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Beit Midrash
- Family and Society
- The Nation of Israel
- Israel and the Nations
I feel that one of the great enemies of traditional Judaism in the United States is the high cost of tuition in Jewish day schools and yeshivot. Everyone talks about it and recognizes the problem. Families have fewer children because of it. Jewish children from otherwise observant families are sent to Charter Schools and Public Schools because of it. Both the quality and quantity of Jewish education suffer because of it. But apparently nothing is done about it. The major national organizations are busy with their political offices, fighting turf battles and using their funds as they wish. They are legally entitled to do so but I would think that they could and should allocate a given percentage of their budgets to support local day schools and yeshivot that lower tuition rates. That is the true enemy, not all of the supposed deviations from the "true" faith that each group finds present in the other group or organization. The argument over the age of the earth is a sterile one that will not be resolved through articles, speeches and conventions. And worse, it is completely irrelevant to the current problems that face the Jewish world. How can we improve the world that we live in is the question that faces us. How to create a Torah society in Israel and the Diaspora; how to protect ourselves physically and spiritually from the enemies that threaten us so menacingly is the true issue that needs to be addressed. It should not be ignored.
In Israel the supposed enemy is the Charedi society. The media is obsessed with it and the only thing apparently that Israel has to fear is that there will soon be more Charedim in its midst. But again this is a false enemy. The true enemy lies in the secular society where the rate of disaffection from Israeli army service is far greater than with the Charedim. It lies in a university system that somehow under the guise of academic freedom produces the greatest number of Israel bashers and haters of Judaism than anywhere else in the Western world. It lies in a generation of youth who feels entitled to being given everything without having to work for it and who does not in the main have a sense of Jewish solidarity and traditional loyalty. It lies with an electoral system and judicial system that is devoted to only replicating itself and its particular viewpoints. And the external enemy is a real one. Pious statements about how the Moslem brotherhood will become moderate once in office fly in the face of the reality of our history of the last century. Iran is an existential threat to Israel. In short, there is no shortage of real enemies both within and without our society. These enemies should be identified and combated while we should no longer invest our energies in dealing with enemies who are either nonexistent or long ago defeated and dealt with.
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)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
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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)
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)
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
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
