Torah Personalities

In this response to last week’s article by Ezra Schwartz, Nathaniel Helfgot wonders whether the new pandemic-fueled trend toward centralized halakhic decision-making overburdens the most learned rabbis and takes too much autonomy from the others.

David J. Landes z"l, former chairman of the Etzion Foundation at Yeshivat Har Etzion, developed a very close relationship with Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt"l. In honor of Rav Lichtenstein's 6th yahrtzeit, Dr. Landes' family has generously offered to publish his penetrating analysis of Rav Lichtenstein's 1957 Harvard dissertation, published in 1962 under the title Henry More: The Rational Theology of a Cambridge Platonist.

It has been six years since Rav Aharon Lichtenstein passed away. In reviewing a 2018 collection of essays by Rav Lichtenstein’s students, Alan Jotkowitz reflects on what we have lost and the void that remains.

Alan Jotkowitz reviews the latest volume of Dr. Haym Soloveitchik’s collected essays, bringing us back to the world of medieval Ashkenaz.

In this review of a new book by Aryeh Solomon, Ilan Fuchs explores how for the Lubavitcher Rebbe, teaching and learning are a sacred calling leading toward spiritual growth.

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.

Lehrhaus Founding and Consulting Editor Elli Fischer on why R. Mendel of Rimanov is said to have spoken about the man every Shabbat for 22 consecutive years, and why reciting parshat ha-man the Tuesday before Parshat Beshalah might not be a segulah for parnasa, but R. Mendel's exhortation to be content with our lot.

Drawing upon his expertise in Anglo-Jewish history, Benjamin Elton traces the intellectual journey and career of the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks zt"l. As a brilliant young scholar, Rabbi Sacks rose to prominence through the British Chief Rabbinate, but he transcended that role to become a global phenomenon.

Rav Da'vid Sperling, Rosh Beit Midrash at Nishmat and long-time student of Rav Yehuda Herzl Henkin Ztz"l, shares his eulogy from the funeral of his Rav.

Over the course of decades, Rabbi Lenny Matanky of Congregation KINS and Ida Crown in suburban Chicago worked very closely with Rav Gedalia Dov Schwartz on countless sensitive communal matters. Rabbi Matanky shares the eulogy he delivered this past Thursday for his great mentor.