Rabbi Aharon Ziegler a.h.

Earlier this month we lost our dear member Rabbi Aharon Ziegler, a.h. We have now received from his family the following memorial and one of his divrei Torah, which we share with you now:

Rabbi Aharon Ben Tzvi Ziegler A”H was small in build but very large in stature. He influenced many people through his teachings, lectures, articles and personal interactions. He will surely be missed by family, friends and Klal Yisroel. May his memory be a blessing for all.

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We Jews are referred to as “Yehudim”, because most of us come from Shevet (tribe of) Yehudah. This is the most common reason given for our name, even though there are numerous other names that our people and religion could go by. Yet there is glaring reason for that choice of our name, which I heard from Rabbi Weiss based on our parasha.

In the narrative, Yosef takes Shimon as hostage and demands that the brothers bring Binyamin to Mitzrayim (Egypt), as a precondition for both Shimon’s release and then he will provide more food for Ya’akov’s family. Ya’akov Avinu is understandably hesitant. Having already lost Yosef, his favorite, he fears losing Binyamin his only remaining son from his beloved wife Rachel. It is here that Yehudah bravely rises to the occasion to declare that he would act as an orev, a surety, a guarantor for Binyamin. “If I don’t return him”, he says to his father Ya’akov, “I will bear the sin forever” (Bereishit 43:9).

Yehuda’s pledge is highly unusual. Normally when a debtor guarantees collateral, the collateral comes from a third party, other than the debtor himself. Here, Yehudah takes his obligation to a higher level. Yehudah himself is both the one who makes the commitment as well as is the guarantor. This indicates how seriously Yehudah takes the pledge or the areivut he is offering.According to Rav Soloveitchik, areivut means more than just another concern for a fellow Jew. It means that I am a surety—each and every Jew is a surety for every other Jew. Just as a surety is held responsible as if he had been the debtor, so also, every Jew is a surety for all the spiritual obligations of every other Jew.

The Mishnah in Shabbat (54b) states that a Jew in not permitted to have his animal work or carry things on Shabbat. However, the cow of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya did go out in public carrying a ribbon on its horns, ( a practice of which the other Rabbis disapproved). Then the Gemara asks, “what do you mean by the cow of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya. Did he have only one cow, that you identify it with him”? He had over 120,000 animals!”. So the Gemara responds, “No! We are not referring to an animal of his. We refer to an animal in his community—but  since Rabbi Elazar did not object, we hold him responsible!”

Our obligation to our fellow Jew is unique. As we are more connected to our inner family with whom we share a common tradition, history and destiny, so too concerning our larger family—the  people of Israel. Hence we are called Yehudim, as we are named after the person who so intensely exemplified Ahavat Yisrael.

Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi (1075-1141) noted that all Israel can be compared to a human body. When one limb hurts, the entire body is affected. All Jews are one body. When one Jew is in pain, Jews everywhere feel that pain. And when a Jew dances and experiences joy, we all dance and feel the joy. We pray that our community will be full of joy and Semachot.

The family add that, if anyone wishes to send a donation in his memory, can they please donate to the Almanot of Chayalim fund (English version here, Hebrew version here).

Concepts of Judaism, by Isaac Breuer (Book of the Month, Tevet 5785)

 Rabbi Isaac Breuer (1883-1946) was a major figure in twentieth century Neo-Orthodoxy, following

n the footsteps of his maternal grandfather Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch. Though he both trained and practised as a lawyer, it is as a religious and political personality that he was best known, being the first President of Poalei Agudat Yisrael.

Rabbi Breuer was also a noted thinker and author, whose deep thought is well reflected in Concepts of Judaism, a selection of his writings selected and compiled by Jacob S; Levinger. Although the Neo-Orthodoxy movement had defined itself from the start largely as an opposition to the German Reform movement, Rabbi Breuer already regarded the Reform movement of his day as essentially the impotent and dying remnant of the Haskalah. For him, the real enemy of Orthodoxy was both political Zionism and Religious Zionism, which he considered especially dangerous because they possessed an authentic Jewish instinct and impulse. The goals of the Zionists paralleled the goals of his own Agudah organization in many areas ("reunification of land and nation"), but without the stress which Agudah laid on adherence to halachah and tradition. Indeed, he envisioned a Messianic Torah state in the land of Israel, and could not abide the idea of "reunification of land and nation" coming to pass through the agency of secular Zionist forces in the form of a secular state.

This work is part of the Marvin N. Hirschhorn library, which is housed in Beit Knesset Hanassi.

The meaning of 'Oz'

Last night, our Beit Knesset Hanassi community gathered for a deeply moving and meaningful Melave Malka, featuring Rabbi Doron Perez, Executive Chairman of World Mizrachi. The evening was more than just an opportunity to come together for song, learning, and good food. It also provided a timely opportunity to hear an extraordinary message of faith, resilience, and strength in the face of unimaginable loss.

