by Ram ben Ze’ev Ki Tetze: When Israel Goes Out to War — Alignment, Not Assumption The words כי תצא (Ki Tetze – when you go out) open with precision. They do not command war; they describe it. They assume that man—individually and nationally—will choose to step into conflict. The verse states: כי תצא למלחמה על איביך — when you go out to war against your enemies. The initiative is human. The judgment that follows is Divine. The Holy Zohar teaches that this “going out” is not m

by Ram ben Ze’ev Shabbat HaGadol: The Shabbat of Greatness Before Redemption This Shabbat is known as שבת הגדול (Shabbat HaGadol – the Great Shabbat), the final Shabbat before פסח (Pesach – the Festival of Redemption), and it carries a weight and significance far beyond its name. For me, it also carries something deeply personal, as I was born on this very Shabbat—linking my own beginning, in some small way, to this moment of preparation before redemption. The term “HaGadol”

The significance of Shabbat HaGadol – Preventing the “Final Solution” in Egypt (From the teachings of Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef ztvk”l)(written by his grandson HaRav Yaakov Sasson Shlit”a)(translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds, United Kingdom) Parashat Tzav – Shabbat HaGadol Our Chachamim z”l said (Tur and Shulchan Aruch siman 430), that the Shabbat prior to Chag HaPesach is called “Shabbat HaGadol” – “The Great Shabbat”, in commemoration of the great

by Ram ben Ze’ev The United Nations and the Politics of Historical Guilt The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade to be the “gravest crime against humanity.” While the horrors of slavery are undeniable and no moral person today would defend such a practice, the resolution itself reveals more about the modern political agenda of the United Nations than it does about historical reality. Before the vote, the United Stat

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Problem with the Term “Orthodox” in Judaism The term “Orthodox,” so commonly used today to describe traditional Jews, is not a Hebrew word and does not originate from Jewish sources. Rather, it comes from the Ancient Greek word orthodoxos , meaning “correct belief” or “right opinion.” The word itself is formed from two Greek roots: orthos , meaning “straight,” “right,” or “true,” and doxa , meaning “opinion,” “belief,” or “praise.” From a Jewish standpoin

Shiny Happy People – How Moshe Rabbenu’s humility led to his radiant complexion (From the teachings of Maran Rabbenu Ovadia Yosef ztvk”l)(written by his grandson HaRav Yaakov Sasson Shlit”a) (translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds United Kingdom) Parashat Vayikra Our Parashah opens with the Pasuk, “Hashem called to Moshe, speaking to him from the Communion Tent saying”” (Vayikra 1:1). In Parashat Ki Tissa it states, “Moshe came down from Mt. Sinai with t

by Ram ben Ze’ev When the Argument Cannot Be Answered, Attack the Man In politics, one of the oldest tactics is also one of the most revealing. When a leader cannot answer an argument, the response is often not to address the facts but to destroy the credibility of the person who raised them. That is precisely what we are seeing now. Joe Kent did something that senior officials rarely do: he resigned his position on principle. As Director of the National Counterterrorism Cent

by Elisheva bas Chana Art by Karin Foreman The message of Pesach is a journey towards a place where Jews are valued, not for anything other than for who they are. As we sit around the Seder table, rethinking history that has meaning and its rituals which date back 3,300 years. But it is more than rituals; we are remembering the story and adding something of our own to it. “Who am I?” remains a question throughout the ages and for much of our history. We have always been a min

by Ram ben Ze’ev You Cannot Legislate Hatred Out of the Human Heart A recent interview published yesterday between Tucker Carlson and Glenn Greenwald begins with a familiar complaint. Both men lament the growing number of laws being enacted in various countries—among them the United States and Australia—that seek to criminalise negative or derogatory speech about Israel or about Jews. The discussion is not surprising coming from Carlson. His public commentary over the past se