Night of Judaism.
The demands of public service can strain devotion to one’s own family - a tension faced by three of the most important figures in Jewish history: Avraham Avinu (our patriarch), Moshe Rabbeinu (our teacher), and David Hamelekh (the king).
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
Life confronts us with the Absolute and the Ideal. The former leaves no place for compromise; the latter demands that we be flexible. The parasha shows us the differrence.
Sarah recognized Hashem - with Abraham - when she was thirty-eight, the thirty-eighth year being reckoned with the earlier period, of not knowing Hashem.
Once again Hebron and the Land of Israel are rising to renewed life, this time through the descendants of Avraham our father, who settle the Land of the Patriarchs and Hebron with self-sacrifice.
Rabbi David Samson: "Just as a person can’t pick up a scalpel and become a brain surgeon without years of preparation, a person cannot become a Jewish Meditator without first meeting all of the entrance requirements."
Like most rabbis, Rabbi Price held that it is appropriate to convert non-Jewish spouses, even if they do not intend to observe mitzvot, in order to preserve the Jewish identity of the Jew and their descendants.
The Moadim are a time when we meet with Hashem - either by physically travelling to the Beit HaMikdash or, at least, by being in His Presence.
Family ties form the basis of our service of Hashem.
Completing the aliyah of Ethiopia’s 7000 remaining Jews would proclaim to the world - and to ourselves - that even in war, the Jewish heart remembers its calling: to gather its dispersed, to uphold dignity, and to act with compassion. Opinion.
Rabbi Kahane used to say, “If you want to know what they’d (the Arabs) do to us if given the chance, look at what they do to each other.” Therefore, the Jewish people must never again be spectators in their own destiny.(Must read: an excerpt from his writings at the end.)
Israel's first Chief Rabbi presciently writes about how a return from almost certain death, similar to the return of the living hostages a short while ago, affects a person and the nation.
Just as the quantum field binds the physical world through invisible forces, faith binds the soul to the field of divine intelligence.
Abraham did not give up or put his faith in God to bring about these promises through miracles. Instead, he set about fulfilling those promises through his own efforts.
The duty of Jews everywhere is to face the nisyonot of our generation with the same firmness that Avraham Avinu showed.
The Avnei Nezer gave a special entrance exam for the young by, then ordained as a rabbi at 18. To earn a living, he invested in real estate, amassed wealth, and then opened his own bank, but when the Nazis rose to power, fled with nothing. Then in Toronto, he headed the “Torat Chaim” Yeshiva for 38 years and continued to serve as head of the Toronto Rabbinical Court until his passing.
Torah law and majority rule are compatible when moral limits are applied, for example, to decisions of the majority.
What happens when the castle returns to being just sand, when the waves which just minutes ago were on the shore begin to flow out to sea, unrecognizable in the vastness of ocean.
When we light our menorahs this Hanukkah, we are not just commemorating an ancient military victory. We are celebrating something far more profound: the triumph of a unified Jewish people who refused to disappear.
Now, what are the chances that you, or I, or anybody, might actually come across the pillar of salt which used to be Lot’s wife to say the mandated blessings? The meaning of this commandment is much deeper.
A child is not required to be a servant to his parents in his personal life decisions (within an observant framework), as HaRav Tzvi Yehuda Kook explained.
Seforno notes, that Jewish custom at the circumcision of a child is to leave a chair unoccupied to represent a designated makom for the Shechinah [Hashem’s earthly presence].
What is so significant about these two affirmative mitzvot of brit milah and the Pesach sacrifice that places them in the Karet category?
The study of Torah, when undertaken with humbleness and dedication, can lead one to a special encounter with HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
“I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and her returnees through righteousness.”
The whole sorry episode of Sodom and Gomorrah teaches is that yes, there can be an entire metropolis, and entire region, in which every single man, woman, and child, down to the new-born baby, is judged and found to be evil.
Commentators weigh in on the unexpected laughter of Matriarch Sarah at the news that she would bear a son.
Kitah weekly videos suggest topics for discussion at your Shabbat table.
Mothers are always praying for their children, even when they aren’t aware of doing it.
Avraham and Isaac didn’t let their greatness get to their head.
The use of egg donors raises many halakhic and ethical questions.
Our devotion to God does not require that we sacrifice the family relationships most dear to us. On the contrary; true devotion to God demands that we invest in those relationships.
The Jewish people are no strangers to uncertainty and at the Orthodox Union, we are more determined than ever to continue advocating for the needs of the Jewish people.
Lot’s story is a warning for every generation: chesed without understanding deceives the heart and misleads the hand. We see it clearly today.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
Of course, it is preferable not to employ those who oppose our existence in this Land. However, as long as there is no practical alternative, it is forbidden to halt the building of our land, lest we repeat the Sin of the Spies.
I saw in you a genius wordsmith, whose ability to share Torah was extraordinary. All this was combined with a deep and abiding love for Am Yisrael.
In their very first encounter, Hashem’s initial words to Avraham were “Lech lecha!” If you want to come close to Me and discover your mission in life then go to the Land I will show you.
Rabbi Moshe Hauer showed respect and developed genuine friendships with Jews and non-Jews from many different backgrounds and communities, and across the political spectrum.
An age-old phenomenon that is still with us, with one crucial change.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
Abraham and his revolutionary faith kindled a nascent spark of faith among the nations.
Avraham was not going to be, like Noach and Adam, born of a world where it was just him and his wife; rather, they were going to be the progenitor and catalyst of a new people
The Prophetic consolation after the Three Weeks lasts well into the next year. We receive Isaiah’s healing message of consolation not for seven weeks, but for ten weeks.
Sarah didn’t think she was beautiful; Avraham knew better.
The Nation of Israel has a special power called the strength of Rachel, which keeps it alive.
HaRav Tzvi Yehuda Kook told visiting students from the Diaspora that the command “Lech lecha” is as imperative today as when it was first spoken to Avraham:
The all-women's Breishit Ensemble performs in gratitude for the miracles the Jewish People have witnessed in the merit of Matriarch Rachel, whose yahrzeit is this Saturday night.
In this week's Kitah high video, I share a very famous Midrash that raises the difficult issue of children challenging their parents' beliefs and way of life.