Rabbi Perez (shown here addressing us) shared personal reflections on the tragic passing of his son, Daniel Perez Hy”d, who fell in battle on October 7th while defending Nahal Oz. Daniel’s heroic legacy is a source of strength for his family and Klal Yisrael, even as his body remains in captivity. In his remarks, Rabbi Perez illuminated the profound significance of the word "Oz" – the name of Daniel's tank battalion, the kibbutz he defended, and the numerical value of this year marking 77 years of the State of Israel.

Rabbi Perez connected "Oz" to its myriad appearances in our tefillot, weaving together its deeper meanings with lessons of Jewish courage and faith. He spoke about the contrast between the opening of the Tur and Shulchan Aruch, where one begins with gevurah and the other with oz, emphasizing that oz represents the strength to stand up for what we believe in. At this pivotal time in Jewish history, when Jews around the world face attacks for defending Israel, Rabbi Perez reminded us of the critical need for oz – the inner fortitude to act with conviction and unwavering belief.

The evening was enriched by a warm and delicious milky meal, including latkes that truly captured the festive spirit of Chanukah. We owe special thanks to Shirley March and Judy Gilbert for their tireless efforts in organizing every detail of the event and creating such a welcoming atmosphere. Our heartfelt gratitude also goes to John Graham, whose musical accompaniment added a soulful dimension to the evening.

As we lit up the night with Torah, music, and camaraderie, we left inspired to carry the message of oz into our lives. May we continue to draw strength from one another and from the example of heroes like Daniel Perez Hy”d as we stand tall in defense of Am Yisrael, Torat Yisrael, and Eretz Yisrael.

Thank you, Rabbi Kenigsberg, for providing us with this summary.

Chanukah in Jerusalem 2024

A special city, a special festival -- and here's a 20 minute video to record how Jerusalem, our eternal capital, has marked Chanukah this year. This is another production by our member Heshy Engelsberg (thanks, Heshy!) and it very much reflects his trademark style. You can enjoy it by clicking here. Warning: this is a highly calorific YouTube clip, with close-ups of some delicious-looking latkes and a number of spectacular full-frontal doughnut shots.

There is also a seasonal flavour to Heshy's Old City Chanukah Tour, which you can access here. This video is shorter (11 minutes 45 seconds) and considerably lower in calorific content. Enjoy!

What does your dream mean? It all depends: Miketz 5785

The Talmud teaches us that the meanings of dreams are all contingent upon the interpreter and interpretation of the dream. Yosef had told the butler and baker of Pharaoh’s court that “Dream interpretations are up to the Lord.” Yet he went ahead and interpreted those two dreams accurately and presciently. Apparently what he meant by “up to the Lord” was that the one who interprets dreams has to possess some sort of holy intuition, an inner sense of the person whose dream he is interpreting in order to be able to interpret the dream. This inner voice is a gift from the Lord.

This is true in medical matters where some physicians are master diagnosticians and their inner voice leads them to the correct conclusion regarding the nature of a person’s illness. It is also true for psychologists and mental health therapists. An inner voice must guide them as to how to help the troubled person that they see before them.

It is even true for the great decisors of halacha, who many times arrive at their decision after rigorous scholarship but also with unerring intuition as to what the correct solution is to the matter laid before them. Yosef has this intuition within him and therefore he is confident that his interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh will be accurate and correct. It is this apparent self-confidence and certainty of spirit that so impresses Pharaoh and thus is the catalyst for Yosef’s meteoric rise to power in Egypt. Pharaoh recognizes this by stating that Yosef possesses God’s spirit within him. Without that spirit, Pharaoh is well aware that his dreams will never be interpreted in a proper light.

 We read in Psalms that when the Lord returns the captivity of Zion “we will be as dreamers.” The dream will require interpretation and that interpretation can only come from the returnees to Zion themselves. And in order for that dream to be interpreted correctly, the spirit of Godly holiness and purpose must reside within the interpreters – in this case the dreamers themselves.

 God provides the dream but the interpretation is up to us and our ability to fathom God’s wishes is the matter. Every dream – even the dream of Zion restored and rebuilt – is subject to varying interpretations. We who live in current day Israel are well aware that there are not only varying but even conflicting interpretations of what the dream of Zion and Jerusalem truly means.

 Holy spirit is required to make sense of the dream and to implement its promise. The Lord presents us with opportunities. What we do with those opportunities is the ultimate measure of our interpretation of the dream. Yosef not only interprets Pharaoh’s dream but he lays out a course of action in order to actualize its promise and opportunity. The healthy intuition born of Jewish experience and tradition can help us arrive at the correct and most meaningful realization or our age old dream of Zion and Jerusalem, peace and holiness. 

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein  

Oh, dreidl, dreidl, dreidl, I made it out of clay

Love it or loathe it, few of us will have missed The Dreidl Song.  If our children never sang it, our grandkids almost certainly did. What's more, it might even have been sung by our grandparents. Published in 1927, it was performed both in English and Yiddish: you can read all about its history here on Wikipedia.

Popularised by Chabad, parodied by South Park and promulgated by thousands of gananot from one end of this country to the other, it has drummed itself into the Chanukah-consciousness of our generation. 

