Judaism (Page 34)


Embracing the parts of myself that I utterly despise

Holding space for alll my parts, while anchored in my divinity, brings me a double portion of Llght.

Embracing the parts of myself that I utterly despise

Ki Teitsei:

Going out to war

Inside Israel we pray that we will bask in G-d’s warmth and that any wars we might still be constrained to fight will be outside our Land. We will “go out” to war, so that we will shed no blood in our house.

Going out to war

Ki Tetse:

Those who are our enemies – and those who aren’t

We need to realize that not everyone hates us; to meet supporters and potential supporters where they are, to work with them, and build deeper understandings and relationships.

Those who are our enemies – and those who aren’t

Eretz Yisrael in the Parsha:

He who lives in Eretz Yisrael has a G-d

Young religious Zionist scholars find connections between each week's Torah reading and the Holy Land.

He who lives in Eretz Yisrael has a G-d

Le’David Barchi Nafshi:

Ki Tetse: Three mitzvot between man and G-d

In a parsha with tens of mitzvot between man and his fellow man, three are between man and G-d, but that is not coincidental.

Ki Tetse: Three mitzvot between man and G-d

Ki Tetse:

Are we the "rebellious sons?"

A selection of commentaries on a difficult Torah commandment, with a surprising twist at the end.

Are we the "rebellious sons?"

Torah Mitzion: Ki Tetse

A satirical lesson in responsibility

Can parents abrogate the connection with their child? The Torah has an unusual way of answering that question.

A satirical lesson in responsibility

Ki Tetse:

Canceling the cancel generation

It is rare to find someone with no strengths or no faults. Most of us are a blend of both, but cancel culture give no one a second chance if he has made one mistake.

Canceling the cancel generation

Ki Tetse:

The parasha speaks to us today

There are messages for today's situation clearly spelled out in the parasha.

The parasha speaks to us today

Rabbi Shimshon Refael Hirsch:

Ki Tetze: Female power

The fate of a nation rests on its mothers.

Ki Tetze: Female power

Watch Tanya lecture/video: The Holy Epistle

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.

Watch Tanya lecture/video: The Holy Epistle

The month of Elul

G-d treats His creatures mercifully, i.e., patiently, allowing them an opportunity to make amends, and going beyond the letter of the law.

The month of Elul

Revivim:

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook on other religions

The vision is for each religion to purify itself of all its flaws and reveal its unique path in serving God, and adding blessing to the world.

Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook on other religions

Office of the UK Chief Rabbi

Keeping the peace in our homes

Through just walking into our homes and looking at the mezuzah, we are reminded of the importance of compromise.

Keeping the peace in our homes

Lost Millenial Rabbis

The declining demand for rabbis leaves many highly gifted and qualified Modern Orthodox would-be-pulpit-rabbis seeking employment options that are non-rabbinic, or moving to Israel.

Lost Millenial Rabbis

Lies and antisemitism on the Piers Morgan Show

I challenge anyone under the sun to find one statement or even an intimation of any “hatred” the Rebbe preached towards any human being.

Lies and antisemitism on the Piers Morgan Show

Why some evil deeds demand the ultimate consequence

The Torah gives us the framework for justice, even when it’s hard to swallow. It's not always about compassion or rehabilitation.

Why some evil deeds demand the ultimate consequence

How can I get happy and stay happy?

The way to get happy and to remain happy is to totally transform the way we understand happiness.

How can I get happy and stay happy?

Taking Torah Seriously - on how to wage war

Instead of adopting the Torah’s approach of besieging a city with starvation, thirst, and the spread of disease, we have embraced the opposite approach, and then complain when the war drags on, our soldiers are killed, and our hostages suffer privation and death.

Taking Torah Seriously - on how to wage war

If Judaism Is immutable, how can It be relevant?

A Tale of Two Torahs: The timeless and the timely.

If Judaism Is immutable, how can It be relevant?

No leader is perfect, But the alternative is far worse

When the Torah forbids our "cursing the leader of the nation" it does not mean they are perfect. it means that we have to let the government function even if we disagree with it.

