Beit Midrash

What Is the Worth of Shiny Gold?

If the Tabernacle had been built and the Shechina would not have dwelled in it, it would have been like a body without a soul. All its beauty and glory would be pointless; all the gold, silver, and precious stones adorning it would have been mere external trappings - shiny, but without their true meaning and essence...What worth is there to wealth and gold and financial stability and a large house, if the Divine Presence does not dwell within it...

The Uniqueness of the Jewish People

It is one of the principles of our faith that we must know and believe that the Nation of Israel is a nation of segula, a treasured people of a special nature. Another article of faith is that we must know that Israel is separate from others, different in its essence from all other peoples on the face of the earth.

Who Needs Torah-Based Civil Law??

This week's Torah reading of Mishpatim appears to be a major departure from the stories of our Patriarchs and the stories of Divine miracles that we have read until now, in that it is largely a list of civil laws: Who is responsbile for which damages under what circumstances, who pays if one ox gores another, how much a thief must compensate his victim, lost objects, majority rule, milk and meat, and much more. One of the questions we must ask is: Why did the Torah make rules for civil law in certain areas, and not leave them up to the will of the people in each society?

Why This Generation MUST Reject Truth

Let us take a faith-based look at our generation, through the prism of the teachings of the Land of Israel's first modern-day chief rabbi, Rav Kook.

Between Israel and the Gentiles

There has always been a hatred, sometimes hidden, on the part of the gentiles towards Israel, with no explanation and no justification. This hatred is deep-seated and constant, in every place and time. It doesn't matter whether we are successful or not; it's always there. Sometimes they hate Jews because they're capitalist, and sometimes because they're socialist. Here they hate us because they're conservative, and there they loathe us because we're too liberal. They have contempt for us when we're too talented and industrious, even as others accuse us of being useless parasites. Sometimes it's because we are too advanced, and other times it's because we are backward and outdated. There's no one correct reason, and in fact, there is no reason at all...

Guarding the Honor of Israel

Some people ask if it is permitted to endanger oneself for the sake of the honor of the People of Israel. It seems from this week's Torah portion that the answer is yes.

The Footsteps of Mashiah

Faith and Trust in G-d's Plan Is Happiness

The common denominator between Moshe's anger at Israel and his hitting of the rock for its water

Is It Permitted to Buy an "Investment Property" in Judea/Samaria?

I would like to buy a home in Yesha (Judea/Samaria) in order to make some money Is this appropriate, or should I assume that it is not a good idea, because it makes it harder for others to fulfill the commandment of settling the Land of Israel?

Post-Pesach Reflections on Redemption

Pesach is over - but we have permanently absorbed yet another portion of freedom. Yet another peel of Exile has been removed from us. We have shed yet another layer of self-nullification before others, and of blind admiration of customs found in the nations of the West or the Far East. We have grown stronger in getting to know ourselves, in healthy self-confidence, and in appreciation of the value of the People of Israel and its great destiny to shine the light of G-d throughout the world

Purim: How the Final Redemption Will Play Out

The Talmud says Israel's redemption will come quickly, but stage after stage.

Torah and Democracy

The concept of "Democracy First!" is becoming more extreme in Israel, and especially among left-wingers. The gaps between this extreme approach and the Torah view are widening - cause for great concern among those who wish to preserve the nation's unity. How can such unity be maintained in the face of these widening gaps?

Israel, Gentiles, & Gog U'Magog

Rav Zalman Baruch Melamed explains the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in the era of Mashiach and Gog U'Magog.

What About Rabbis Who Say It's Ok to Give Away Land?

Rav Zalman Baruch Melamed answers the question: How should one relate to great Torah scholars who rule that parts of the Land of Israel may be given over to autonomous gentile rule?

Rotten on the Outside, Perfect on the Inside

How can the contradiction be explained, between what is seen on the outside and what we really are on the inside? How can there be such an acute contrast between our inner essence, so complete and perfect, and our external trappings which appear to be the exact opposite?

Yosef & His Brothers / The National Religious & the Left

A comparison of the relationship between the left-wing and the Jewish population of Judea and Samaria (Yesha), and the first ten sons of the Patriarch Yaakov and their young brother Yosef.

Why Such an Emphasis on the Land of Israel?

Why did the religious-Zionist camp take upon itself the commandment of the Land of Israel as such a primary and important project, while ignoring all the other commandments?

When Faith is Tested

The loss of tzaddikim has an effect on the world. "Save, O Lord - for the pious are gone; for the faithful have vanished from among men" (Psalms 12,2). That is to say, when a righteous man passes away, the world suffers a loss of emuna and trust. Emuna diminishes because tzaddikim help ensure that it remains strong, and when they leave, it becomes weaker. Rav Tzvi Yehuda was a great man of emuna, and his loss left a great vacuum of emuna in the world.

Using the Hebrew Calendar

There are some people, in Israel for the most part, who oppose the use of the Gregorian calendar in their every-day interactions, and choose to use the Jewish calendar instead. Let us delve into and explain the importance of the Jewish calendar.

Returning to the Land

The Sukkot holiday is full of mitzvot (good deeds), including the mitzvah of the lulav, the four species. Our Sages say that the four species are similar to weapons - the lulav is similar to a sword, or perhaps a rifle, the etrog maybe to a grenade. In any event, the Sages intend to tell us that there are spiritual wars and there are physical wars, and Man in this world must confront various pests and ward them off.