Not to be outdone, our musically-minded member Max Stern has provided his own arrangement of this seasonal earworm. For 77 seconds of undiluted fun, just click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJVfJWTMzeg

The wonder of it all! Though the eyes of a child: Chanukah 5785

Now there is not much new or brilliant left to be said about the holiday of Chanukah, right? I think that maybe many old and grizzled rabbis like yours truly would probably agree with that statement. Over sixty years of writing and speaking about Chanukah should pretty much exhaust the topic, shouldn’t it? But then again that would be selling Chanukah short. 

There is always a fresh insight that illuminates all the holidays of the Jewish year and Chanukah is certainly no exception. Reminiscing with myself (something that we senior citizens do often) about my own life and past, I was amazed that somehow a lawyer from Chicago ended up being a rabbi in Jerusalem. How did this happen? And how did the Jewish state itself happen—not in terms of history, facts, personages, dates, places and wars but in the amazing fact that such a state flourishes and progresses in spite of all odds, past and present, against its existence? 

The rabbis of the Talmud taught that people to whom wondrous things occur do not really recognize those events as being wondrous. It is part of the weakness of human nature to have such limited understanding. There has to be a flash of insight, a commemorative act, a tradition of being able to look past the trees to the forest, a spirit of almost childlike wonder in order for the amazing to truly be believable in the eye and mind of the beholder. I think that this is essentially how we have to look at Chanukah – as the historical event, as the commemoration of that event and of the traditions and customs that so endear this eight day festival to all of Israel. 

Jewish tradition and the rabbis of the Mishnah took an astonishing event that many people would view as being ordinary or natural, restoring it to its truly wondrous state. The story of Chanukah is that of a small and apparently weak nation overcoming a mighty army. It records a triumph of monotheism and Jewish tradition over pagan culture and practices, of the small, pure lights in the Temple that overcame the flaming torches that were far from pure, and of the vitality and resilience of Israel over those who would wish to snuff it out. It is all wondrous—but only if one views it all as being so. 

The rabbis in their holy perspective of Jewish life and events elevated the mundane and seemingly ordinary to the realm of the miraculous and eternal. That is basically the main lesson that Chanukah teaches us: we are a special people who live a miraculous existence with constant wonder surrounding us, yet it is all encrusted in seemingly natural and ordinary occurrences. 

To delegitimize the story of Chanukah and to treat as just another ancient war of the Grecian period is the same tactic that the world uses today to delegitimize the State of Israel and our rights to our ancient homeland. If the wonder of it all is lost and forfeited, then so is our struggle for existence and independence.

Perhaps more than other holidays of the Jewish year, Chanukah is a children’s holiday. Tradition allows even the youngest to light the Chanukah candles, to play dreidel, to taste latkes and sufganyot, to have time off from school and to observe the holiday through the eyes and senses of a child. Children still retain their sense of wonder and imagination. Their world is not usually bound by the practicalities, realism and occasional pessimism of their elders. Everything in life is still new and unexpected, worthy of curiosity and examination. Theirs is yet a magical world, even a spiritual world, viewed from a different plane of perception and thought. 

Chanukah is thus the perfect holiday for children for it requires this perspective: to be made wondrous, miraculous and thereby meaningful and beneficial. Chanukah is not for the jaded and empty spirited. Its candles flicker only for those that see the fire of Torah, tradition and morality that lies beneath their small surfaces. One who is privileged and able to see the wonder of the events that occurred to us “in those days” will also be able to discern the wonders that we encounter daily here in Israel “in our time.” 

Shabbat shalom and Chanukah same’ach, Rabbi Berel Wein

Miracles then, miracles now: Chanukah 5785

Tonight we begin to light our chanukiyot to mark the miracles of Chanukah. So this week we feature two divrei Torah from Rabbi Wein on Chanukah, as well as a devar Torah on parashat Miketz.

Chanukah commemorates miracles that happened to our ancestors in previous times but at this time of year. Miracles are ever-present in our lives and in world events. A miracle, in human terms, can be defined as an unexpected and unforeseen occurrence that benefits an individual or society at large. This definition removes miracles from the realm of superstition and occult powers, making them part of our natural everyday world. It is just simply that events occur of which we were unaware or which we never really believed would occur. This is certainly the case for the miracles of Chanukah. Even though the main miracle that we commemorate is truly a wondrous event (the fact that oil in the lamp should have sufficed only for one day but lasted for eight days), this is not the only miracle that the holiday marks. In the special prayer to commemorate the holiday, we record other wondrous events that occurred to our ancestors at this time of year: in substance, the weak overcame the strong, good triumphed over evil and the few were victorious against the many. All these things qualify as being miraculous even though they were brought about through human effort and were seemingly part of the natural course of events. This point really helps us understand the true nature of what we humans call miracles. 

