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Netanyahu Seeks Fresh Mandate Amid Security Challenges, Domestic Divisions and Uncertain Polling

The Antidote to Anxiety

by Ram ben Ze'ev This War Was Chosen As a Jew, an American, and a fervent supporter of Israel, I write this without apology: I shed no tears for Iran. The regime in Tehran has spent decades threatening Israel, funding terror, and building a regional network dedicated to Jewish bloodshed. If Iran were to launch an unprovoked attack on Israel, I would support the destruction of its military capacity without hesitation. But that is not what this is. What I object to, strongly and without...

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Obligation to Read the Megillah: Night and Day When the month of אדר (Adar – joy-filled month) arrives, our service of G-D reaches its crescendo in the reading of the מגילה (Megillah – Scroll of Esther). This is not a custom, nor a sentimental commemoration. It is a binding obligation upon every member of כלל ישראל (Klal Yisrael – the Jewish nation): men and women alike must hear the Megillah twice — once at night and once again by day. The source of this dual reading is...

by Ram ben Ze’ev The Illusion of “Being Based” — A Torah Warning In today’s cultural landscape, the phrase “being based” has taken on a positive tone — a badge of honour for those who refuse to bend to the opinions of others. In its modern usage, it often means standing firm, unapologetic, and committed to one’s own beliefs. Yet in the light of the Torah, this modern “virtue” frequently bears an ancient name: קשה עורף (kesheh oref — stiff-necked). The Torah warns repeatedly against this very...

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Grave Sin of Assimilation: A Wake-Up Call to Our People We are not like the Nations. We were never meant to be. The commandment is clear: והייתם לי סגלה מכל העמים – “And you shall be to Me a treasure from among all the peoples” (שמות Shemot 19:5). We were chosen by G-D, not because of our numbers or our might, but because of our mission: ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים וגוי קדוש – “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (שמות Shemot 19:6). Holy – קדוש...

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Ten Faces of Bitachon: Your Soul, Your Mission, and Trust in HaShem In the Torah, trust in HaShem is not a concept but a calling. It is not merely a feeling of comfort but the soul’s very orientation toward its Creator. The Hebrew word for trust—bitachon (בטחון – trust)—appears throughout the Tanakh, often interwoven with deeper nuances expressed through other terms. These ten expressions of trust are not poetic variations; they are spiritual stations—soul-gates—through...

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Fire That Should Never Burn: A Plea for Halakhic Burial An alarming statistic has emerged in recent years—50% of American Jews are cremated. Not just secular Jews, not just unaffiliated Jews. Jews. Our brothers and sisters, each created in the image of G-D, choosing a path that is not only foreign to our tradition but in direct violation of Halakhah (הלכה, Jewish law). Cremation is not a modern innovation. It is an ancient practice rooted in paganism and used by empires...

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Halakhic Framework of Bishul Akum: Understanding the Prohibition and Its Permissible Boundaries The Sages of Israel, in their unmatched wisdom, instituted many decrees to preserve the holiness of the Jewish nation and to prevent assimilation and spiritual decline. One such decree is the prohibition against eating food cooked by a non-Jew, known as בישול עכו"ם ( bishul akum – cooking by a non-Jew). This rabbinic restriction remains in force to this day and is observed by...

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Tanya: The Soul Must Ascend or It Descends In Pirkei Avot (1:13), we find a striking statement: "כל המרפה עצמו מדברי תורה, יש בו אשמת נפש" ( Kol hamerpeh atsmo midivrei Torah, yesh bo ashmat nefesh )—“Anyone who relaxes his effort in words of Torah bears guilt for his soul.” Though the language is measured, our sages understood this as a profound spiritual warning: to let go of growth in Torah and service of Hashem is to endanger the very vitality of the nefesh . The...

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Power of Speech in a Digital Age It is both perplexing and tragic how many יהודים (Yehudim – Jews) around the world declare belief in האלקים (HaElokim – G-D), strive to observe the תורה (Torah – Divine Instruction), and claim to revere the teachings of חז״ל (Chazal – our Sages of blessed memory), yet continue to speak – and now, to write – in ways that contradict those very foundations. We agree that the universe was created through speech. As it is written in ספר בראשית...

by Ram ben Ze'ev The Supremacy of the Mind: A G-D-Given Gift Undermined by Modern Dependence In the divine order of creation, G-D endowed the human mind with supremacy over the heart and body, granting it the ability to govern the “small city” — the body. This hierarchy ensures that the body’s faculties, its organs and actions, serve the higher purpose of thought, speech, and action as directed by the mind, imbuing them with meaning and intention. The Torah teaches that the body and its...

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

Deuteronomy Chapter 7;12-11;25 - Do as you would be done by by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The weekly reading of Eykev follows the pattern of...

The United States welcomes today’s announcement by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres of the appointment of Ms. Sigrid...

The following text reflects an edited Joint Communique following today’s meeting in Aqaba, Jordan: At the invitation of the Hashemite...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen In the febrile political polemic of our times, language is a victim as people use words loosely, inaccurately, and...

Today, Israel’s Knesset voted to ratify a new Israeli government under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I look...

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen I realize someone has to run a country. I just wish there was another viable alternative to current politics....

by Rabbi Jeremy Rosen The conflict in the Middle East over the Mandate Territories has festered now for a hundred years. Both sides have...

Secretary of State Human trafficking erodes the rule of law, the safety of our communities, the security of our borders, and the strength...

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State On the 19th anniversary of 9/11, we usher in a new era of peace. It’s humbling when the course of...

Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus: Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met today with...

Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State Today is an historic day and a significant step forward for peace in the Middle East. After...

Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu earlier today The Prime Minister spoke to Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime...

Office of the Spokesperson Special Representative for Iran and Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State Brian Hook held discussions on...

Office of the Spokesperson The following is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus: Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today...

Office of the Spokesperson The following is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus: Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today...

Office of the Spokesperson The following is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus: Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today...

Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus: Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke today...

Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus: Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met today with...

Morgan Ortagus, Department Spokesperson Secretary Michael R. Pompeo will travel to Ankara, Jerusalem, and Brussels from October 16-19 to...

Alberta and the UK have agreed a new Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation in Science, Technology and Innovation Alberta and the UK...