Search Jewish Dispatch

by Ram ben Ze'ev When a Nation Forgets Its Covenant Throughout our long history, the Jewish people have faced enemies in every generation. Empires have risen against us, armies have marched against us, and rulers have sought to erase us from the earth. Yet the Torah teaches something that history repeatedly confirms: our greatest danger has never been the nations alone, but what happens when we forget who we are . From the beginning, the Jewish people were not created simply as another...

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Tragedy of Aher: The Sage Who Could Not Return He was once among the greatest minds of his generation — brilliant, respected, steeped in Torah and philosophy alike. Yet he would become known not by his name, but by his absence from it. The Sages no longer called him Elisha ben Abuyah ; they called him Aher — “the Other.” Elisha was born into privilege in Jerusalem during the late Second Temple period. His father, Abuyah, was a wealthy and influential man who admired Torah...

by Ram ben Ze’ev The So-Called Jerusalem Cross: A Symbol Misunderstood When photographs emerged of now–Secretary of War Pete Hegseth proudly displaying the tattoo of what he calls the “Jerusalem Cross” on his chest, the reaction among Democrats and Leftists in the United States was immediate and predictably hysterical. They condemned it as “Christian nationalism,” “Crusader imagery,” and a threat to “diversity.” Yet, as usual, their outrage was both selective and shallow — because they...

The potent power of prayer, especially when praying for our children, plus the MK whose wife prayed that her children be like the Chazon...

Today, we observe the public fast day of Tisha Be’av. Tisha Be’av this Year Greetings on Tisha Be’av One may not greet others (especially...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen This morning, I overheard a conversation in the gym in which someone was declaring, in reference to the murders...

Vayikra (Leviticus) Chapters 25-27 - Rebuke by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen A major part of the double portion we read this...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Image Credit: The Met: Live in HD – Verdi’s Aida (Encore Screening - 2018) The opera Aida was composed by...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen A two-volume work has just been published. Milhemet Mitzvah : Editors Aviad Hacohen, Yitzchak...

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan. The Secretary and King Abdullah discussed bilateral and...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Happy Chag Ha’Atsmaut even if for some it is already over. There was much to celebrate. And now...

Vayikra Chapters 12-17 - Health by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen This week two Sedrot combined, are Tazriah and Metzorah....

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen There’s no question that the challenges we Jews are facing at this moment , internally and...

Vayikra Chapters 9-11 - Two Brothers Go Wrong by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen “When Moshe and Aaron came out, they blessed the...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen I don’t usually send out the ideas of others. But this is an exception. The modest man who wrote...

Vayikra Chapter 6:1-8:36 - Sweet Smell by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The term sweet smelling is used in many places in the...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen I have the pleasure of lecturing weekly on the Bible. We are now in the first Book of Shmuel...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Yaakov Herzog As we approach Pesach/Passover, I like to reminisce about past experiences. One I particularly...

Sacrifices or deeds? by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Every book of the Torah contains a range of different subjects, ideas and...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen I have the pleasure of lecturing weekly on the Bible. We are now in the first Book of Shmuel...

Shemot 38:21-40:38 - Recognizing Talent by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen We come this week to the end of the second book of the...

by Ram ben Ze’ev The recent breach of a high-level Signal chat within the Trump administration— accidentally exposing sensitive deliberations on planned airstrikes in Yemen—has rightly triggered alarms in Washington. But beyond the domestic implications of what some are calling a catastrophic lapse in operational security, Israel must now examine what this episode reveals about American strategic posture and its potential ripple effects across the region. The chat, which included Defence...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen I have always tried to hear different points of view and take other opinions seriously and...

Is Purim Violent? by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen For hundreds of years the very idea of Jews rejoicing publicly was deemed offensive to...

Yesterday, we explained how most places around the world would celebrate Purim tomorrow, Friday, the 14th of Adar. On the other hand, in...

Shemot 30:11-35 - The Golden Calf by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen While Moshe was absent up on Mount Sinai, the people feared he was dead and...

Holding the Purim Feast at Night The holiday of Purim is different than all other holidays we celebrate in that whereas regarding other...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The Shabbat before Purim is always called Shabbat Zachor . The Shabbat to remember. Its origin...

Shemot 27:20-30:10 - Clothes by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Polonius tells his son Laertes to dress...

The Jews: An Indigenous People In The Jews: An Indigenous People , the final instalment of his seminal Jewish Pride trilogy, Ben M....

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola I first heard of the Christian polymath Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola (1463-1494)...

Exodus Chapter 25-27:20 - The Urim and Tumim by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Those who care about American Ivy League...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Anyone studying the Talmud in depth knows that one enters a very special but complicated world...

Shemot Chapters 21:1-24:18 - A Constitution by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The sequence of laws as given in the recent...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen A Personal Tribute Rabbi Aviezer Wolfson ז״ל I have recently pointed out some of the negative aspects of the...

Shemot Chapter 18:1-20:23 - Father-in-Law by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Although the focal point of this week's Torah reading...