Our holiday prayer acknowledges the miracles that the Lord performed for us long ago in our struggles and wars against the Greeks. We understand that, in all wars, unforeseen events occur and that, both on the level of the individual soldier and of the general outcome of the war, there is adequate scope for people to feel that miracles occurred. However, on a deeper level I think that the fact that the small band of Jews who were still devoted to Jewish tradition and Torah values actually went to war for their spiritual survival is itself to be judged as being miraculous. Good people are often peace-loving, being averse to violence and certainly war. The good therefore tend to let themselves be persecuted and intimidated by evil forces rather than stand up and fight for their values and their survival. Chanukah teaches that there are times when our survival spiritually as a people – as the chosen people – depends on our willingness to fight for our cause and our future. When that happens, it is natural to feel that this is all part of the rational world which we supposedly inhabit. However, again on a deeper level I think that such a response borders on the miraculous and that the prayers of this holiday reflect this in a most positive and clear fashion. 

We too live in miraculous times. There is no other way that we can characterize the events of the past century of Jewish life except by recognizing the miraculous and even supernatural guidance that has steered us through this turbulent period. We are living examples of the Talmud’s statement that one who experiences miracles does not recognize the course of events as being especially miraculous. But, based on rational expectations and patterns of history, no event that has befallen the Jewish people over the past century can be considered normal or rational. One such event is that, through the presence of the state of Israel, the Jewish people rose up to defend their faith and national destiny and, for the first time in millennia, actually took up arms to defeat enemies who sought our destruction. This is part of the story of age-old miracles that are relevant and alive in our time too. The message of this holiday is subtle and enduring. We should be cognizant of our miraculous status and be grateful to the Almighty for having allowed us to see this as we participate in our own modern ongoing miracle. 

Shabbat shalom and Chanukah same’ach, Rabbi Berel Wein

Gevalt! It's Gevura

 Last Wednesday, in partnership with OU Israel, we hosted our Yom Iyun in preparation for Chanuka. This event, appropriately branded 'Gevura', was an intensive morning program on Jewish heroism from the time of the Chashmonaim until today. A full house was treated to five presentations, including contributions from our own two rabbis, Rabbi Wein (see photo on the right) and Rabbi Kenigsberg. 

If you could not attend the Yom Iyun—or did attend it but want to relive the experience—we are now delighted to be able to share with you the links to the five presentations. They are as follows:

“The flames of history and the light of destiny”, Rabbi Yaakov Glaser here

“Chanuka—a celebration of the power of Torah”, Rabbi Anthony Manning here

“Service and sacrifice—the heroism in life and death of Maoz Morell”, Eitan and Varda Morell here

“Total victory? The miracle and meaning of Chanuka”, Rabbi Joel Kenigsberg here

Rabbi Berel Wein’s closing remarks here

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Since posting the above, we have received a personal account by our member Pessy Krausz, who attended Gevura. She shares with us the following impressions:

Rabbi Joel Konigsberg, opening this event before an eager audience of participants in our increasingly packed hall, commented that, in contrast to other festivals, we celebrate Chanukah during the darkest, coldest nights of the year. We celebrate our progression out of the darkness of living under pressure to assimilate, into the light of our victory of resistance. Finally to find pure oil after an arduous hunt for it was like receiving a kiss from Hashem. And we too felt our hearts touched by inexplicable miracles in our Swords of Iron wartime situation.

Rabbi Yaacov Glaser followed with a lively presentation backed by a superb handout, The Menorah of Chanukah: The Flames of history & the Light of Destiny. He commented on Aaron’s special role in lighting the Menorah and focused on it as a transcendental, universal symbol. On Pesach we are defensive, running away from enemies; on Shavuot we accept the Torah. Then on Chanukah we show how we initiate. Refusing to accept our Temple’s defilement, we courageously search for pure oil. Small wonder then, that Israel bravely does not accept what others impose on us.

Rabbi Anthony Manning, backed by a well-researched handout, Halachic and Hashkafot Issues in Contemporary Society; Chanukah: a Celebration of the Power of the Torah, opened a fascinating window into the Book of the Maccabees. This work describes how the Jewish people, despite being so few in number, were roused to face their many enemies, this being reminiscent of our combat situation in the current Swords of Iron campaign. Chanukah is also a time of transition from reliance on prophecy to the era of the Chachamim, our Elers, achieving continuity while transmitting the ‘Light of the Torah’ throughout the generations.

Rabbi Berel Wein focused on the brave Nachum Gam Zu, whose name reflected his famous saying, “Gam Zu LeTovah” (“Even this is for the Good”). Maintaining this attitude though he experienced enormous physical suffering and the dangerously imminent arrival of brutal Roman soldiers. When faced with the likely collapse of his flimsy house, Nachum Gam Zu refused to leave saying, “While ever I am here there, my place will remain intact”. Rabbi Wein compared this to the security of Medinat Yisrael. While ever we are here, our country will remain intact. Most of the audience, being olim themselves, clearly share the view that we are partners in securing the safety of our beloved country.

