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Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- Jewish Holidays
- The Three Weeks
The prophets of Israel laid out a blueprint for proper vision for the nation. They stressed that proper choices for the future are heavily dependent upon a sense of what has happened to us before. Even though it is foolish if not even bordering on the insane to keep on following policies, ideas and ideologies that have proven to be wrong and harmful, nevertheless the tendency to do so remains strong within the Jewish people. It is difficult in the extreme to admit error and it seems that the greater the error the more difficult it is to face up to it. Politically and diplomatically it seems clear that that the policies of Israel over the past two decades regarding "land for peace" and other such high sounding mantras have proven to be wrong and harmful. Yet no one is willing to own up to these errors and in fact the ideologues that first proposed and implemented them stubbornly cling to them even today in the face of all contrary evidence to their viability. The search for a secular "loaded wagon" has gone on for over a century in Jewish educational life without producing results except for complete ignorance of Judaism and Jewish values and therefore rising rates of assimilation and alienation from the Jewish people and the State of Israel. The inability to articulate a more meaningful vision of Judaism and its value system has crippled generations of Jewish youth and left them stranded in an ocean of hate and despair. Bad vision certainly extracts its toll of woe.
But all is not lost nor should we give in to despair regarding our future. The same prophet Yeshayahu that portrays for us the vision of destruction and sadness in this week’s haftorah reading will follow with seven soaring visions of redemption and hope and success in the forthcoming weeks that will bring us to the High Holy Days. We have the choice of choosing which vision of the prophet we wish to follow and implement. And even though on the surface the choice should be an easy and simple one to make, since switching to the positive one requires that we make fundamental structural changes to our educational and social systems, it will be hard to choose to follow and implement our correct vision. There are the accumulated crusts and layers of apathy, mistakes, vested interests and shortsighted leadership that somehow have to be overcome in order for the greater positive vision to be revealed to the people. It took us some considerable time to get ourselves into our current mess and it will therefore take great patience and perseverance to extricate ourselves from it and abandon bad vision in favor of clearer and brighter one. The Shabat of Chazon crystallizes these choices and their resultant consequences for us. As in everything else in life, the Torah bids us to choose wisely.
Peninei Halakha 5. Havdala on Tisha Be-Av When It Begins on Motza’ei Shabbat
Chapter 9: The Eve of Tisha Be-Av
P'ninat Mishpat Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Rabbis in Midrash
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Shoftim TESHUVA IN COURT OF LAW?
Parshat Shoftim-Chodesh Elul
Why does parshat Shoftim always come out during Elul? This innovative and central explanation is an eye-opener regarding many aspects of Judaism.
The Month of Elul TESHUVA IS THE ANSWER
The month of Elul serves as a vital time for self-reflection and personal accountability to prepare for true repentance.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Realtor’s Fee on Large Commercial Building – part I
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 85031 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
P'ninat Mishpat Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the laying of the cornerstone of the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh)
Chemdat Yamim The Goal of an Agricultural Yeshiva – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 263 (address at the cornerstone laying for the Yeshiva Chakla’it in Kfar Haroeh – 1938)
Re'e NEVER EXTREME EXCEPT ISRAEL
Parshat Re'eh
Judaism is against extremism, so how can we understand the seemingly extreme statements found in our sages in favor of living in the Land of Israel and against living in Chutz laAretz? The article deals with the seeming contradiction between the strength of Free-Will and the strength of being influenced by our surroundings.
Ekev DANCE FOR ISRAEL- FOR YOUR BENEFIT
Parshat Eikev
Description: The 7 Haftarot we read after Tisha B'Av ("Shiva D'Nichemta") surely get us excited that they're coming TRUE, and awaken us to yearn, dance & join the return to Zion! The short article also deals with the problems and solutions facing the American Jewish community as discussed at a recent panel, as well as the question why Jews come from America to Israel to help when we face problems, but Israelis don't come to aid Jews in America when they face anti-Semitism.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