All the noble traits that appeared in Avraham our father, and all the good deeds that he performed throughout his life, have not been lost. They were imprinted within the people of Israel, in the spiritual and even physical “chromosomes” of the People of the God of Avraham.
Avraham and Sara are the exemplars of Divine service, models who we must strive to emulate.
The Chatam Sofer reconciles the seemingly irreconciliable views of Rashi and of Ramban, and lauds Abraham's ability to instill faith in his descendants.
The life of Avraham is a sign for those who make Aliyah to Israel: at first they will have difficulties, but in the end, the blessing will surely come.
The very essence of the Land of Israel is that it is dependent upon G-d’s constant care. And the most immediately obvious expression of that care is the rain.
Without the kitniyot issues, we would be one more step closer to being simply “Jews of Israel”, instead of being Ashkenazi or Sephardi Jews, or Jews from Morocco, Ethiopia, or India.
Every star in the heavens matters - and so does every Jew on earth. We are brothers and sisters.
Our war for the Land and the revival of our people includes numerous systems and all the systems need repair. A state commission of inquiry appointed by the Supreme Court will not help at all, because the judicial system also needs scrutiny.
In this series of articles, the writer highlights that many of today’s scientists, in their relentless quest to comprehend the universe, are discovering the very same truths and principles articulated thousands of years ago in our Holy Torah.
The generation of the Flood could not stop Noah from boarding the ark and the American VP cannot derail the sovereignty train. A little humility, and some historical perspective, is required of the Trump administration.
The Torah does not demand that every non-Jew living among us convert, nor does it require their expulsion. But it does require that those who remain in the Land accept the basic terms of moral conduct and recognize the rightful authority of a Jewish nation in its land.
There are no mechanisms in place to safeguard the Jewish population in America. Alliyah is their best recourse. Opinion.
The Talmud states in Megillah 9b: “May the beauty of Yefeth reside in the tents of Shem.” How can that be?
In the Torah, an ish ḥamasim-a man of violence-is a ruthless, merciless person who sees brutality as a legitimate means to achieve his aims. Such is today's Hamas as shown both in its charter and its barbarity, and we must therefore open our eyes to reality.
As the time for Moshiach’s arrival swiftly approaches, one can’t help but notice the utter insanity that surrounds philosophy and what is considered educated thought in today’s world.
Why do the Sages feel compelled to denigrate Noach?
Israel’s wealth is a Divine promise being fulfilled. And the Torah connects the promise of prosperity with God’s love for His people.
Who is greater? Noah or Avraham. Let us compare the two following the example of Chazal..
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak provided a daring translation of Rashi’s comment on why Noah didn't enter the ark until forced to by the rain - and it is a lesson for all of us.
Noah, Daniel and Job saw three worlds. So have we.
Mere mutual interest and collective survival are not sufficient to unite all humanity and safeguard the world
The episode of Noach’s drunkenness is a poignant commentary on the difficulty of beginning again in a universe that has seen death and pain. The haftarah and G-d's words to Noach tell us how to begin again today as well.
“The dove found rest on it (Shabbat), and there the weary will rest,” wrote Yehuda Halevy.
Why does Rashi comment: ’’Noach debased himself’ - he should have first engaged in planting something other than a vineyard."
Shem and Yefet covered their father’s shame; so should we.
On the book that presents intimate descriptions of two giants of Torah and their teachings, set against the dramatic rebirth of the Land of Israel and the Statehood of Israel in our times.
Granted that the world could not have come into being without Him, once created, can it persist on its own, independent of His sustaining Providence?
This is the great contradiction within the human soul - the eternal internal battle we all wage every moment of our lives.
Due to Sukkot, the shloshim for Rabbi Prof. Dov Fischer will not take place 30 days after his burial, so we are posting this memorial piece now, a tribute to the brilliant mind, fearless voice, and unbreakable heart of American Orthodoxy's most compelling advocate.
Just as your hand touches no object but feels and experiences the force between electron clouds, so too are we constantly connected to the energy of Holiness that sustains all existence invisibly yet tangibly.
Judaism’s Thirteen Principles of Faith begin with the need to recognize Hashem as the world's Creator.
Even a religious and spiritually righteous person is capable of being afflicted with historical blindness.
From watching the behavior of a tzaddik, one can learn as much as from his Torah lectures.
According to Rav Kook, the Torah of Eretz Yisrael is fundamentally different in its method and scope.
Even a match decreed in Heaven must be built on earth. Every marriage requires avodah - work, patience, understanding, forgiveness, and joy in each other’s growth.
The point of a Jew's yearly restart is not to wallow in feelings of guilt but to convert inner accusation into constructive return and renewal.
As we begin the Torah with Bereishit, we are reminded by the Netziv that our forefathers' uprightness contrasts with the baseless hatred that led to the destruction of the Second Temple, urging us to embrace unity and respect.
Torah Judaism is not progressive liberalism.
The Majesty of Debate.
A nation that frees its murderers cannot protect its children. The lesson Hamas learned in past deals was not Israel's mercy. It was that Jewish blood has a price-and that price is Israel's willingness to empty its prisons.
A seemingly contradicttory account of the creation of vegetation and trees teaches a deep message about our relationship to G-d.
The opening word of the Torah, בְּרֵאשִׁית, “in the beginning”, already encoded all of what was to come, the potential of everything which will ever be.
There is no comfort in this teaching, no way to apply it without heartbreak, but it is filled with long term wisdom.
not only does Parashat BeReishit contain a reference to Eretz Yisrael, we will see below that it completely depends upon it.
If Man was created without the capacity for shame, why would it suddenly emerge as a result of prohibited eating?
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
When you're holding the four species, when you beat the aravot, do you feel this power?
As we have faced the unspeakable evil of some and the moral confusion of others, we are more fiercely committed than ever to be driven, guided, and uplifted by Hashem and His Torah.
The radical transition from the Yom Kippur solemnity to the Simchat Torah revelry can be dizzying, but it makes sense. Just as our joy at the hostages' return accompanied by sorrow at our losses.. There is a method to the madness.
