כללי

Army Service for Women   Q: Rabbi, in your opinion, are women permitted to serve in the Israel Defense Forces? A: The opinion of almost all rabbis is that women should not serve in the I.D.F. for two main reasons. The first reason is maintaining tzniyut (modesty) in the framework of the army, for the Torah specifically … Read more

The Progress in the Status of Women   In recent weeks, I discussed the status of women. We learned that the world was arranged in such a way that initially, man’s influence is more apparent – he is the innovator, establishes the principles and strengthens them – and afterwards, the inner side of the woman … Read more

 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)   In wake of the results of the international PISA tests (a worldwide study by the OECDof 15-year-old school pupils’ scholastic performance on mathematics, science, and reading), some radical, semi-Hellenistic leftists leveled serious allegations against the State of Israel’s educational system. The ‘Haaretz’ newspaper even devoted an editorial to the … Read more

  Man and Woman   As part of my studies in Jewish law and the writing of ‘Peninei Halakha’ [Rabbi Melamed’s highly popular series of books on Jewish law, Ed.], I am presently engaged in the laws of marital relations, and thought to share with my readers some general ideas concerning relationships between man and … Read more

The Oral Law – The Light that Illuminates the Darkness   It is no coincidence that the holiday of Chanukah falls out at a time of the year when the nights are longest and the cold of winter permeates the land. Moreover, the moon barely shines, since Chanukah coincides with the days immediately preceding Rosh Chodesh, when the moon wanes. As … Read more

The Concept of Family in Judaism   The value of marriage is sacred to the Jewish nation. The bond between a chatan(bridegroom) and a kallah (bride) is called kiddushin (sanctification), and the blessing: “Blessed are You Hashem, Who sanctifies His people Israel through Chuppah and Kiddushin” is recited at the wedding ceremony. By way of the mitzvah of marriage, the love and natural desire that Hashem created between … Read more

Dealing with Immodest Dress in Ulpanot   Q: One of the problems bothering teachers in ulpanot (women’s seminaries) and public religious high schools is how to deal with girls who come to school dressed immodestly. The conventional approach is to deal with the problem through education and explanations. Stemming from a belief that our generation is an amazing generation, … Read more

Financing the Vision of Talmud Torah   In my previous article, I attempted to portray the grand vision of Torah study among the Jewish people in its three levels, and the enormous tikkun (rectification) its fulfillment can bring to the Jewish nation and the entire world. In this article, I will deal with the financial aspects of … Read more

The Vision of Talmud Torah   When attempting to present a vision for the State of Israel, it is imperative to first address the mitzvah of Talmud Torah (Torah study), because the unique vision of the Jewish people is revealed in the Torah; the further we expand and deepen our study of it, the more … Read more

Israel’s Vision – Revealing Holiness in the Land   The grand vision of the Jewish people is tikun olam (perfecting the world) by revealing the sacred value of all creation – from the spiritual realms to the practical, in all thoughts that preoccupy man’s mind, in all his emotions, and in all fields that interest him. Specifically … Read more