No leader is perfect, But the alternative is far worse

In honor of Rav Kook's yahrzeit:

On 3rd of Elul, Rav Kook said: 'Stay in the Land!'

“About half an hour before his death,” Dr. Zondek recalled, “the rabbi took my hand in his...."

On 3rd of Elul,  Rav Kook said: 'Stay in the Land!'

Parshat Shoftim:

Total Evil Deserves Total Destruction

Apparently, as explained by Rashi, the Jewish army was commanded not to engage in total warfare; even against immoral nations, the humanity of the Israelite army required that we would not act as total savages, and therefore, effort must be made to preserve the fauna of a city that the Jews were attempting to destroy.

Total Evil Deserves Total Destruction

A new light on Zion - Rabbi Kook's outlook on the Jewish People

In its military prowess, in the building of Medinat Yisrael, and in the full content of its national life, as well as in the life of each and every individual, Am Yisrael realizes the potential of the unified soul of the Jewish People as a whole.

A new light on Zion - Rabbi Kook's outlook on the Jewish People

Israel's 1st Chief Rabbi:

Psalm 31: Like a lost vessel

Hunted by his enemies, David, too, felt betrayed and abandoned:

Psalm 31: Like a lost vessel

Le’David Barchi Nafshi:

Shoftim: Serving justice in the courts

Whatever the case, a judge obviously is obligated to aim for truth and integrity even when the tools of justice may impede his way.

Shoftim: Serving justice in the courts

Shoftim:

Modern day "Levites" need to do more for society

The feeling of entitlement, of taking without giving, is contrary to the most fundamental teachings of the Torah.

Modern day "Levites" need to do more for society

Shoftim:

Have you changed?

When we study something, the information is in us, but it doesn’t become us. When we learn, it becomes part of us. And it should change us.

Have you changed?

Rabbi Shimshon Refael Hirsch:

Shoftim: What’s wrong with magic?

Our actions – not “black arts” – determine our future.

Shoftim: What’s wrong with magic?

Shoftim:

Free from corruption

The results of many cases brought before the US Supreme Court are predictable because of the previous strongly held views of the individual justices. They are not corrupt in the criminal sense of the word, but in the world of the Torah they are not freed from the taint of corruption.

Free from corruption

Torah Mitzion:

Shoftim: Preparation for battle

The combatant's willingness to sacrifice by possibly paying a personal ultimate price is soothed by realizing that his actions are linked to the fate of his nation and are an act of worship of the Creator.

Shoftim: Preparation for battle

Matan Rosh Hodesh Elul Torah Essay:

Moving away from Churban and toward Rosh Hashannah

The seven prophecies of consolation guide us every year from crisis to renewal, to restored pride, joy and dignity.

Moving away from Churban and toward Rosh Hashannah

Elul: Towards gaining a meritorious judgment

There is a wise path to take to merit a positive judgment on Rosh Hashanah and lengthen one’s days.

Elul: Towards gaining a meritorious judgment

Personal Growth series:

We got it

We possess all the resources we truly need within ourselves. Our growth and our mission in this world are squarely within our grasp.

We got it

And now what?

Not dwelling on what happened, but deciding thatince they wanted to destroy us physically, we must answer physically as well. Jews worldwide need to begin the process of coming home to Eretz Yisrael.

And now what?

For Rosh Chodesh Elul: What are you here for?

"What am I here for?" is a question that every Jew should ask themselves every day and every year, and reinforced during the month of Elul, and even more so on Rosh Chodesh Elul 2024.

For Rosh Chodesh Elul:  What are you here for?

In memory of Cherna z"l

Cherna Moskowitz z"l was laid to rest today, next to her late husband, Irving, on the Mount of Olives, a few meters from the grave of Rav Avraham HaCohen Kook. A tribute to a woman of valor and builder of Israel.

In memory of Cherna z"l

What is the Jewish approach to evil?