Varda and Eitan Morell then movingly described the gevura of their son Staff Sargent Maoz Morell, who tragically succumbed to wounds sustained fighting in Gaza. Despite being a person of few words, he nevertheless left a heritage through his practical deeds. One of the sayings he had shared with soldiers under him one has been converted to a sticker that recalled the few calls his parents were able to make to him. His response (roughly translated from the Hebrew) was “All’s well with me – That’s it – My update!” Said his mother: “Maoz was killed as a hero fighting our enemies … because of people like him, going and doing what they need to be doing, they’re making sure that something like what happened with the Nazis will never be able to happen again”.

Indeed, “Never again”, the participants murmured.

In sum, this Yom Iyun has given us the courage to face traumatic events while being more aware than ever of the miracles of Chanukah. We’ll endure and win together with insight, Gevura and, dare we say, Latkes!  L’Chaim! Am Yisrael Chai!

Praying for rain: here's the text

During times when Israel is afflicted by a shortage of rain, the prayer of V'aneinu borei olam is recired. This prayer is found in most siddurim published in Israel and is inserted into the Shema Koleinu blessing in the Shacharit Amidah.

Some members of Beit Knesset Hanassi, who daven with precious and much-loved siddurim that came on aliyah with them from distant shores, have found that V'aneinu Borei Olam is not in their siddur, or is tucked away somewhere in the back where it's difficult to find, so we have posted it here:

וַעֲנֵנוּ בּוֹרֵא עוֹלָם בְּמִדַּת רַחֲמֶיךָ, בּוֹחֵר בְּעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְהוֹדִיעַ גָּדְלוֹ וְהַדְרַת כְּבוֹדוֹ. שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה, תֵּן טַל וּמָטָר לִבְרָכָה עַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה, וְשַׂבַּע אֶת הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ מִטּוּבֶךָ, וּמַלֵּא יָדֵינוּ מִבִּרְכוֹתֶיךָ וּמֵעֹשֶׁר מַתְּנַת יָדֶךָ. שָׁמְרָה וְהַצִּילָה שָׁנָה זוֹ מִכָּל דָּבָר רָע, וּמִכֹּל מִינֵי מַשְׁחִית וּמִכָּל מִינֵי פוּרְעָנוּת, וַעֲשֵׂה לָהּ תִּקְוָה וְאַחֲרִית שָׁלוֹם. חוּס וְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל תְּבוּאָתָהּ וּפֵרוֹתֶיהָ, וּבָרְכָהּ בְּגִשְׁמֵי רָצוֹן, בְּרָכָה וּנְדָבָה וְחַיִּים וָשֹׂבַע וְשָׁלוֹם, כַּשָּׁנִים הַטּוֹבוֹת. וְהָסֵר מִמֶּנּוּ דֶּבֶר וְחֶרֶב וְרָעָב, וְחַיָּה רָעָה וּשְׁבִי וּבִזָּה, וְיֵצֶר הָרָע, וָחֳלָיִים רָעִים וְקָשִׁים וּמְאֹרָעוֹת רָעוֹת וְקָשׁוֹת. וּגְזוֹר עָלֵינוּ גְּזֵרוֹת טוֹבוֹת מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, וְיָגֹלּוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ עַל מִדּוֹתֶיךָ וְתִתְנַהֵג עִם בָּנֶיךָ בְּמִדַּת רַחֲמִים, וְקַבֵּל בְּרַחֲמִים וּבְרָצוֹן אֶת תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ

May Hashem in His infinite mercy grant our prayer.

Today’s turmoil—and what caused it: Rabbi Wein

In this, the seventh lecture in the series “The Jewish World 1880-1914”, Rabbi Wein focused on “Zionism, Socialism and Tradition”, looking at concepts and philosophies rather than geographical considerations. He actually structured his lecture around not two but three mainly Jewish movements that opposed the continued existence of Jewish life: Zionism, Marxism and Secularism. All three of these movements, he noted, are still around today but exercise a much lower level of influence on traditional Judaism than was the case a century or more ago.

Jews have always had a utopian, messianic world view: while this is the mainstream view, it was not share by Rambam. In his view, the messianic era would provide for is a world that continues much as it always has done. There will be no messianic revolution; instead, there will be an independent Jewish state, freed from the shackles of foreign domination. This view is in stark contrast with the world promised by the prophet Yishayahu, a world in which there will be no wars or illnesses, a world in which the lion lies down with the lamb. For Rambam this is all allegory: if the lion lies down with the lamb, quipped Rabbi Wein, the result will be lamb chops. Rambam’s view was not, and is not, popular. The traditional view was always optimistic, only to be eternally disappointed. Jewish religious leaders could offer no solution to our problems except to tell us to “grin and bear it, keep on praying—and wait”. This advice had been accepted for 1,800 years, but many felt that, at the end of the 19^th century, this was simply not good enough: many Jews were disappointed with false promises and fake messiahs.

Many traditionalists gave up waiting for messiah and looked at three possible substitutes:

1.      Secularism: the secularists held no belief in God or Heaven, rejecting the prospects of a world to come and of an afterlife. Up till then, even among traditionalists there were varying degrees of personal observance—but hitherto there had been no official movement away from God and religion. In the wake of the secularist movement, entire generations of pure secularists were born, scientifically oriented and holding the belief that utopia would be achieved only through knowledge. In the 19^th century, scholars believed they could achieve ultimate knowledge. Now, Rabbi Wein noted, they accept that, the more they know, the less they know.

