by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on September 25, 2016
The relationship between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is both obvious and complex. Obvious, in that Divine judgment and forgiveness are closely connected – we recognize that there is no one who can justify him or herself to their Creator, and thus a day of judgment requires a day of forgiveness which brings with it the Divine gift of atonement.…
by Rabbi Haggai Resnikoff
Posted on September 7, 2016
Jewish values oppose lying, deception, and dishonesty as a rule. And yet there are some moments, when they are acceptable and maybe even preferable to the truth. It is obvious that we should not participate in dishonesty that causes damage to others, and even dishonesty that really has no negative consequences should be avoided.…
by Rabbi Haggai Resnikoff
Posted on September 6, 2016
Amalek, as it appears in the פשט of the תנ”ך and in חז”ל and the later Midrashim is a tribe that raids others both for status and for economic necessity. The only way to be safe from a tribe with this kind of predatory culture is to destroy it entirely because any remnant will rebuild the tribe with the same rapacious culture.…
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on August 8, 2016
In halakha, our obligations towards the other are mostly, if not exclusively, directed towards our fellow Jews. In other lectures [hyperlink here to Circles of Responsibility and to the Jew-Gentile lectures that are relevant], we explore to what extent there is a basis in halakha for an obligation of assistance and support towards Gentiles as well.…
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on August 5, 2016
The Torah in many places obligates us to take care of our “brother”. It is clear from many verses that this word often does not mean generically “another person,” but specifically someone of our tribe – a fellow member of the people of Israel. …
by Rabbi Avi Weiss
Posted on May 25, 2016
The words we recite when taking the Torah from the Ark are found in this week’s portion. “And it came to pass, when the Ark set forward, that Moshe (Moses) said ‘rise up O Lord and let Your enemies be scattered; and let them that hate You flee before You'” (Numbers 10:35).…
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on February 25, 2016
Over the course of two parshiyot, the Torah has described the construction of the Mishkan and the making of the priestly garments in great detail. Parashat Ki Tisa is introduced with a seemingly unrelated theme: a census of the people in which each person will pay a half-shekel.…
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on October 28, 2011
The following piece was written shortly after the release of Gilad Shalit in 2011. Many people found themselves asking whether Gilad’s release was worth the cost of freeing of over one thousand terrorists. Many newspaper articles and opinion pieces were written on this topic as well, with the large majority of them coming down in favor of this decision. This topic – how high of a price to pay for securing the freedom of a captive – is actually a topic that arises in the Gemara.…
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on December 11, 2009
In parshat Veyeishev, Yaakov, having finally endured the hardship and travails in the house of Lavan, and having finally returned to his homeland, the land of Canaan, and having reconciled with his brother Esav who (implicitly) agreed to relinquish his claim to the land, is now able to finally settle in the land of his fathers and to put all his troubles behind him: “And Yaakov settled in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.”…
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on December 4, 2009
Parshat VaYishlach opens with Yaakov preparing to confront Esav on his return to the Land of Canaan. We, as the reader, are eager to find out not only whether Yaakov will emerge unscathed, but how Yaakov will achieve this goal. Will this encounter differ in character from his last one with Esav, twenty years ago?…
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on November 6, 2009
Parshat Va’Yera has many powerful stories and images, but perhaps the two most powerful are the story of Avraham arguing with God to save Sodom and Amora, and the story that is climax of the parsha, Avraham offering Yitzchak up as a sacrifice.…
by Rabbi Dov Linzer
Posted on August 6, 2009
The holiday of Shavuot is generally assumed to commemorate the giving of the Torah, which occurred on the 6th of Sivan. In the Torah, however, Shavuot is only described as an agricultural holiday and occurs not on any particular calendrical date, but at the culmination of seven weeks from the beginning of the harvest season that occurs on the second day of Pesach.…
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