What is evil, and how does one comprehend its place in our lives? People have an obligation to recognize that evil exists, but understanding its essence is beyond human intellectual capacity, says Rabbi Soloveitchik.

What is the Jewish approach to evil?

Matan Emunah Essay:

Grieving and Growing

Today's tragic news of six hostages murdered in Gaza reminds us of the suffering described in Eicha, Lamentations. But there is more in Eicha than mourning - there is new growth.

Grieving and Growing

Israel's 1st Chief Rabbi:

The waters of Ein Eitam

Rav Kook explained that there exists a special connection between Ein Eitam and the High Priest’s purification on Yom Kippur.

The waters of Ein Eitam

Re'eh:

Yearning for the Temple Mount and searching for it

Parshas Re’eh is the Shabbos that blesses the month of Elul. The sublime revelation of the Yomim Noraim is like being in the presence of Hashem in the Beis Hamikdash.

Yearning for the Temple Mount and searching for it

Eretz Yisrael in the Parsha:

The importance of border towns

Young Religious Zionist Torah scholars find connections to the Holy Land in the week's Torah reading.

The importance of border towns

Re’eh:

A new level of kashrut

The Torah of the Land of Israel contextualises kashrut. Judaism is not merely a religion – it’s what elevates us as a nation, sanctifies us as a nation. What we are allowed to eat is part of what defines us as a nation.

A new level of kashrut

Re'eh:

The Complainer

When all you can see is carcasses, there is something wrong with you.

The Complainer

Le’David Barchi Nafshi:

Re'eh: Why is the reward for charity spelled out in the Torah?

The reward of a mitzvah is a consequence whose purpose is meant to continue the kindness of God in the world.

Re'eh: Why is the reward for charity spelled out in the Torah?

Re’eh:

Thirsty for Torah

Should we take water to people, or should we wait for them to come and ask for it?

Thirsty for Torah

Re’eh:

How we can guide ‘off the derech’ children – and nations

We need G-d’s blessing to continue to ensure that we and our children remain on the right path – and we need His mercy to bring us back from the curse of ongoing alienation from Him.

How we can guide ‘off the derech’ children – and nations

Re'eh:

When good people do nothing

Evil is like a disease. It begins in one section of the body but if left unchecked, spreads to the rest of the body. If gangrene sets in and you are compassionate to your arm, it can soon spread to your vital organs. If an infection sets in and you don’t destroy the bad bacteria, it can kill you.

When good people do nothing

Re'eh:

The Parsha and Current Events: The ugly truth

Jewish history of 3000 plus years can be likened to an accordion that produces music by intervals of expansion and contraction.

The Parsha and Current Events: The ugly truth

Re'eh:

Resh, aleph, heh - acronyms, anagrams and gematriot

There are no coincidences. The word Elul and the word Re'eh contain many messages in symbolic form.

Resh, aleph, heh - acronyms, anagrams and gematriot

Using music to make Torah your own and connect with Jewish life

Orthodox singer, composer, and podcast host Franciska Kosman spoke with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News about her songs and compositions and her work with victims of abuse.

Using music to make Torah your own and connect with Jewish life

Parshat Re’eh

It is all or Nothing

The Torah presents these two choices as “Either\or.” No middle ground is volunteered.

It is all or Nothing

Rabbi Shimshon Refael Hirsch:

Re’eh: Between the head and the heart

Truth, not feelings, must govern our actions.

Re’eh: Between the head and the heart

Free Will and the Kotzker Rebbe

Continuing the legacy of Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple AO RFD z"l.

Free Will and the Kotzker Rebbe

Revivim:

Healing, Reiki and other Eastern curative procedures

According to the permitting view, there is no idolatrous aspect to these healing methods and in practice, the prevailing view is that there is no prohibition against ‘Healing’ and ‘Reiki.’

Healing, Reiki and other Eastern curative procedures

Doing what we can

Great people accomplish great things when they fulfill their (relatively) small role with the faith that Hashem will complete the process - or when they continue a process that He has begun.

Doing what we can