How did this secularism affect the Jewish world? It began with the growth of the Haskalah, with acculturated Jews asking: “How can you be in the modern world without music, literature, art?” Kashrut and Shabbat were jettisoned on the basis that they had no relevance in modern world, being replaced by goals such as gaining entry to universities where people could obtain a truly secular understanding of the modern world in which they lived--a scientific world.

2.    Socialism and Marxism. In 1846, a Jewish apostate, Karl Marx, came up with a new philosophy based on the premise that all human history reflected class struggle, not national or religious differences. Religion, in his view, was the opium of the people, comforting the masses and deadening their sensitivity to reality so that they should be better equipped to accept the poverty and hardship under which they lived. Marx maintained that society, not individuals, should own the means of production—even though this was against human nature, which is to be acquisitive.

Communism, Rabbi Wein pointed out, is the ultimate utopianism. but 200 years of experience have demonstrated its failure in practice. Many Jews loved it—and regarded it as their second Talmud, being the only people to make it work in the form of Israel’s early kibbutzim. Kibbutz life was built upon the maxim of “to each according to his needs, from each according to his ability”—the ultimate utopian ideal. Marxism is ultimately a cruel philosophy because of its belief that the end justifies the means, this being an invitation to dispose ruthlessly of one’s opponents, as has been done by Stalin and Chairman Mao. The Left is still strong in Israel, Rabbi Wein concluded, but socialism is not as pernicious as it once was: the Histadrut no longer owns the country.

3.       Zionism: in all of its forms, this is a highly complicated doctrine. At heart it is an intrinsically religious idea, that of Jews returning to an ancient homeland. But it was sold to prospective adherents as a species of nationalism, not as a religious ideal and, in doing so, it encountered great opposition from Jews in the religious, secular and Marxist sectors. The great achievement of Zionizm has been to keep secular Jews within Israel and to accommodate their secularism.

Divisions within the ranks of Zionism were apparent when the British Secretary of State, Lord Palmerston offered Theodore Herzl the chance to establish a Jewish state in Uganda. Herzl welcomed this offer, but European Zionists were aghast: even though many of them were secularists or Marxists, this was unacceptable to them.

The religious community opposed Zionism because it was seen as nationalist and anti-religious. Charedim are still fighting this battle, even though the State of Israel is 77 years old and 8 million Jews live here. But now there is also the phenomenon of Religious Zionism – Eretz Yisrael al pi Torat Yisrael – and the concept of Zionism as we know it today embraces even religious socialists and their kibbutzim.

Rabbi Wein concluded by asking: “How do we deal with residue of the turmoil of the 19^th century that continues today?” He confessed that he had no answer.

Singing through the generations

Jerusalem’s Dorot Choir has become a cultural fixture in the Holy City. Led and inspired by Hadassah ('Dassie') Jacobs, it is truly inter-generational and boasts an impressive collection of grandmothers and great-grandmothers among its members. The choir’s concert performances are much appreciated by their women-only audiences and tickets are rapidly snapped up when they go on sale.

Being a member of Dorot is not all fun and games. Each concert performance is the product of persistence in practice and of patience in rehearsals when striving for perfection. Week after week, whatever the weather, sopranos, mezzos and contraltos gather together to run through a large repertoire with Jewish themes--mostly penned by Dassie herself 

Listen to the Dorot Choir and you will hear the combined efforts of some 40 women, of whom eight—that’s a full one-fifth of the choir—are members of Beit Knesset Hanassi. Come and support them at their next concert at the Begin Heritage Center on Monday 20 January 2025 (see poster on the right for details).

Not just for Chanukah: donuts, scones and a bit of apocrypha

The Festival of Lights—and incidentally the only one of our ancient festivals to commemorate an event that took place in Israel—is a time for celebration and this inevitably involves finding something to eat. For most Ashkenazim the word “Chanukah” brings to mind an immediate thought of donuts/doughnuts (sufganiyot) and latkes (levavot), though the Shulchan Aruch (670:2, per the Rema) recommends cheese—it being a milky product that Judith deployed for killing Holofernes by making him sleepy so that she could cut off his head [see note at end of this post for more information].

Our member Gita Freud has shared with us two recipes which, she points out, don’t have to be eaten only on Chanukah because they work just as well throughout the year. The first, for all the year with the exception of Pesach, is for scones:

Ingredients

1 lb (454 gm) flour (Gita prefers the pre-sifted)
4 tsp baking powder  
2 oz (57 gm) sugar
3 oz (85 gm) butter
2 eggs
Approximately half a cup milk
Approximately 2-3 oz (57-85 gm) raisins or sultanas—or even chocolate chips

Method

Pre-heat oven to 175 Celsius.
Mix the dry ingredients with the butter to a crumbly mixture.
Add the eggs and the milk.
Mix till all the ingredients come together into a smooth ball.
Roll out to about 1 cm (0.4 in.) thick.
Cut into small rounds.
Bake at 175 degrees for 12 minutes.

