Torah Personalities

Louis Jacobs, the controversial British rabbi and theologian, died 15 years ago. Steven Gotlib reviews Harry Freedman’s new book on Jacobs’ life, and considers how what happened to Jacobs should inform the way we draw the boundaries of Orthodoxy today.

Yehuda Fogel comments on the nature of controversy and dispute through the eyes of R. Nahman of Bratslav

On the sheloshim of his beloved rabbi, Matt Lubin provides a poignant and heartfelt tribute to Rav Yehuda Kelemer z"tl, legendary leader of the Young Israel of West Hempstead.

Rav Moshe Feinstein does not praise the United States for not having fascists and communists, but for having a system of government that is particularly resistant to what came to be known as totalitarianism.

An exclusive look into Rav Dov Singer's new English work on prayer, Prepare My Prayer.

Zach Truboff explores Rav Kook's fascinating philosophy of history, focusing on five recently translated essays.

Tzvi Sinensky makes a case to consider Rabbi Norman Lamm as pathbreaking Talmud innovator.

At the Orthodox Union in 1997, Rabbi Sacks first developed the theme that there are 2 Torot: Torat Kohanim and Torat Nevi'im. Nathan Diament shares from that talk, interwoven with personal reflections on Rabbi Sacks' optimism and his insightful use of Jewish jokes.

Rav Shagar's postmodern insights on accepting the yoke of Heaven, for your pre-Shavuos reading pleasure!

A series of reflections commemorating the passing of Yaakov Elman, of blessed memory.