Between Matzah and Chametz

Chametz – Haughtiness Toward Heaven The prohibition against Chametz (leaven) on Passover is a particularly stringent one. The Torah not only prohibited the eating of Chametz but also added a prohibition against its possession. The Sages proceeded to add a prohibition against mixtures containing even the smallest amount of Chametz. In other words, our break … Read more

Concerning Passover

A Material Foundation for the Divine Presence Our world was created in such a way that its physical aspects stand out above all else, enjoying full, strong expression with little or no effort; the spiritual aspects, on the other hand, are hidden, and it takes a considerable amount of time to grasp their significance. It … Read more

Planting Trees in Israel

The Commandment to Settle the Land of Israel Settling the Land: Planting Trees and Economic Development We have already learned that the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel does not involve only conquering it, but also requires the settling and developing of every part of it. The Ramban stresses this point that “We should … Read more

The Dawn of the Struggle for Religious Rights in the I.D.F.

On November 29, 1947, Israel’s War of Independence broke out. The Haganah began to assemble an army. Many religious and Haredi Jews enlisted, however, since almost all the officers were non-religious, some of them even anti-religious, numerous problems erupted concerning the safe-guarding of the mitzvoth (commandments). There was an urgent need to establish a unit … Read more