Serving recommendation

Cut in half and spread with strawberry jam and a dollop of whipped cream.

So much for scones—which are apparently the talk of the town after they made a dramatic impact earlier this month at the Women’s League Membership Tea. Now for the doughnuts or, as some folk prefer, donuts. 

First, a word about words and spellings. The first use of the English spelling 'doughnut' dates back to 1809 in relation to small nut-shaped balls of fried dough; the currently popular toroidal shape was not known till the 20th century. The spelling 'donut', now almost universal in the USA, was rarely used before 1950 but became prevalent following the establishment and rapid growth of the Dunkin' Donuts franchise. The Hebrew word sufganiyah is however of nobler pedigree: it can be traced back to Mishnaic times when the word sufganin was used to describe cakes made with a spongy dough (Challah 1:4. Curiously the word is only found in the plural, proof that you can't get away with eating just one of them). 

Here’s a recipe for doughnuts with אשל (which translates in my dictionary into “tamarisk” but turns out to be another term for leben, a food or drink made from fermented milk: see Wikipedia here). 

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 containers of אשל
1 cup sugar
Drop of vanilla essence

Method

Mix all ingredients together.
Use an oily spoon to drop teaspoons into hot oil to fry.
Serve sprinkled with sugar.

Note: This comes from the Book of Judith, which is not part of Tanach but is included in the apocrypha, a collection of non-canonical writings that also features the Books of the Maccabees. The Book of Judith is the story of a Jewish widow who murders the Assyrian general Holofernes to save her town from invasion. When Holofernes sieges the city of Bethulia (sometimes identified with Shechem), Judith seduces the general and murders him in his sleep. The assassination, which gives the Israelites the advantage they need to defeat the Assyrian, inspired a famous painting by the Italian master Caravaggio which we show here.

Serenity -- a reality or just an aspiration? Vayeshev 5785

Yaakov settles in the Land of Israel, the Land of Canaan, the land of his forefathers. In that first sentence of this week’s parsha lies the hope of Yaakov and of all his descendants. Rashi, quoting the Midrash, states that Yaakov wanted to rest from his earlier troubles and remain serene and at peace for the balance of his life. This is a natural human wish and desire. But the troubles of Yaakov are not over by any means. 

The incident of the dispute and resultant tragedy of Yosef and his brothers will erase any hope of Yaakov being able to remain serene and at peace with himself. The truth of Jewish history indicates that the years of serenity of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel were relatively few and far between. We always thought that the creation of our national home in the Land of Israel would be the ultimate panacea for Jewish life. 

Herzl promised that anti-Semitism would disappear with the creation of an independent Jewish state. Tragically, history has shown the case certainly to be otherwise. In fact, the Jewish state has in many respects exacerbated the campaign of anti-Semitism in today’s world. The longing for serenity oftentimes blinds people to unpleasant realities and forthcoming dangers. 

Yaakov is aware of the problem between Yosef and his brothers, but he is not proactive in preventing the violence that lies below the surface of this dispute. His desire to rest and settle in peace in the Land of Israel – simply to be left alone by all of his neighbors and potential enemies – essentially prevents him from attempting to prevent the civil war brewing in his house. 

The Lord is critical, so to speak, of Yaakov’s desire for serenity at all costs. Serenity is in the World to Come and not in this world of problems and challenges. 

The Jewish community here in Israel desires peace and serenity at almost all cost. The desire is so strong that it has led to a great dispute between different sections of Israeli society. The desire for peace overwhelms all other issues and creates great rivers of division and even violence amongst us. 

The desire for peace and serenity has sucked all the oxygen out of the other issues of Israeli life. In pursuing a goal that may currently be beyond our abilities, we abandon the opportunity to truly achieve success with the more mundane challenges that face us. 

Ben Gurion, not noted for his great piety, said that there are certain issues that will have to be left to messianic times for permanent solution. Undoubtedly, he meant that certain problems do not lend themselves to resolve currently. We are entitled to aspire for serenity and peace, but not at the expense of the realities and dangers that face us. Yaakov’s example remain an important lesson for us as well in our present challenges and difficulties. 

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein 

When the lion roars, we question our values

 Here, thanks to our member Max Stern, is a cantata which he composed for his students at Ariel University and which is based on the haftarah that accompanies this week's parashah, Vayeshev. 

This haftarah, explains Max, features extracts from a prophecy by Amos that condemns the value system that led to our exile -- the same scale of values that led to Joseph's brothers selling him to the Ishamelites for "a pair of shoes". 

Below you will find a link to a performance of this cantata by Max and his students. The first four minutes make for tough listening, before it transitions to a more lyrical theme with a subtly hypnotic effect. 

The text is based on Amos 3:1-2 and 3:6-8.

For the link to the cantata click here.

For an explanation of this haftarah on My Jewish Learning click here.

