יום שני, כ״ח תמוז תשפ״וMonday, July 13, 2026
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The name Rechovot Hanahar (Streets of the River), derived from its mention in Bereishit 36:31, was interpreted by Kabbalah as referring among other things to the period before Creation, and was also tied to names such as Nahar Shalom – one of the famous books by the Rashash himself.
The entirety of the Gaza population, under Hamas’s rule, has become part of this deadly philosophy. One cannot ignore the reality that Hamas, as the governing body, has indoctrinated its people with a worldview that is grounded in violence.
Question: I live in a small community where it is sometimes a struggle to get a minyan together. When this occurs on Shabbos, it is extremely upsetting. I am so concerned that I was wondering – may we ask some of the non-observant Jews who live in the neighborhood to join us to complete a minyan? Name withheld Via E-mail
By Mendi Glik
Interesting fact: Go on Google or Wikipedia and search for the famous picture of Sadat and Begin in the King David Hotel in Jerusalem when he came to visit Israel. Look closely at his tie and see the pattern. What symbol is repeating on his tie? (Hint: Swastika.)
As a grandparent, it is definitely a huge gift to give your children time to get away; however, you also have to know your limits.
Prisoner releases are a terror victim’s nightmare.
It has now become apparent that before Trump had officially taken office, he was already bullying the Jewish state into accepting compromises that were contraindicative to its survival. I’m afraid, all of this points to an elephant in the room that must no longer be ignored.
Even a katan has enough da'as to qualify as a rodef; by engaging in this type of act, the katan shows that he has at least some form of da'as.
Reflect on the moments where he yelled or screamed. You may notice that there are even more instances than you originally noticed.
Kinas sofrim (the envy of scholars) can actually be a good thing; it’s the Torah phrase for healthy competitiveness in the learning of Torah, to fight for the truth.
By Alan Zeitlin
The case revolved around whether the TV segment and article using the phrase black market would lead people to think Young was doing something illegal and or preying on Afghans.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Outside the promised land Jews in the biblical age are in danger if they tell the truth. They are at constant risk of being killed or at best enslaved.
It is possible to be enslaved but not to suffer brutality, and also to be tormented without being a slave.
The families of our hostages are preparing for two very different outcomes. Some will undoubtedly celebrate in triumph when living hostages are released while others will mourn in anguish upon receiving the worst of news. No outsider can possibly imagine the complex emotions these families will carry and how they are intertwined in a way beyond words.
The soldiers, who receive the packages, send back lots of appreciation and feedback, to help make the packages more relevant to their needs.
When a person is beleaguered with problems that disrupt his avodas Hashem and his Torah learning, he may ponder why he is suffering when his friend – who is not as devout – enjoys the good life, is well-to-do and at peace.
The best way to manage the inevitability of changing market dynamics is to plan ahead.
Reb Moshe asks, Why would we need someone coming out of a coma to teach us something so obvious?
How often in ancient and contemporary Jewish history have we seen things become desperate before they improved? And yet we persevered and survived. And with this perseverance, our faith in G-d as our ultimate savior survived too.
All Americans should support their president when possible and oppose him when necessary. Each side may need to do that in the coming years.
As one of the very few women in Congress, Florence, never considered herself a feminist and was never seen as a suffragette.
The very experience the Avot lacked, their descendants had. The Jewish people in Egypt had the history of Hashem’s interactions with the Avot to build upon. He had fulfilled His promise to give the Avot the land of Israel, and they had successfully inhabited it.
By Baruch Lytle
It wasn’t a union of a superstar and his fans for the first time. It was a gathering of a father with his kids. The anxiety of all the chaos and crazy weather was a thing of the past. A calmness and familiarity settled over the entire arena, easily felt by even a rally first-timer like me.
We suspect that much of it has been occasioned by Mr. Trump’s now famous threat that all hell will break out in the Middle East if the hostages were not released by the time of his inauguration.
