by Rami ben Ze'ev The Days Before the Mountain There are only a few days left now. The counting is almost complete. Each evening, across the world, Jews quietly stand and count another day of ספירת העומר (Sefirat HaOmer, the Counting of the Omer). One more step. One more day closer to Shavuot. One more day closer to מתן תורה (Matan Torah, the Giving of the Torah). It is easy to think of Shavuot as merely a holiday on the calendar, another date arriving after Pesach. But the T

by Elisheva bas Chana Shavuos The word Shavuos translates as weeks, and follows the counting of the Omer. Seven weeks of preparation for Matan Torah. Vayikra Perek 23: "You shall proclaim on this very day, a holy calling it shall be for you." Shavuos, the time of the giving of the Torah. What could be more important to the Jews and Judaism than the giving and the receiving of the Torah? Without Shavuos there would be no Torah, we would not be Jewish. There would simply be not

by Rami ben Ze’ev Oskar Schindler: The Nazi Who Became One of the Righteous Among the Nations Most people know the name Oskar Schindler because of a film. Far fewer know the deeper truth about the man himself. History often prefers its heroes polished, pure, and uncomplicated. But real life is rarely so tidy. Oskar Schindler was not born a hero. He did not begin as a good man. In truth, by almost every ordinary standard, he was a deeply flawed man. He was a member of the Nazi

by Rami ben Ze’ev A Convert, Mourning, and the Torah’s Demand for Gratitude A recent discussion asked an emotionally difficult question: if a person converts to Judaism and later loses a non-Jewish parent, may they sit שבעה (shivah)? The question touches not only halachah, but also identity, gratitude, memory, and what Torah truly expects from us. The starting point in halachah is well known. The Gemara teaches: גר שנתגייר כקטן שנולד דמי — “a convert who converted is like a n

by Elisheva bas Chana The Shabbos of Parsha Bamidbar We were a unity at Har Sinai to receive the Torah. Achdus Yisroel is a term we use to describe why we should have Ahavas Yisroel. In essence, we are one, as a people with one neshama. The two important principles of Achdus Yisroel and Ahavas Yisroel should be common practice on Shabbos before Shavuos, to prepare for the giving of the Torah as one people. During the Sefiras HaOmer we count 49 days - 7 weeks. The Jewish peopl

by Rami ben Ze’ev Betting on the Future While Destroying the Present There was a time when gambling was mostly understood for what it was: a wager between individuals, where one person’s gain depended entirely upon another person’s loss. The Torah and Gemara view such behaviour with deep suspicion because it produces nothing, builds nothing, and often feeds upon human weakness, greed, and illusion. Today, however, gambling has been repackaged in a more sophisticated and dange

by Rami ben Ze’ev The Truth They Tried to Silence For more than a year and a half, we have endured endless accusations against Israel. We have heard the lies. We have seen mobs chant about “baby killers.” We have watched people condemn the IDF while ignoring the horrors that forced Israel into war in the first place. Now comes one of the most comprehensive investigations yet into the atrocities of 7 October 2023 and the treatment of hostages held in Gaza. The report, Silenced

by Rami ben Ze'ev Honouring the Torah: The Philanthropist’s Final Kindness The Mishnah in Pirkei Avot (Chapter 4) teaches: “Rabbi Yose says: Whoever honours the Torah is himself honoured by people.” When a person recognises the intrinsic holiness of Torah and shows honour to the Torah and its תלמידי חכמים (talmidei chachamim — Torah scholars), Heaven ensures that honour is ultimately returned to him. A moving incident illustrating this principle was published by Halacha Yomit

by Rami ben Ze’ev Britain Must Not Jump from the Frying Pan into the Fire Britain now stands at a dangerous political crossroads. Rumours swirl around emergency Cabinet meetings, internal rebellions, leadership manoeuvring, and the growing possibility that the current government may not survive in its present form. Whether the Prime Minister resigns, announces a future resignation, or attempts to drag the country into a snap election, the uncomfortable reality is that none of