Sukkot teaches us that just as Hashem encompassed and supernaturally protected B’nei Yisrael in the desert, the Midbar, we too must palpably sense that He surrounds us and intervenes in the world and in our lives.
A full life requires only one ingredient: the Torah.
Your life, even if it is incomplete, even if it is fragile, is still a gift. Notice the openings, the small moments of relief, the return of the hostages.They are part of Hashem’s care, a taste of the greater shalom to come.
This thirst is not intellectual curiosity but existential longing-a hunger that only communion with G-d can satisfy. Opinion.
As we conclude Sukkot 5786, we daven that the hostages all return safely, and we enter Shemini Atzeret hoping to reinforce and strengthen our achdut
Every time the people of Israel neglected the commandment of settling the Land, they paid heavy prices for it.
When the end approaches there will be many troubles growing in strength, a sign of Yisrael’s salvation.
'If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, Infinite' -William Blake.
The Sukkah is temporary just like our stay in this world, but it is a permanent fixture to deliver mitzvot to the next world.
Thoughts from Judaism on the peace plan.
Young religious Zionist Torah scholars connect the Torah readings and holidays tto Eretz Yisrael.
The magnitude of Hashem's voice is perceived in accordance with the spiritual intensity of the respective place and situation.
How to pronounce it and why.
Thoughts on this day, on hearing of an agreement.
Don’t we get a new chance each year? Isn’t that what the High Holy Days are all about—a chance to start again? A Yom Kippur sermon that is relevant every day of the year.
The late Former Chief Rabbi and head of Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva, an outstanding Torah luminary, was a kindly, warm man with twinkling eyes. But when it came to Eretz Yisrael, he burned with zeal and there were no compromises.
My love will be stronger than your defiance.
Rabbi Fischer z"l was buried next to his beloved Ellen on Erev Sukkot at the Etz Chayim Cemetery, and eloquently eulogized by Rabbi Steven Pruzansky and Rabbi Pesach Lerner alone, due to the proximity of the holiday. A friend sent added words of remembrance that include excerpts from his articles.
Why does this holiday of rejoicing immediately follow the High Holidays?
Based on the pattern expressed earlier of connecting the ending and beginning of the Torah, we notice that the last letter of the Torah, and the first letter of the Torah, combine to form the word “Le”v”--the Hebrew word for Heart! Undoubtedly, the Torah is expressing that the foundation that circulates lifeblood to the Jewish people is the Torah, the very essence of our existence.
A well loved Israeli children's song for Sukkot is "Shlomit builds a sukkah of peace." That is not what the sukkah is really about.
The aravah receives the pinnacle of honor among the Arba’at Haminim of Sukkot. What does that signify?
On Sukkot, we demonstrate that we are in love with life in this world; with our whole being, we immerse ourselves in the mitzvah
Just as Redemption preceded the world and is essential to it, so too did repentance.
The walls define the space, the sechach fills that space with holiness and warmth. And we need to respect the walls.
The four species which we are commanded to take for ourselves on the Festival of Sukkot are indigenous to Eretz Yisrael, just as the Torah is indigenous to Eretz Yisrael, and the Jewish People are indigenous to Eretz Yisrael.
The lessons of the last two years remind us that although our enemies in every generation devise elaborate plans to destroy us, Hashem ensures our survival.
Our prayer to G-d during the Ten Days of Repentance is analyzed here in tribute to the victims of the Manchester terror attack.
Modern assumptions about G-d have proven to be premature.
The Song of Ha'azinu is a testament of Jewish Destiny.
Jewish history isn’t random happenstance; Israel’s reconstituted national sovereign independence in the Land of Israel within living memory is woven into the very fabric of G-d’s Creation; our continued sovereignty in Israel depends not on the prowess of our military, on economics, on politics, but on our connection with G-d, His Torah, and His Mitzvot.
The safety and continuity of our people depend on vigilance, action, and adherence to the eternal covenant. Learn from history to build a stronger, safer Jewish future.
"...With this background in mind, the Rambam’s comments in Chapt. 7 Halachah 1 [Laws of Repentance] are all the more remarkable. Rambam writes: “Since free choice is granted to all men as explained, a person should always strive to do Teshuvah."
It's never all or nothing. G-d is the ultimate loving parent. When he sees that a Jew makes even the slightest movement of Teshuva, regardless of how much he has left to go, G-d immediately embraces this movement.
On a day that we're purified before G-d (Vayikra 16:30) and thrust into the holy of holies, we must contemplate our overall duty of devotion, because “in the times of Mashiach, there is only One to rely on, our G-d in Heavens.”
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov said, “If you believe that it is possible to make mistakes, then you can believe that it is also possible to make amends.”
What should be done when around the world Jewish communities are facing such challenging times?
It is the last night of the Ten Days of Repentance - use the time well.
In an interview on his 80th birthday, Carl Jung said, "But do you know who anticipated my entire psychology in the eighteenth century? The Hassidic Rabbi Ber from Mezritch, whom they called the Great Maggid. He was a most impressive man."
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
We must strive to uphold our commitment to the Torah and to Am Yisrael, even as we recognize our own shortcomings and moments of faltering.
The number of a verse, its numerology - all point to the past but also to today in this week's parasha.
The significance of hakhel goes beyond the reading itself.
The answer is found here: Why do I say the two magic words?
The Fast of Gedaliah, held to mark the tragic assassination of the governor of Judea after the destruction of the First Holy Temple, is today. But the way to renewal is open before us.
A leader’s job is to preserve authentic Judaism come what may.
Does your soul dance with love and passion since the holy days of Rosh Hashanah? If not, Yom Kippur is another chance.
The mitzvah of Hakhel: A national gathering with larger dimensions.
A positive look at the new year
These are the three tools which G-d gives us to transform His judgment from bad to good: repentance, prayer, and charity. Delving into that prayer and Mussaf.
The difference between the admonitions in two successive Torah readings teach an important lesson for the New Year.
Our tradition demands that we give greater priority to regular over irregular.
A selection of concepts concerning the Jewish New Year that begins tonight.
International law permits a state to wage war in order to defend itself. For generations the West has been steeped in antisemitism and the claim that we are committing “genocide” and “war crimes” is a distinctly antisemitic claim, while it is true that much of the Arab enemy's civilian population are full partners in the war against us.