The Significance of Tu Bishvat The Fifteenth of Shevat or Tu Bishvat is the Rosh Hashanah for trees (Rosh Hashanah 2a). Most people...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen President Donald Trump has raised universal hackles by his Gaza proposal. First he dared to...

Exodus 13:17-17:14 - What is a Miracle? by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The miracle of the Reed Sea which we read this week is...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Shimshon ( Samson ) is the great Jewish hero. The symbol of Jewish defiance and overcoming...

Shemot Chapter 10-13:16 - Negotiations by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The exchanges between Moshe and Aaron on the one hand,...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The ignorant (or brainwashed) , useful idiots who call for the destruction of a Jewish...

Exodus Chapter 6:2-10 - Why Wait? by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen When Moshe and Aaron approached Pharaoh, they faced an...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The ignorant (or brainwashed) , useful idiots who call for the destruction of a Jewish...

Emulating Moshe Rabbeinu’s primary virtues of Mercy and Compassion for all Creatures, and how Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef’s ztvk”l...

Exodus Chapter 1-6:1 - Moshe as Innovator by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The book of Bereishit develops the story of...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen What is a Yeshivah? A place where you sit, literally. Of course, you can do many things when...

Bereishit Chapter47:28 -50:26 - Yosef and the Evil Eye Rabbi Jeremy Rosen by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen At the end of the book of Bereishit...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen There are very different reasons why Jews have always migrated, and many have assimilated. When...

Bereishit Chapters 44-47:27 - Politics by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Yosef comes across as a consummate politician. It starts...

A historical account of the Chanukah miracle is recorded in Megillat Antiochus quoted by the Siddur Bet Oved (page 165) and Sefer...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Since we are in the midst of party season, I am reminded of the strange history of Jewish...

Bereishit Chapters 41-44:17 - Dreams by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Dreams play a very important part in the biblical...

Chanukah Candles in a High Building Chanukah candles should preferably be placed in a place where they will be visible to the public in...

Been There by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen A History of Chanukah We like to think that Chanukah was the great victory of Judah the son of...

Tamar the Righteous Woman - Bereishit Chapters 37 -40:23 by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The story of Yehudah and Tamar is a...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen A few weeks ago, The Economist ran an article referring to Sir Isaiah Berlin. He was an...

Bereishit Chapter 32:4-36:43 - Women in the Torah by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Rabbi Jeremy Rosen When we read the Torah, we tend to focus on...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen It came as no surprise to me at all, that the so called International Criminal Court (AKA Idiotic Corrupt Crazies)...

Bereishit Chapters 28:10-31:54 - Do As You Would Be Done By by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen There is a tradition amongst some Talmudic...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen People are asking why now are we experiencing such a tsunami of hatred? A kind of MaNishtanah moment. There are...

Bereishit 27-28:8 - Rosh Chodesh Kislev Sunday The Role of a Woman by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen It is often said that women in the Bible play a...

Bereishit Chapters 23-25:18 - Pay Attention to the Words! by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Narratives are subjective. We say things that often don’t...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Alroy is the title of novel about a Jewish false Messiah (of which there have been many), written by a young...

Bereishit Chapters 18-23 - Avraham Challenges God by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Vayera is a fascinating combination of episodes. It's not just...

וללב מלכים אין חקר “There is no way to plumb the depths of the hearts of kings.” Proverbs 25:3 by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The Biblical books...

Bereishit/Genesis Chapters 12-17 - Challenges by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen After the chapters that describe stages of early humanity, we come...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen We now live in a world of black and white. Either you are for something or you're against. There are no nuances, no...

Genesis (Bereishit) Chapter 6:9 EVOLUTION by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen In some religious fundamentalist circles, the word evolution is a...

The Rambam (end of Chapter 8 of Hilchot Lulav) states: “Even though it is a Mitzvah to rejoice on all the festivals, there was an...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Yes, of course, I was delighted to hear that Sinwar met the violent end that he deserved. As the prophetess Deborah...

From Serious to Joy by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen There is a line in the Book of Psalms that reads “Rejoice in trembling” (Psalms 2:11) that...

Hope or Trust? by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen We approach Yom Kipur with both negative and positive emotions. Never more so than this year. For...

From a discourse delivered by Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l compiled by his grandson, Harav Yaakov Sasson Shlit”a We are about to...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen We are approaching a period of atonement. And sometimes I wonder who should be atoning. I hope you don’t mind my...

Deuteronomy Chapters 29:9-32 - SECRETS by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen הנסתרת ליהוה אלהינו והנגלת לנו ולבנינו עד עולם לעשות את כל דברי התורה...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen In 1290 Jews were expelled from England. In 1656 Cromwell failed to persuade parliament to welcome Jews back...

Deuteronomy Chapters 26-29;6 - Two Mountains by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen After two weeks of the most important laws of the Torah, Moses now...

Our Sages (Kiddushin 40b) teach us that one should always view himself as half innocent and half guilty. If one performs one Mitzvah, one...

In the previous Halacha we have discussed four varying levels of sin. We have also pointed out that there are some sins for which one...