by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed
The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel When the State of Israel was established, on the fifth of Iyar, 5708, the Jewish people were privileged once again to be able to fulfill the mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael (Settling the Land of Israel). Even before the declaration of statehood, every Jew who lived in … Read more
The Haggadah Teaching the Children There is a positive Torah commandment to relate the story of the Exodus on the night of the fifteenth of Nisan. It is praiseworthy to relate, and elucidate at length, the great kindness Hashem showed us by saving us from the Egyptians and taking revenge upon them for us; to explain the … Read more
The Torah teaches us to appreciate the “good Land” and to thank God for its bounties, as it says: “For the Lord your God brings you into a good Land, a Land of water courses, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a Land of wheat, and barely, and vines, and … Read more
With All Your Soul The appalling murder in Itamar shocked everyone – all of the settlers, and every Jew without exception, because it wasn’t the Fogel family alone who they wanted to murder, but rather, each and every one of us. In the neighboring communities, which are situated on the frontlines of Jewish settlement, many … Read more
Conversions in the I.D.F. In principle, the idea of allowing conversions in the army is extremely appropriate; however, the problem is the source of authority of the Chief Rabbi of the I.D.F. The first stipulation of a rabbi’s authority is – he must be independent, his halachic decisions must be made entirely according to their … Read more
Judea and Samaria or the Negev Question: The mitzvah to settle the Land of Israel relates to all of the land. With all due respect, Rabbi, why do you specifically encourage settling Judea and Samaria? Answer: Indeed, the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel exists in all of the borders of the land. This … Read more
Now and then, people question the importance of the Land of Israel, as if to imply that the settlers are overly occupied with this mitzvah and exaggerate its importance. True, indeed, one must be careful that the pursuit of a specific mitzvah does not result in the weakening of other mitzvoth. At the same time, … Read more