There Are No Lights in War: We Need a Different Religious Language
A growing list of dati le’umi leaders and thinkers frame war as a desirable state and even an opportunity for spiritual elevation. Religious Israeli activist Ariel Shwartz traces this trend with alarm and argues that it contradicts deep-rooted Torah values. Translated by Mordechai Blau.
How Halakhah Changes: From Nahem to the “Tisha be-Av Kumzitz”
Chaim Saiman on halakhic change and the observance of Tisha Be-Av.
Voices from Outside the Cave: Women and the Story of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai
Kate Rozansky explores the life of Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai through the prism of the women in his life.
Extra-Communal Philanthropy – Forbidden, Permitted, or Mandated?
Mikey Lebrett examines the various Halakhic opinions on giving charity to non-Jewish people and causes.
Reish Lakish and Rabbi Yohanan on the Power of Repentance: A Reappraisal
How does Reish Lakish’s classic view of repentance help to account for the tragic dissolution of his relationship with Rabbi Yohanan?
Pidyon Shevuyim and the Pandemic
Jesse Lempel argues that the halakhic category of pidyon shevuyim might extend to prisoners held in unsafe conditions, safe as during the current pandemic.
Is Religious Tolerance a Jewish Idea?
Jonathan Ziring comments on the "Jewishness" of religious tolerance.
Bittul Torah or a Taste of the World to Come? Fathers and Young Children
In honor of Father's Day, Yosef Bronstein shares thoughts about the Talmud's perspective on the relationship between fathers and children.
Is a Dateline a Logical Necessity? The Halakhic View Less Often Quoted
William Gewirtz discusses the necessity of a Halakhic Dateline.
What is Jewish Law? Uncovering a Debate between the Tur and the Ran
Lehrhaus Editor Shlomo Zuckier examines two divergent understandings of Jewish law.
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