By Marc Gronich
What Lester Chang did [to win his assembly seat in 2022] was good old-fashioned retail politics. He got young men, young women of high school age and college age out there. He went door-to-door.
Hashem was internally good, but He was not actively expressing this goodness by giving or doing good unto others. Hashem chose to express His capacity for doing good unto others by creating man, upon whom Hashem would bestow the ultimate goodness.
They know that Mr. Trump didn’t like them much before they tried to assassinate him. They are probably going to find that he dislikes them MUCH more the second time around.
By Ariela Davis
All of this led to the day that Jeffrey came home and told Daniella that he really felt the time had come to make aliyah. This time, they really talked it through.
By Adina Broder
Since real truth is unique to Hashem, the word emes is considered Hashem’s seal or signature.
This world is a journey of uncovering that infinite truth of who you actually are. When you align with your divine core, you're not becoming something new – you're revealing what was always there.
By Anat Coleman
Much of the time, people are already aware of the truth of the situation and have avoided thinking about it or taking action until it reaches a crescendo.
I’m proud to be a Jew. I’m proud of my roots and that I get to wear a kippah on my head every day. I’m proud I get to put on tefillin and be part of our amazing religion.
Isn’t it ironic that Am Yisrael can’t agree on how to pronounce the word emes – or is it emet? It’s a small detail, but it reminds us that we live in a world where the very essence of truth is challenged. Today, the concept of truth feels fractured. Phrases like “your truth” and […]
This raises an important question: When should leaders and authorities confront and rebuke immoral behavior, and when is it wise to remain silent?
Since CAIR, one of 200 unindicted co-conspirators in the Holyland Foundation trial which established that nearly every Muslim institution in America raises funds for terrorism, is estimated to control 90% of American mosques, we can conclude that those mosques serve as incubators for terrorism, and learn the approach they use from the pronouncements of their clergy, the imams.
In the light of the self-evident, almost decades long Democrat campaign of conjuring up legal cases against Donald Trump, several of his family members and colleagues, that concern seems rather rich.
Sometimes we may wonder why we need to daven so much. Isn’t praying three times a day on a weekday a bit much?
By dvora
I was terrified of the fall that seemed inevitable. Suddenly I felt my hands holding onto a handle which I had not seen before. Now holding onto the handle I was able to steady myself. The crisis was over. Days later I thought that Hashem put my hands on that handle.
Nothing about this morning is upsetting for Hubby. That automatically improves our day immensely. As long as we are vigilant about giving him his dementia medications on time, he can remain on an even keel and quite enjoy his morning regime.
On his way home from work, Mr. Appel pondered the issue. I sense that Mr. Berger is really disappointed, he said to himself. Is it right of us to refuse him?
Sometimes it is hard to name what you are feeling. Suddenly, you feel hot. You feel a bit of a burning session in your chest and on your neck. You can open a window to cool off, but you might not actually be addressing where that physical manifestation is coming from.
Unlike King Solomon, I cannot communicate with animals and had to keep my sage advice to myself. Perhaps the next generation of genius, Israeli high tech innovators will figure out animal translation and resolve that dilemma.
D’tzach, Adash, B’achav ‘Everyone Is Qualified To Judge’ (Sanhedrin 36b)
Nowadays, stressing the shva na is an accepted and fairly common element in many siddurim. But when Ishei Yisrael appeared, it wasn’t common at all.
In 1948, he was an 18-year-old student at the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland. Somehow, he caught wind of the fact that Zionist activists were looking for young men and women to help the Jewish state in unconventional ways. Herzel volunteered.
In Israel, elections are held on a national level with voters casting ballots for political parties rather than for individual candidates. This system, while effective in ensuring that political parties gain power based on their collective support, undermines individual representation.
By Mendi Glik
Music has power. Sometimes music is the power behind big movements. OK, saying it’s the power behind movements might be too exaggerated, but it definitely accompanies and empowers movements and social processes.