During the prayers of Rosh Hashanah - in Malchuyot, Zichronot, and Shofarot - we are to concentrate on victory in the war. And it is obligatory to have that intention (kavanah) during the shofar blasts as the obligation to blow at a time of war.
Victorious we shall be! However, the essential condition that determines the degree of our victory is the spiritual level of the Jewish nation.
This year a cloak of whiteness covers the month of Elul, the entrance to the High Holidays. Is it the cloak of purity, or of numbness?
Acts of Chessed are especially important during the season of Rosh Hashanah, the holiday commemorating Creation, the greatest act of initial Chessed by God.
Returning and renewing the Jewish presence in Judea, Samaria and Yerushalayim b’simcha with Nachala, The Gush Katif Forum and Ateret Cohanim.
Resolve to give a nickel to tzedakah every morning, resolve to put on tefillin every day, resolve to light candles before every Shabbat. Even if your heart isn’t in it, it is a good beginning.
The relationship between Yehuda and Yosef is a microcosm of the relationship between the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel (which was founded and led by kings descending from Yosef).
The Talmud teaches us that repentance (teshuvah) transforms deliberate sins into either mistakes or merits. Based on the teachings of Reish Lakish, the Maharsha, and Rav Kook, we show how repentance from love elevates wrongdoing into a catalyst for growth, deepening love of good, hatred of evil, and spiritual transformation.
One Hebrew, one Arabic - two words that sound similar but are worlds apart.
Reliving he moment when Rav Soloveitchik's face became a living commentary on the verse his son was chanting, and a living embodiment of a plea to Hashem sung by legendary Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt.
After the mourning comes the rejoicing, after the exile comes the return home, after the destruction comes the renaissance. The Redemption is swiftly approaching, and Hashem brooks no delay in its implementation.
Saying: “May the year end with its curses, may the year begin with its blessings,” is not enough - we must also act and do,
The internet poses challenges, but we can overcome them as long as we don't blame the mouse...and that's a message for all of life's challenges.
A Torah-true life doesn’t allow for half-hearted commitments.
What did Moshe seek to convey by telling us that the Torah is “not in heaven” or “on the other side of the sea”?
Genuine happiness stems from discipline, which involves protecting the mind from negativity, focusing on meaningful engagement, and allowing spiritual practice to shape daily routines.
The most famous "seruvnik" - fighter for freedom for Soviet Jews - spent 11 years imprisoned in Siberia for his Zionism. He stayed true to his beliefs and his people. Lessons for today.
Thrust aside all accountings and return in haste to the Land of Hashem, the Land of Israel, our one and only home.
May you ascend, step by step, from one level of Teshuva to the next.
If one is forced to choose between death and violating one of these prohibitions — even in private — one should (generally) choose death. These prohibitions are that severe.
Just as we were entering into the Holy Land, stones had a position of prominence.
To withdraw into solitude, imagining that this leads to closeness with God, is foreign to the Torah’s vision.
The shofar of Zechariah sounds in a great voice in our days. This is a blast that began from the time the ingathering of exiles began. Also liberation from bondage of kingdoms. Also ascent to the Land. Also heroism. Also eradication of the enemies.
Before I Confess My Sins, I Must Confess My Greatness.
Chid”a explains, however, that a gift that is accepted by Hashem Himself is, in reality, a source of pride and joy for the giver; thus Hashem’s accepting of the offering serves as the greatest pleasure for the benefactor, and therefore they are considered a “taker” in this scenario.
We comprise many groups and individuals, yet we are one people; much like a body has many organs but is a single organism.
‘Do not think that these oaths are imposed on you alone- as if, but for this, you would not serve Hashem.'
Just as more than two-and-three-quarters-centuries ago Hassidism burst onto Jewish history changing it forever, so too a century-and-a-half ago political Zionism - that led to anti-Zionism - burst onto Jewish history changing it forever. Who will win?
It is to my religious brothers and sisters who are still stuck in the galut that I dedicate the following article.
An abundance of food is the effect - not the cause - of human flourishing.
The commandment of bringing the bikkurim is a tangible and concrete expression that we are not ingrates.
Only Hashem could have authored a book that accurately foretold the future course of Jewish existence.
Only in our connection to the light of the national soul can we begin to examine our own lives and our connection to Hashem.
Is this the Redemption?
Mathematics and numbers are not just abstract ideas, but, as our sages tell us in so many places, they are essential to the very structure and identity of reality, revealing an inherent design where spiritual concepts and physical phenomena are deeply intertwined. The sun, for example.
We are invited not just to remember that God created the world—but that He is still creating it, and us, every day.
Dealing with children who put you through the wringer.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
The new Humash makes his teachings “more accessible than ever, ensuring his voice continues to guide future generations.”
D’var Torah for Parshat Ki Teitzei
Should we try to understand the true reasons for the Torah’s commandments?
Keeping the mitzvot protects the Jew from external enemies, from natural disasters, and from becoming the agent through which G-d brings punishment into the world.
Ramban explains that the Ben Sorer Umoreh’s actions violate the fundamental backbone and spirit of the entirety of the Torah - 'Kedoshim ti’yhu - You shall be a holy people.'
Almost 700 days later, that morning still lives inside me. Op-ed.
The moment we are on our own, we become vulnerable to Amalek.
The wisest of men King Solomon - exclaimed (Mishlei 11:1): "Deceitful weights are an abomination of the Lord, but a perfect weight is His Will."
I heard from my father and teacher the late Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l, that the Torah hints at the proper way to conduct war.
We must know that our war today is a war of the Children of Light against the Beasts of Darkness.
"He who walks with the wise will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm”.
We do not rely on miracles; instead, the miracle relies on us. God brings greatness through our hands and from within us, through our efforts.
The mitzvah of shaatnez teaches us to live for nobler purposes.
What is the reason for the harsh limitation on Ammonites and Moabites?
The place of the challenges Olim face based on the thoughts of Rabbi Tzvi Yisrael Tau.
This is the time for more haredim to move to our biblical heartland, fulfilling a mitzva while enjoying a higher standard of living, taking advantage of the present government's willingness to encourage and help.
