The Invention of Jewish Theocracy: A Review of Alexander Kaye’s New Book

What motivated the first Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav Herzog, to work tirelessly on the seemingly quixotic project of running the modern State of Israel on the basis of Halakhah? Reviewing Alexandar Kaye's new book on the subject, Rabbi Shalom Carmy explains.

The Will is Man’s Only Property: A Reading of a Short Passage from Mr....

Who was Monsieur Shoshani, the mysterious and brilliant teacher of some of the greatest 20th century Jewish thinkers? A new look into recently published notebooks of this important figure may help solve the puzzle. David Lang, Yoel Finkelman, and Admiel Kosman offer a commentary and analysis of one such enigmatic passage.

The Yom Kippur War and Yeshivat Har Etzion: Letters from a Talmid

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, published here are excerpts from letters of an American student studying in Israel in 1973. These letters, written during and immediately after the war, shed light on Yeshivat Har Etzion in its formative years and the lasting impact of the Yom Kippur War.

The Zogerke’s Vort

The zogerke or firzogerin, once the vernacular translator in the women’s section of the synagogue, has faded into distant memory. Dalia Wolfson reimagines her for our times.

The Development of Neo-Hasidism: Echoes and Repercussions Part IV: Arthur Green and Conclusion

Ariel Evan Mayse concludes his four-part discussion with the works of Arthur Green and the future of the Neo-Hasidism.

Rav Kook on Culture and History

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

Nietzschean Man

Did Rav Soloveitchik buy into Nietzsche’s critique of religion? Alex Ozar reviews Daniel Rynhold and Michael Harris’s book, which surprisingly argues that the answer to this question is yes.

The Lifespan of Hirschian Orthodoxy: On the 130th Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch

Francis Nataf considers the legacy of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch.

Who Will Defend Maimonides? Rav Soloveitchik on the Mishneh Torah and the Guide

With the aid of some new primary sources, David Curwin offers a fresh view of the Rav's embrace of Rambam and his most important writings.

Rekindling the Holy Fire: Fighting over Faith in the Aish Kodesh

In his newest review, former Lehrhaus webmaster Steve Gotlib looks at Hasidim, Suffering and Renewal: The Prewar and Holocaust Legacy of Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira and examines scholars’ differing views on whether the Aish Kodesh experienced a crisis of faith due to the Holocaust.