Question: I live in a small community where it is sometimes a struggle to get a minyan together. When this occurs on Shabbos this is extremely upsetting. I am so concerned that I was wondering – may we ask some of the non-observant Jews who live in the neighborhood to join us to complete a minyan? Name withheld Via E-mail
Driving in the tri-state area can be very difficult. There is a lot of traffic and impatient drivers. I think for all of us who drive, we feel the constant frustration in dealing with so much craziness on the road.
Paul Gruninger paid a steep price for having the moral courage to disobey explicit instructions of the Swiss government. He was dismissed from the police force, convicted of breach of duty, official misconduct and forgery, and served time in prison.
Remarkably, the paper used for this edition bears watermarks identifying both the manufacturer and the individual who commissioned it: EIGER.
While this is not simple, it is certainly possible. While, you may see that you are less malleable, you may notice that you are wiser, and more focused on what truly matters in building a happy life.
Another fundamental nafka minah is whether one needs to have kavanah (intent) in order to be categorized as a rodef.
By Ben Rothke
The book opens with Rav Shlomo Yosef Zevin's observation of the Rogatchover. He writes that the Rogatchover was made of a completely different mold and material, and notes that no one was like him in his generation or in many generations before or after him.
The double language of reckoning also encompasses two aspects of the Divine Judgment that the true redeemer would have to know to invoke – Hashem will do good to Israel and lead us out of our misfortune, and He will also punish those who tormented us and hold them accountable.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
Consider, now, the choices Moses faced in his life. On the one hand he could have lived as a prince of Egypt, in luxury and at ease. That might have been his fate had he not intervened.
By Moshe Hill
What makes this book truly remarkable is its brazenness. Rabbi Shore does not shy away from controversial topics, diving headfirst into the uncomfortable task of analyzing the mindset and internal logic of Adolf Hitler.
The thought process of believing that rather than having a child murdered he would separate from his wife was incorrect. Miriam revealed the will of Heaven that the exact opposite was appropriate.
By Rabbi Dr. Leonard A. Matanky
While Rabbi Student does create space for opposing voices, he ensures that the positions explored are all in the spirit of the beit midrash – striving to uncover the deeper meaning of core beliefs.
While the yeitzer hara has many arrows in his quiver, and his aim is focused on getting us to speak lashon hara and to fight with our spouse, to look at the wrong things, and to say hurtful words, there is nothing that the yeitzer hara tries harder to accomplish than to stop people from learning Torah.
Instead of only looking at “us” as good and “them” as bad, we need to examine our own choices. What’s inside our hearts and minds? Are we living well? Are we eating well? Are we distracted?
When the stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang premiered in London in 2002, it became the most successful stage show ever produced at the London Palladium and it ran for three-and-a-half years, the longest run in that century-old theatre's history.
Israel has earned the right to defensible borders and non-threatening neighbors, having been forced over the years to defend itself in wars of survival with its predatory neighbors precisely because of its defensive inadequacies. In a very real sense Israel has more than paid its dues.
Regardless of the interpretation, it is essential to recognize that the relationship between the parents of married children is not akin to the attachment one has with other blood relatives.
By Marc Gronich
Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay (R - Pulaski, Oswego County) began by skewering Hochul for taking from one hand and putting it another.
The Torah describes the voluntary gifts that the Jewish people donate toward the building of the Mishkan, the place where Hashem was most potently manifest in the physical world. The emphasis of these donations is their voluntary nature – Hashem commands Moshe to collect from Klal Yisrael whatever their hearts inspire them to give.
Our enemies have made it very clear to the world since October 7 that they believe Palestine should extend ‘From the river to the sea.’ In fact, they attacked the Gaza Envelope, not Judea and Samaria.
It’s one of the sad realities of life – we often fail to take advantage of the things closest to us. The things we can do at any time often become the things we don’t do at any time.
The most accurate and literal translation of Derech Eretz is the ways of the world. Every society establishes its own codes of conduct to ensure more polite and civilized interactions. These codes of politeness are highly context-specific and differ from period to period and from location to location.
