Articles

Light and Shadows: Thoughts for Hanukkah

This article on Hanukkah draws on teachings of Daniel Kahneman, an Israeli-American author, psychologist and economist notable for his work on hedonic psychology, psychology of judgment and decision-making. He was awarded the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (shared with Vernon L. Smith). Since 1966, the tiny country of Israel has had 13 Nobel Prize Winners in various categories!!

Listen to Rabbi Hayyim Angel's Podcast on Royal Pardons in the Bible

On Wednesday, December 10, Rabbi Hayyim Angel did a podcast with Halacha Headlines. He discusses three instances of King David pardoning close relatives who had committed terrible sins.

Listen to the podcast here

https://halachaheadlines.com/episodes/what-it-takes-to-release-an-agunah-presidential-pardon-pardons-in-halacha-the-torah-approach-to-pardons/

Embracing Tradition and Modernity: The Religious Vision of Rabbi Haim David Halevi

Rabbi Halevi was fairly conservative within classical sources, and deferential to his predecessors. At the same time, he emphasized the inherent flexibility in halakhah, since there are many options within the boundaries of halakhic discourse. If one shuts down legitimate options, one harms the Jewish people and observance.

Afterlife in Jewish Thought

There is a paucity of explicit references to afterlife—whether a bodily resurrection or a soul world—in Tanakh. The Torah promises this-worldly rewards and punishments for faithfulness or lack thereof to God and the Torah. It does not promise heaven for righteousness, nor does it threaten hell or the absence of heaven for sinfulness. Given the ancient world’s belief in, and even obsession with immortality and afterlife, the Torah’s silence is all the more remarkable.