Articles

The Mitzvah of Hakhel--gathering of all Israelites every seven years--is a powerful re-enactment of the Revelation at Mt. Sinai when all the Israelites gathered to receive the Torah.

 Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was one of humanity’s greatest geniuses, a man whose mind plumbed the depths of universe. But his greatness transcended his being gifted with an extraordinary IQ: he had imagination; he wondered about things; he let his mind drift in new and unexpected pathways.

LeSHA: Lemida Sh’Goreret Ahava

On August 29-30, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah will be holding its 19th annual Study Days in Bible and Jewish Thought over Zoom. Our National Scholar, Rabbi Hayyim Angel, will present a class on Sunday evening August 29, from 8:00-9:00pm. The event is co-sponsored by The Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals. 

For registration and the full schedule, please see this link:

https://www.jewishideas.org/sites/jewishideas.org/files/YEMEI%20IYUN%202021.pdf

It is through the sense of Jewish identity, forged by an observant lifestyle, that one is more likely to feel that distinct sense of peoplehood and that non-severable bond to the destiny of the Jewish people and to the state of Israel. It is only then that one can find the courage to speak the words that must be spoken, the truth about our people's proud history and Israel's proud struggle to survive.

With the growing success and utilization of Assisted Reproductive Technologies, it is not at all surprising that halakhic discussions abound concerning their appropriateness, how and when they should be carried out and under what circumstances couples should avail themselves of ART.

This essay examines the halakhic import of praying in the synagogue. As many synagogues are now able to return to the normal activity and hustle and bustle of our synagogue life, it is important to re-confirm the significance of synagogues for our religious lives.

Rabbi Abraham Yitzhak ha-Cohen Kook (1865–1935) is, without doubt, one of the most celebrated rabbis of the twentieth century. He is known to most people simply as Rav Kook, the founder of Religious Zionism, and we frequently overlook the fact that the foundations of his teachings reflect a deep modernization of the Jewish faith itself and of its approach to an array of contemporary problems.

Dr. Elliot Turiel writes of his experiences as a child in the Island of Rhodes during World War II. When the Jews of Rhodes were deported to Auschwitz in July 1944, the Turiel family was saved by the Turkish Consul in Rhodes, since Elliot's mother held a Turkish passport.

It is no coincidence that this Mitzvah of Bikkurim is read in the Torah two weeks before Rosh HaShanah, the special time of renewal. Every year, we are faced with the challenge of finding a new way to bring in the year.