Rabbi Kook explained in the essay ‘Ha’Dor’ (‘The Generation’) that those who abandon Torah in the new generation believe in the values of truth and goodness. Therefore, one must turn to the people of the new generation with appreciation for their aspirations and desires.
Atomic structure, Kabbalah, and the Divine blueprint
It is impossible for us to measure the tremendous value of the willingness to sacrifice one’s life for the good of the Jewish People.
People who seek God without anchoring themselves to His people are lost at sea. The way home is through the nation, through its covenant, its language, its pain, and its resilience.
If Judaism is immutable, how can it be relevant?
The worst form of slavery is that of the spirit.
Thus, because the Torah commands us not to veer from the words of our sages, it is inherently considered a command from Hashem to follow the words of our Torah scholars, and therefore, the blessing made on Rabbinic Mitzvot can be considered as commanded by Hashem, by virtue of the fact that Hashem commands us to listen to the Sages!
The Torah does not deal with us in absolute specific terms but rather establishes general parameters of righteous judicial systems and equitable standards of law enforcement.
The two Sifrei Torah represent the two ways of serving Hashem.
‘Yisrael v’oraita chad hu’- the Jewish people and the Torah are one.
Those who rise against Israel are destroyed. Those who still remain shall all meet the same end, may it be soon.
Our suffering is not yet over: that is obvious. We still face genocidal enemies dedicated to our extermination. But Israel is in the process of being redeemed in justice.
If there is a case in which a poor person loses to a significantly wealthy one, the true verdict must be delivered. However, the matter should not end there.
The more difficult it is to do, the more critical it is to jump on it right away. If you must make a call to apologize for being mean to a friend or to ask a debtor for a deferral, don’t push it off. It will only get harder.
The Torah prohibition against owning many horses may be more relevant than we think.
Behold, currently the People of Israel are correcting the sins of surrendering chunks of our Homeland through the decision to settle the area between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim.
The Torah believes in our ability to repair ourselves as individuals and to repair society as a whole, so why do we need an external force?
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
On the 90th yahrzeit of the Torah luminary who was the great visionary of Religious Zionism and the first chief rabbi of Israel, read about his final moments.
The commandment of tzitzit applies only during the day, so women are exempt from it Women are also exempt from the commandment of tefillin, since it too is a positive commandment that is time-bound. But are they allowed to don either of them and if yes, do they get a reward for doing so?
A movement is emerging with key Rabbis, counselors and therapist groups paving the way for all who seek traditional marriage.
The thread that weaves the various mitzvot in Parashat Re’eh is helping Torah-observant people to recognize their control over the cultural and social norms of their environment, and their own negative natural tendencies.
On discovering God's Presence in every moment. What science sees as “quantum fields” are nothing less than the written blueprints of creation.
For those of us who care deeply about the antisemitism in Australia and the war against Israel (both on the ground in the Middle East and online globally), it is a particularly difficult time. Some tips.
A new way to approach Teshuva through Rabbi Kook's original teachings guiding us on the path to achieve it.
Deep down in our souls, the source of our moral consciousness, we will always know what is truly right. We can relate this Torah message to current events and politics in Australia.
Unlike the weekday Amidah, which contains nineteen blessings, the Amidah for Shabbat contains only seven. Why?
In Jewish law, when we stipulate a payment on the fulfilment of a condition, if the condition is met, the payment is backdated to the day the condition was set. If we learn how to “see” G-d’s love even in prosaic things, G-d will backdate our blessings to this Shabbat
D’var Torah for Re’eh.
A strange Talmudic insight into a Biblical verse captures the sense of Jewish Unity.
An enlightening look at commentators through the centuries on the question of the wording of the verses on the blessings and curses regarding Torah observance.
Why does the Torah specifically become so emphatic and present its message with such urgent animation in this parasha?
Some Torah prohibitions became clear in our time. Only in our generation have we come to see how necessary the simple, literal meaning is: Don’t destroy synagogues, don’t raze Jewish cities, don’t bulldoze Jewish houses - in Israel, “lest the Gentiles hear of it, and destroy the Land of Israel”.
“To His dwelling you shall seek, and there you shall come.” Why not identify the place in the Torah?
No Torah portion is as joyful as Parashat Re’eh.
The quantum state does not reveal a single fixed reality independent of observation, nor do two people involved in the same incident.
True, in the realm of choice, there are those with deficiencies in deeds, in character, and in opinions. But their orientation to Torah will change, and they will return to choose the good, God willing.
Rabbis must make the wonderful mitzvah of Aliyah a constant and central part of Jewish education. And, it goes without saying that they should make Aliyah themselves.
Despite enormous budgets and high-quality manpower at its disposal, the security establishment failed to understand the enemy. Does that justify an increase in wages? And what about the reservists who have been in Gaza for long periods of time?
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
The Torah wants Judaism to penetrate our being.
There are material consequences in addition to the spiritual ones that ensue from one’s embrace or rejection of Torah.
Does a person who accepts the yoke of Torah really have other responsibilities removed from him? How?
Word laundering has turned a lethal NYS bill that needs the governor's signature into something that reads like it is a socially acceptable measure. Here is the truth while it can still be stopped.
We made them “princes over us at our head” so now what can we say when that comes back to bite us?
I am. Few peoples have contributed as much to the advancement of human knowledge and ethics as the Jews.
Religious Zionist Torah scholars study the connection between the Bible and the Land of Israel.
Great good awaits those who toil in the ocean of the oral Torah - as well as those who go in the way of עקב: fulfilling all the mitzvot.
Most of us know the famous verse asking that question and the answer that follows it. But what does it mean?
Coming a few weeks after the tragic day of Tisha’a Ba’av, where we recall the destruction of G-d’s holy temples, a small measure of comfort can be gleaned from the above idea
Why would Moshe make money from carving the Second Tablets?
Historically there were two different customs with regard to public Torah reading. Which is best?
Even commandments not dependent on the land, such as tefillin and mezuzah, are primarily for those dwelling in the Land of Israel.
Our Prophets and Sages have already told us that when we return to our Land to fulfill our historical mission of bringing light to the world, the nations will rise against us.
When one requires water in Israel, one looks up. When one needs security, stability, or prosperity in Israel, one also looks up.