By Ariela Davis
Living in Israel has provided me many eye-opening experiences to see that mentschlichkeit isn’t something unique to the frum world, or in my experience, even the Jewish world and is sometimes even missing in some aspects of the Torah world.
When it comes right down to it, there are way too many loud voices and zealots who are not really interested in a higher goal, but only in their ego, their position, etc. We must remember what our true goals are (or should be), which is shalom, loving others and bringing them closer to Torah.
By Martin Bodek
Know what’s funny? I was going to get into a whole etymology about the word origin and definition, but I got nostalgic. As a famous comedian used to say when completing his act, This isn’t the story I wanted to tell you.
How the Machlis family never reacts negatively to their outrageous guests is beyond me. How they continue to host with such dignity and grace, no matter what, is truly unreal.
Treat people with whom you disagree with respect and fairness. One is entitled to argue – even with one’s spouse – as long as you are fair.
Interestingly, some argue the exact opposite: her original name was Batya, but she changed it to Bitya as an act of humility.
The court’s ruling did not touch on Mr. Trump’s substantive presidential immunity or lawfare defenses. Nor did it appear to follow any heated debates over them.
The Torah’s claim about the revelation at Har Sinai also reinforces our belief in Hashem (in addition to our faith in the Torah’s Divine origin). The claim that an entire nation (as opposed to a limited group) consisting of millions of people (as opposed to a small group) is hard to fabricate, as people would wonder why they had not heard about it from their own ancestors.
Sunday afternoon they dropped by for a visit. He had small pieces of shrapnel on his face and left hand, and he said that the surgeon told him that, over time, the body would rid itself of the shrapnel. That was comforting to know.
At the prior ceremonies after the immediate passing of the Queen, he did not connect to what was occurring. We watched the television, but he did not understand who, what, when, or why it was all about. Hence, I changed the program.
Indeed, the Torah requires redeeming the firstborn son (bechor), and also entitles him to a double portion in his father’s estate, but not in his mother’s, replied Rabbi Dayan (Y.D. 305:1; C.M. 277:1).
Feeling like you are different can affect your self-esteem. And self-esteem is essential for forming healthy relationships.
A Parrot Or A Lie Detector? ‘… We Admonish The Witnesses’ (Sanhedrin 29a)
It was difficult for him to write without errors, but his ambition was so extraordinary. It would have been worth it to me to stand there for hours in the sun or the rain just for the opportunity to help him in his quest.
For every bad financial experience regarding kollel, I imagine there are many positive ones. The most non-financially stressful kollel experience requires a Yissachar and Zevulun relationship that is clearly defined from the onset.
Question: I live in a small community where it is sometimes a struggle to get a minyan together. When this occurs on Shabbos this is extremely upsetting. I am so concerned that I was wondering – may we ask some of the non-observant Jews who live in the neighborhood to join us to complete a minyan? Name withheld Via E-mail
The truth is that we can’t improve the situation without working on ourselves. Every person only has the power to change themselves.
Let us be honest. For many people, who are not unusually holy and spiritual, which night of Chanukah is the most exciting – the first, or the last?
Titled Limud VeSeder HaYeshivah Asher Be’Ir HaKodesh Chevron [The study and order of the day of the yeshiva in the Holy City of Hebron], this eighteenth-century document forges a connection between the Holy Land and the Jewish communities of the New World.
By Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z"l
On the surface, Joseph holds all the power. His family are entirely dependent on him. But at a deeper level it is the other way round. He still yearns for their acceptance, their recognition, their closeness.
We are actually doing a chesed for the rodef by preventing him from spiritually destroying himself. The rodef now gets to die without the blemish of murder tainting his soul.
When Lavan decided to trick Yaakov, and essentially Rachel too, Rachel nevertheless played along and gave the secret codes to Leah to enable her to succeed in the ploy. Rachel realized that what was happening must be the will of Hashem, and that it was not possible for Yaakov to have only one wife.
July 10, 2026 
