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

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by Elisheva bas Chana Something remarkable is happening. President Trump called on all Jewish Americans to observe Shabbos as part of the National 250th Anniversary of the Independence of America. The Shabbos that President Trump chose is the same Shabbos the Rebbe designated to observe in unity. President Trump issued a formal official announcement in honour of Jewish American Heritage Month. “If the Jewish people will keep at least one Shabbos properly, Moshiach will come i

by Rami ben Ze'ev Teshuvah: The Return That Cannot Be Bypassed There is a widespread confusion about forgiveness, and it is not limited to the Nations; it has seeped into Jewish thinking as well. Forgiveness is imagined as something that can be obtained quickly, spoken into existence with a few words, or granted through an intermediary. But this is not the way of Torah. The Torah does not offer shortcuts, and it does not permit a man to escape the consequences of his actions