Leave out one "dot" of the Torah, one dot of Eretz Yisrael (the Holy Land), and you violate the Covenant.
Davening isn’t about how we feel; it’s about how we’re supposed to think.
Hamas leaders and followers are no better than Ben-Hadad of Aram. They have forfeited any rightto live.
We must never try to predict how God judges His people.
Rav Kook spoke at length about fear of Heaven and did not spare criticism of the mistakes in the meaning of the concept.
Hashem created every one of the world’s eight billion people with a yearning for meaning. Although we all know that we are merely one of billions, we want to feel that our lives matter.
Chaos, Quantum, and the Creator: The unseen Hand that governs all.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
In times of turmoil, we turn to ancient words of hope, to visions of a world where peace is not just a fleeting wish but a lived reality.
Moshe's supplications, although rejected, bear a deeper message on how the change in leadership will affect the way the Shechinah is revealed.
You don’t have to listen to me. Listen to Moshe. Listen to the roaring echo of his words, resounding out today over the anti-Semitic prairies and cities of America. Come home and keep the Torah as it should be kept!
This Sin of the Spies continues today on the part of people who spend their days criticizing Israel all over the media. “This is no good, and that’s no good, and this is immoral, and that is unjust, and this is like the Nazis, and that is Messianic, and this is leading the country to destruction…” ad infinitum.
Why did R. Shimon ben Gamliel say that there were no days more joyous than Tu B’Av and Yom Kippur?
This is the time to study - not just read, but to study in depth - the messages of the 9th of Av, of Parashat Va-et’chanan, and of Haftarat Nachamu.
How does prayer work?
Drashot Even Shoiv (Parshas Vaetchanan) states that we should treat Shabbat Nachamu like a Yom Tov, so go out and get special treats!
The Torah says “Do not add to the matter that I command you, and do not detract from it; to guard the commandments of Hashem your G-d that I command you”, so how do we relate to the teachings of our sages?
In this week’s Haftorah of “Nachamu,” the prophet Isaiah sets forth the prophecies of Redemption, may it be soon.
“There were never such good days for Israel as Tu B’Av (the fifteenth of the month of Av) and Yom Kippur” (Ta’anit 26b).
When Ruth walked alone and Reb Leivik danced alone. And in between on the time line, the Pachas-Moab family kept the Temple fires burning.
How are Shabbat Nachamu, Tu B’av, and Parashat Vaetchanan all intertwined?
Moses finally realized that the best thing for him was to let go.
Why all the repetition?
Begun? Why does Moshe Rabbeinu use that verb after all the miracles of the Exodus and the sojourn in the desert?
The killing of deadly animals in Israel raises a halachic question: can or should an animal that killed a person be killed today?
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
Hashem responds to sentiments, not just words.
Sometimes, we may have fallen deeply in love with someone who is just “unsuitable” for us. The feeling can be so compelling that we might rush into a disastrous marriage simply because we cannot see beyond our fantasies.
God designed a physical world that deceives us into thinking that what we see is the only real thing, and many times, the fact that we have no room for others is a limitation. That comes to the fore in quantum physics as well.
The world's media are thick with hatred for Jews and Israel. Many students are weathering this storm by holding fast to their Jewish identity and community.
Do two archaeological discoveries possibly prove Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l’s position on the "amah"?
For the past several years, I’ve observed that the most difficult struggles in life are the ones we talk least about. There is the battle of truly conquering oneself. The battle of refinement. The struggle through daily tests and challenges.
Except for Hassidim, each ethnic, cultural, or geographic group living in Israel today has made some adjustments in diet, language, community, and climate, to adjust to living in an Israeli/Middle East environment.
Our persecution will not cease until we start admitting and living by the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. A list of 10 lies we need to switch for truth.
Rav Kook viewed Jewish infighting in Eretz Yisrael as a greater desecration than exile itself. “Let us come to know one another under the inclusive name Yisrael, not by factional or partisan titles,” he implored.
Though Israel was defeated in its battle against the legions of Rome, it was a magnificent and inspiring defeat, a defeat which ultimately destroyed the Roman Empire.
When cracks appear in your life, surrender to the new light.
Join the OU on a powerful journey through Jerusalem's holiest sites as it uncovers the deeper meaning of Tisha B’Av—not only as a day of reflection, but as a vision for the future of Am Yisrael.
Proof that this day is a day marked for geulah is that the day of Tisha B’Av always falls on the same day of the week as the first day of Pesach. On Tisha B’Av we were spared and reborn.
From sunset until the time of the departure of Shabbat is a time shared by Shabbat and the fast. Before sunset one stops eating and drinking.
Major tragic events that happened to the Jewish people either happened on Tisha B’Av, or had roots on Tisha B'Aav.
The question צָפִיתָ לַיְּשׁוּעָה? Did you anticipate Redemption? is an important measure of one’s life.
We must rectify the sin of the Spies and of the Generation of the Wilderness by cancelling the cause of our ancestors’ baseless weeping. We must increase love and faith, instilling in our hearts that God truly loves us.
The Book of Devarim is not a repetition, it is an explanation of Torah in the Land, and its first lesson is that those who think Torah and military are two separate realms, must realize that the emergence of the Jewish People involves both.
The spectre of churban continues to haunt the land.
Instead of trusting G-d, they sent the spies and the rest is history.
There is no doubt that courage and valor are tied to inheriting the Land.
The Book of Devarim teaches us about the importance of rebuke and the attitude we must assume toward it.
The pendulum of Jewish fate swings very swiftly from one extreme to the other.
The Nine Days, and Tisha B'Av in particular, are days in which we can reflect on our connection with the other citizens of Israel and Jews around the world.
Every nation receives its inheritance - no matter the military odds.
From the days of the early halakhic authorities, Jewish communities refrained from eating meat and drinking wine during the days of mourning over the Temples' destruction.
A comprehensive overview of the persecution, scholarship, and expulsion of the Jews of Spain.
The Prohibition of Wool and Linen Mixtures: Tradition and Modern Theories.
