Sefer Devarim News Today

We have seen that Rebbi Chanina taught that man does not bruise a finger in this world without it being decreed from above. The same Rebbi Chanina sees us responsible for our physical and spiritual health. Though Hashem decides our makeup and experiences, we determine aspects of our physical health and personal development. [1] Rebbi […]

At first glance, Tu B’Shevat, the Rosh Hashanah for fruit trees, [1] seems to be of mere technical significance, the calendar marker for a new cycle of fruit. [2] Surprisingly, though, we treat Tu B’Shevat as a minor holiday on which we skip tachanun [3] and avoid fasting [4]. What are we celebrating on Tu […]

Our parasha begins with the famous words: “And these are the names of b’nai Yisrael who came to Egypt, with Ya’akov, each man and his household came” (Shemos 1:1). In his …

Yosef HaTzaddik was in a terrible situation. Sold into slavery by his own brothers, he had every reason to feel wronged. Surprisingly, when he is finally reunited with them in Parshat Vayigash, Yosef tells his brothers that they are not responsible for what happened to him. Though they sold him into slavery, Hashem orchestrated the […]

We would like to return to the subject of personal growth after focusing on achdus over the last few weeks. In light of current events, let’s focus on the subject of suffering. Though we hope and pray for the best, suffering is a part of life, and is difficult to handle. In addition to dealing […]

A rite of passage for Shana Aleph talmidim in Yeshivat Hakotel is giving a Chanukah chaburah. This is a formal shiur that requires hours of research and preparation. As this is a time of war, much of the discussion in yeshiva leading up to Chanukah concerned the appropriateness of having celebrations, especially in Israel, and […]

From the blog of Mordechai Silverstein at The Times of Israel

From the blog of Sara Lamm at The Times of Israel

By Sivan Rahav-Meir Translated by Yehoshua Siskin Dogo Leitner passed away at the age of 93, Dogo from the famous falafel “operation.” Dogo (David) was a Holocaust survivor. What gave him strength on the death march in Auschwitz, he said, were the words his mother said to him before they parted: In the Land of […]

From the blog of David Walk at The Times of Israel