16 Lessons
Parashat Hashavua: Can One Give a Loan to Hashem? – part I
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Elul 5785
“I Will Show Miracles Like the Days I Took you Out of Egypt”
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Elul 5784
On the Book, the Sword, and “Bots”
In the middle parashiyot of Sefer Devarim, telling of the time soon before entering Eretz Yisrael, the topic of war comes to the fore. We will look at one case in our history in which the “sword” was connected to the “book” in an interesting way. There are many elements to waging war. In the battlefield, people use weapons to kill or incapacitate. Today, technology is employed against the enemy, whether operated in the battlefield from afar or by infiltrating their important systems. Psychological warfare is a modern and ancient tool. Last week, we read the Torah’s instructions to soldiers not to be afraid of an intimidating army (Devarim 20:1-3).
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Elul 3 5783
Is there a Way to Permit Ribbit (Usury)?
The Torah relates to loans as an act of chesed and demands of all who can to lend to those in need, as part of a Jewish life, which is based on charity and justice.
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Elul 10 5782
Two Levels of Struggle
The war against Amalek can take place on two planes – a maximalistic plane and a minimalistic plane.
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Elul 9 5781
Be Careful! Can It Make a Difference?
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Elul 4 5780
Different Types of “Arranged” Marriages
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Elul 8 5779
“So that His Heart Not Be Elevated above His Brothers”
Our Parasha starts with halachot that come about by going out to war. It is the king who is involved in the decision to fight and leads the nation into it. Such power can lead its possessor to conceit. That is why the Torah dictates laws whose purpose is “so that his heart not be elevated above his brothers … and so that he shall have many years in his kingship, he and his sons in the midst of Israel” (Devarim 17:20). This shows that a candidate for kingship can fall if he is guilty of the sin of haughtiness.
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Elul 12 5778
Human Dignity – Never to be Forgotten
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Elul 8 5775
What Type of Repentance When?
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | 5770
Honor of the Honorable
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Elul 5768
Both Slaves, Neither Slaves
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | elul5767
When an Enemy Turns Into a Brother
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | 9 Elul 5766
Who Were Amalek’s Targets?
Parashat Ki Tetze
Parashat Ki Tetze
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | 13 Elul 5765
Fathers and Sons
Parashat Ki Tetze
Parashat Ki Tetze
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | 11 Elul 5764