The teachings of the Arizal are considered on the same level as the Zohar. The great halakhic codifier, the “Magen Avraham,” takes the Arizal’s personal customs as legally binding precedents.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
Rashi wants to teach us that without Eretz Yisrael there is no Torah, no Am Yisrael, nor Sanctification of Hashem in the world.
I am already reciting Kinot with every headline, every funeral, every fallen soldier. Opinion.
Yosef Mendelevich: “The freedom fighters in Soviet Russia were like trees, standing tall and not bowing down. That’s how the idea came to me to create a forest for the Prisoners of Zion." It was dedicated last week.
What a heretic learnt in the Court of the Maggid about self-esteem.
The Torah emphasizes the profound power and responsibility of speech through the laws of nedarim, teaching us that individuals have the ability to create with their words and reflecting a deep connection between speech, commitment, & responsibility.
3,297 years ago, before despatching the Children of Israel on their war of vengeance against Midian, G-d infused them with the spiritual reinforcements necessary for victory - their national identity, their sense of history, their understanding of their destiny. So too, the Religious Zionist soldiers today.
‘Our Sages comment, that because Reuben and Gad were so attached to their wealth, till they were prepared to settle outside the land, they were the exiled from it, before the other tribes.'
At the end of the day, even if sanctions and other measures are introduced, we all know that no one will be shot at while delving over a complicated issue in the Gemara.
The question asked in Jeremiah is answered "Because they have forsaken my Torah" - what does that mean? Didn't they study Torah before the destruction of the Temples? Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda explains.
Ancient warnings for a modern crisis.
Thanks to the daughters of Tzelophechad, all the Israelite women chose to dwell in the Land of Israel. They did not take part in the Sin of the Spies.
Moving from place to place won’t solve anything.
We must unite immediately — as one person with one heart — in order to achieve a crushing victory over our enemies who hate Hashem.
A major dispute exists regarding the order of the four passages in tefillin. According to Rashi, the order of the passages is their order in the Torah, according to Rabbenu Tam, the third passage is “Ve-haya im shamoa”, and the fourth is “Shema” * The kabbalists explained that there is value to both methods, and optimally, one should put on both types of tefillin.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
To understand the phenomenon of a refuge city more clearly, we must fully appreciate the great value that the Torah attaches to the preservation of human life.
When a Jew in the Diaspora feels an inner alienation from his Gentile surroundings in a Gentile land, this inner awareness sets off a spiritual explosion which affects all of the Jewish People.
If you are already teaching difficult stories to process in Tanach, it would seem to make much more sense that we teach the morals learned from the horrific story of Pilegesh BaGivah than the story of David and Batsheva.
Our thoughts shape our reality: what we focus on grows.
The mitzvah of Shabbat is of great significance because it both reminds us of Hashem and gives us perspective on our lives.
There are things in the world that develop slowly, step by step, over decades; and there are things that require a big change all at once - with great forces at work for a relatively short amount of time. Rabbi Kook's thoughts on war.
How one strange Biblical verse came to capture the success of the Jewish People.
The meaning of the words describing the korban tamid: offering, bread, fire, and fragrance.
The only thing that matters is your relationship with G-d.
Bil’am lost his connexion with G-d. Samson’s prayer was answered, while Bil’am’s wasn’t.
Why did the Torah require the division of the Land of Israel to be done specifically by a lottery?
Jeremiah I, this week's Haftorah:The almond seen by Jeremiah sends out an exceptionally poignant and sadly relevant message to us at this saddest time of the year.
Bilaam realizes that the way to overcome Israel is to instigate conflict within Israel itself.
Most people automatically and mindlessly associate religion with unconditional compassion. The Talmud, however, teaches that in the proper context, vengeance against evil can be a virtuous and necessary response.
Why Hashem caused Moshe to forget the halakha when confronted by Zimri, and for it to be recalled by Pinchas.
Judaism focuses primarily on this world, not the next one.
Like the haftarot for this special season, which begin with rebuke and end with comfort , our collective Jewish story is one of shared struggle and hope.
Love Truth and Peace will set us on the road to salvation.
Hashem Echad, God’s Unity in the Quantum Field.
Plots and characters in the Torah portend what lies in store for the Jewish people. Balaam tried cursing the Jews - and it might be a good idea for the Israel demonizers to note what happened to him.
Hashem wants the world to be developed, not just populated.
The Sara Litton z”l Monthly Emunah Essay for Tammuz.
It is difficult to exaggerate the value of Herzl’s work for the Jewish people and the realization of the vision of redemption.
How? How do we retain the flame within, how do we retain our holiness, our sacred light despite the gloom by which we are engulfed?
You will have to search - but if you search, you will find the consolation, the ever-so-subtle hint that Torah, Jewish history, has not come to its end.
Why is it appropriate to mention the Land of Israel as part of the Av Harachim prayer for those martyred to sanctify G-d's Name? Divrei Torah from young Religious Zionist Torah scholars.
Salvation often grows from within crisis. What seems like delay or darkness is really a hidden advance toward the light.
On the ultimate meaning of Jewish existence.
When we do things right, dwelling alone expresses itself in our commitment to our unique mission as Klal Yisrael rather than in our isolation.
The introductory phrase that tells us that Bilaam “Raised his declaration” appears to be unnecessary, as well as a somewhat mystifying description of what occurred, and is noticed by the commentaries.
By anticipating our national destiny — by dreaming of it, speaking of it, praying for it — we nurture the seed. with the power to help bring it to fruition.
This parasha actually ends the era of Moses and opens the era of Joshua. It opens the gates to the Land of Israel with all its blessings and challenges.
The aim of Balak and Bilam to create division among Israel did not succeed. The enemies of Israel today, who seek to dispossess us of our Land and to destroy us, also understand what Balak and Bilaam understood.
Living a 3,300 year-old prophesy in our times, hoping the second part comes to pass as well.
As we chant the Torah portion this week, it is our privilege and duty to thank G-d for the magnificent miracles we experienced in our lifetimes. They are of the same caliber as biblical miracles and like the blessings recited by the Bilam, except that we were privileged to witness them.
Our Sages took care to maintain this separation, enacting decrees so that we do not mingle with the nations, such as forbidding their wine, lest we thereby come close to their daughters, and the like.
