by Rami ben Ze'ev Shehecheyanu: The Blessing That Teaches Us Gratitude We live in a generation that has become accustomed to acquiring things with astonishing ease. A few clicks on a computer or telephone, and within days—or sometimes hours—a new possession arrives at our door. Yet the speed with which we acquire material things has also dulled our appreciation for them. Gratitude has become increasingly rare. Torah teaches a different way of living. When a Jew acquires a sig

by Rami ben Ze’ev The World Is Not Your Enemy There is a temptation that touches every human being. When life becomes difficult, when our health fails, when money is scarce, when relationships break down, when our plans collapse, our first instinct is often to look outward for someone to blame. We blame our neighbours. We blame our husband or wife. We blame our children. We blame our employer. We blame politicians. We blame society. And today, more than ever before, we blame

by Rami ben Ze'ev SpaceX Dependent For investors, there is something deeply attractive about consolidation. A collection of businesses becomes a group. A group becomes an ecosystem. An ecosystem becomes a vision. The story is compelling. A social media platform feeds an artificial intelligence company. The artificial intelligence company powers new technologies. The space company launches satellites. The satellites support a global communications network. The communications n

by Rami ben Ze'ev The Hidden Wound and the Hidden Fire The discussion in Chullin 44 revolves around an animal that appears healthy from the outside but is discovered upon examination to possess a fatal internal defect. The lesson is obvious on the surface: appearances can deceive. Yet beneath the legal discussion lies a profound teaching about how we view ourselves and others. Human beings are often experts at judging what they can see and remarkably poor at understanding wha

by Rami ben Ze'ev At the End of the Path, the Beginning of the Journey Ten years. Ten years of opening the Holy Zohar each day and walking, step by step, through its mysteries. Ten years of rising in the morning or settling in the evening with the same purpose: to learn, to reflect, to question, and to draw a little closer to the hidden light contained within the words of Torah. When I began this journey, I did not know where it would lead. Like every traveller standing at th

by Rami ben Ze'ev The Antidote to Anxiety Trusting the One Who Walks Beside Us Earlier, I came across a post: “One cause of anxiety and anguish is low self-esteem. When one feels worthless or unremarkable, depression is not far off.” There is certainly truth in that observation. A person who sees little value in themselves can become overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, fear, and despair. Yet it reminded me of a lesson taught to me years ago by my Rabbi, a lesson that has r

by Rami ben Ze'ev The Foundation Beneath the Home In modern discussions about society, much is said about the importance of the nuclear family. Politicians speak of it. Social commentators defend it. Researchers point to its benefits for children and communities. By the nuclear family, they usually mean a husband, a wife, and their children living together as a single household. There is certainly wisdom in recognising the value of a stable home. Judaism has always regarded m

by Rami ben Ze'ev Reports from Israel indicate that Israeli singer, composer, and pianist Yonatan Razel suffered a stroke and was hospitalised at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. His family has asked the public to pray for him using the name Yonatan Adi ben Chaya Rachel. More recent reports state that he is conscious and receiving treatment, while prayers continue throughout Israel and the Jewish world for his recovery. For many people, Yonatan’s music has never been

by Rami ben Ze'ev The Masquerade of Modern Identity: What Torah Teaches About Cross-Dressing and Transgenderism In every generation, society finds new ways to challenge the boundaries established by G-D. Some challenges come openly, while others arrive wrapped in the language of compassion, self-expression, or personal identity. One of the most significant examples of our generation is the growing normalisation of cross-dressing and so-called transgender behaviour. The Torah'