יום שבת, ו׳ חשוון תשפ״זSaturday, October 17, 2026
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The writer is a rabbi and educator at Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush). Find his latest book, Echoes of Rashi: Bereishit, at mtaraginbooks.com.
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Every sin is rooted in a deep-seated character flaw. Ignoring these flaws and focusing our teshuva solely upon actions or behavior increases the likelihood of recidivism.
We are currently standing at an important threshold of human innovation and technology. We are not just developing the ability to build taller homes, but are beginning to re-engineer nature herself.
Whereas, in past generations kashrut adherence was a bold sacrifice which defined Jewish identity, keeping kosher in the modern world is more seamless and therefore less identity-shaping.
Mystery is based on concealment and discovery. If everything is immediately known and every object or idea is transparent, there can be no mystery, no pursuit, and no marvel.
Not only do we inhabit a changed world, but we also live with stark cultural dissonances.
Fortunately, Capitalism has dramatically improved our standard of living and has all but eliminated hunger and poverty as a source of death. We so deeply revere it that we seldom question its impact upon other facets of the human imagination.
Rejecting Moshe's sincere attempts at reconciliation, Korach's partners, Datan and Aviram, evaded any serious conversation, choosing, instead, to accuse Moshe of self-interest and antagonism.
For someone with historical consciousness, these epic events happened last year, and they happened fifty years ago to our parents, and they will keep on happening, every year, in the very same manner and on the exact same date.
Jewish history is linear, and our return to Israel was enabled by the heroism of the past generations which preserved Jewish emunah, religion and identity through brutal conditions of exile.
For thousands of years, we were scattered across time, yet we all davened to one common location. Hashem had departed Yerushalayim, but He remained hidden behind the Kotel, listening to our prayers, and patiently awaiting geulah and the reconstruction of history.
For various reasons, overwhelmingly, religious people endorse judicial reform, whereas secular Israel generally opposes it.
People often see themselves as worth more than they actually are. Remembering our lowly origins and eventual demise humbles us.
Our journey hasn’t always comfortable, and these iconic months have been a microcosm of our convoluted journey.
In religious terminology how do we balance between torah, peoplehood and land? Or, in Hebrew how do we balance between Torat Yisrael, Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael.
Unilateral imposition of unpopular policies can backfire in the long run.
Women have become a major part of the defense effort, especially in the fields of intelligence and cyber security. More and more, women are beginning to enter actual combat units.
October 16, 2026 