Because of the ongoing political-military-religious fireworks our concentration becomes distorted, and we are often oblivious to that factor which is closest to us, namely - ourselves.
Clarifying some of the laws of modesty in an interview with Rabbi Mordechai Tzion.
The Torah only forbids magic because it tries to short-circuit Divine justice.
Could Bilam really wreak havoc on the Jews? What exactly is the power of a curse? Can a human by the mere verbalization of certain words effectuate changes in the real world?
A donkey that can talk is not an original invention for the Shrek movie; we are actually going to read about it in the portion of the week.
Torah is not a series of logic games and intellectual exercises. It’s simply following G-d’s commands.
Following the loss of the tradition of placing techelet in tzitzit, there are disputes and doubts that we have no possibility to resolve.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
Whether in the world of mitzvot or in the circuitry of electricity, the journey from possibility to actuality follows a similar path.
The joy over the star of the movie Superman being Jewish is misplaced. Halakhically, he really isn't Jewish, unless he converts.
What was so terrible about hitting the rock?
Kadesh is a place that can be the scene of a great sanctification of God’s name - or of a great desecration. The Israelites learned great lesson there.
Have you ever been bitten by a "venomous snake"? Poisoned by harmful people, burnt by life, or by abusive situations? These are good questions that cannot be answered easily. But one perspective is presented in the story of the serpents.
It is impossible to deduce what God truly wants simply by observing the ways of the world. Our service of God can only be guided by those directives which God explicitly transmitted through His Torah.
‘This is truly ‘a gift’ - as our parsha promises - to become like a well of flowing water - of Torah.’
Haym Salomon, an observant Jew, was a hero of America's 1776 Revolutionary War.
This Mitzvah serves to illuminate to us that the Torah, at its core, is divine wisdom.
Why doesn’t Hashem simply suspend the attack of the serpents without introduction of this strange symbol?
This new generation is the generation of life. Parashat Parah Adumah is written here to symbolize the purity and the life that will begin at the end of the wilderness generation, which is dead.
The section on the Red Heifer, teaching purification from the impurity of death, is a preventive measure, a spiritual remedy for the inner trauma of the anticipated encounter with death in Israel’s wars for its Homeland.
Today marks my father’s yahrtzeit. Later in the day we will visit his resting place on the Mount of Olives The view there is spectacular and you don’t have to worry about alligators devouring the body the way you do in Boca Raton where my parents lived before I brought them on Aliyah.
Just as we are told to take a leap of faith about the commandments, so are we asked to take a leap of trust about life's events. It is easier, however, to take the leap of faith than the leap of trust.
In Chukat, the snake on the pole was not magic. It was a mirror.
Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef visits the Hostage Families Forum Headquarters and met with the families of the hostages who continue to be held in Gaza.
Speech is the currency of connection, and has the power to work in ways both good and bad.
The Canaanite king of Arad had an Amaekite goal. He fought Israel attempting to annihilate them, and took captives. History repeats itself.
With so many men dead, who would tell the youth about yetzias Mitzrayim?
Rashi seems to be saying that the sin of Moshe consisted in his deviating from the command of Hashem to speak to the rock instead of hitting it. But why would Moshe, the faithful servant, not do exactly what he was told?
Is it proper to recite a blessing on the military success in Iran? Is it correct to define what happened there as a miracle?
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
The Rebbe spoke out against proposed agreements to surrender pieces of the Land of Israel to foreign sovereignty.
'Genuine holiness is an altruistic striving for good for its own sake, not out of self-interest.'
If we are willing to face a painful truth, we can learn a very important lesson from this. There is no guarantee that a very learned person will also be a great Tzadik (righteous person).
The primary quality of a Kohen Gadol, of a High Priest, of a man of G-d, is his or her ability to transform lifeless sticks into living orchards. In tribute to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, for His 31st Yartzeit.
During the generation leading up to the Churban, the wickedness of women was even more pronounced than that of men. What could explain such a drastic shift?
The State of Israel is saving the world from the tyrants of destruction in Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Gaza. Israel gave the United States the courage to help destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities. Where does this courage come from?
Moshe understood that this effort on the part of Korach in reality stood to undermine the entire Torah
The existence of the State, in and of itself, is a mitzvah, and transgressions performed within it do not invalidate its sanctity.
Did the intelligent Korach not feel the contradiction in his words?
Rabbi Kook zt”l saw in the mindset and approach of Cain and Korach the essence of a deceptive religiosity — an outward display of piety while being inwardly consumed with jealousy and hatred.
Korach confused what we are with what we should be.
Iran will remain a world threat because the U.S. and Israel did not finish the job in the fashion dictated in the Torah. But we must recognize that Trump made up for FDR's refusal to bomb the tracks leading to Auschwitz.
Leadership is an act of service.
Rabbi Micha Halevy, Chief Rabbi of Petach Tikva and head of the Ateret Nehemiah Yeshiva, was asked why, if we have faith in G-d, we turned to the United States to help in our war effort against the Iranian enemy. Here is his answer:
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life. It has revolutionized the way we think about G -d the human soul, the world and our place in it.
The last piece addressed our relationships with peers — including spouses, friends, and family. In addition to those relationships, we should also have meaningful relationships with the generations that precede and follow our own.
Israel did not ask "whether" but "how." And with reliance on G-d's help, that question was answered by its brave fighters, with President Trump giving the final hammer blows. Reading parashat Shlach, we can see that this is what the spies did not do.
The white expresses the kindness and the supreme divine conduct, and the color techelet expresses the judgment that is revealed in the world. About the fascinating issue of techelet, and the deep spiritual element within it.
When we look to the last Book, in the Torah, V'Zot HaBracha, we find a simultaneous phenomenon mentioned as well—a tag-team phenomenon involving pilots in the air, soldiers on the field, and soldiers in the tents.
We should learn from Tzelofchad’s mistake, and stay focused on that which is enduring and eternal, and not confuse the way-station for the final destination.
A message of appreciation for the "B'nei Yisrael" - the children of the State of Israel.
There are currently more than 100,000 Israelis abroad, stranded in dozens of countries ever since this current war closed the airspace above Israel. Yet the overriding concern of all these Israelis abroad is how to come home despite the missiles from Iran.