The Ottomans decline, while Jewish opportunities grow: Rabbi Wein

In the sixth of his eight-part lecture series, Rabbi Wein tackled the gradual disintegration of the Turkish-based Ottoman Empire and its impact on the many Jews who lived within its sprawling borders. This empire spread all the way from Balkans and the Mediterranean to the Middle East, Egypt, Libya and much of North Africa. Starting from the 15^th and 16^th centuries, this militantly Moslem even reached the gates of Vienna.

Because of its vast geographical spread, this empire began to decline. At the root of its failure was endemic internal corruption which was the consequence of its Caliph, based in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul (right), farming out governorships to different tribes, clans and families. Local autonomy was the norm, which meant that no two areas were governed in the same way. Eastern Sephardim were the main Jewish culture, and they lived within the Ottoman Empire as a self-contained society. Local rulers were less harsh on the Jews than were Western rulers, but in many communities they had no rights. Notably, however, there were no pogroms before 1948.

Israel, Rabbi Wein explained, was a sparsely populated wasteland with a tiny Jewish and mainly Sephardic population. The country had no effective economy. During the early 1800s, there was a small trickle of Eastern European Jewish immigration; these migrants came for purely religious reasons and had no expressed intention of founding a state. Safed, Tiveria, Yerushalayim and Chevron were the main centres of Jewish life. When Mark Twain visited the land in the late 1890s, he recorded that he had never seen a more desolate place. Incidentally, there was no real connection between the Sephardi and Ashkenazi communities, especially since the former had had no real exposure to mussar or chassidut.

The Turks had a large Christian population within their borders, particularly in Armenia and Syria. Moslems viewed them, rather than the Jews, as their enemy. This, said Rabbi Wein, had the paradoxical effect of making the local Christian churches more antisemitic than their Western counterparts. During the 1800s, as the West started eroding portions of the Ottoman Empire, Jerusalem grew in significance: it was no longer just a place but had become an ideal, a vindication. Colonies were founded there by the Germans, Russians, French and others—and the Ottomans were helpless to stop this.  Many consulates based in Jerusalem claimed they were justified in being there to protect claims of locals living in these colonies. Curiously, at this time there was also a nascent movement among evangelical Christians who believed that Jewish settlement was needed as a precursor of the Christian Messiah.

Rabbi Wein then focused on the activities of Sir Moses Montefiore (left), who devoted his life to the cause of the Jewish people and intervened in the notorious1840 blood libel in Damascus. Montefiore visited Israel a total of seven times and generously donated money—but within the Jewish community there was no organisational infrastructure that could put it to good use. In short the Jews as a community were not ready for monetary support, but even private donations such as those of Montefiore would have the effect of weakening the Ottoman Empire first and, when the First Aliyah came, the Turks proved to be incapable of resisting it.

Within the crumbling Caliphate, the force of inertia was becoming impossible to overcome. Theodore Herzl had originally tried to buy Israel for the princely sum of 15 million British pounds, hoping to get this sum from the Rothschild family. The Turks however did not want to sell. In the 1890s, Greece broke away from Turkish rule (this assertion of freedom was romanticised by Lord Byron). Next, Serbia broke free from both Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian control. Cracks also appeared at the very core of the Empire, as hostilities increased between the Sunni Moslem majority and Shi’ite minority. Happily, the Jews were not caught in the crosshairs of their disputes.

Returning to Herzl and Zionism, Rabbi Wein showed that the Ottomans saw Jewish nationalism as a direct threat: it was not only European in origin, and therefore alien, but also featured secular Jews—something that the Ottomans regarded as a direct threat to an empire was founded on religion. Following Herzl’s unsuccessful bid to purchase the land of Israel, the JNF set out to buy land on a piecemeal basis and had far more success. In this way the Zionist movement succeeded in implanting itself in the Galilee during the First Aliyah through the establishment of kibbutzim and moshavim. How odd, commented Rabbi Wein, that the land of Israel should be built by the non-religious.

With Jewish settlement came Jewish disputes, largely between Sephardim and Ashkenazim. The Turks gave kashrut rights to the Sephardim, which the Ashkenazim said they couldn’t accept. Disputes amongst Jews were always referred to the Turkish authorities and, since those authorities were corrupt, the arguments put before them were corrupt too. Also, the 0od Yishuv refused to recognise the new Yishuv, finding the newcomers to be so rebellious and condescending towards traditional Jews that there was no dialogue.

Treasures of the Knesset -- and a trip round the President's house

Since our Women's League has unveiled the date for our next visit to the Knesset -- Thursday 16 January -- we thought you might like to have a sneak preview, courtesy of our very own Heshy Engelsberg. This is "Treasures of the Knesset" (length: just under eight minutes), which you can watch on his YouTube channel here. 

While we are in the mood for visiting popular local attractions, it's a couple of years since we ran two very popular visits to the President's House. If there is sufficient interest, we may offer this trip again. If you are undecided, maybe Heshy's The House of the President (a fraction over 4 minutes) here will persuade you that it's worth the effort!

Why Yeshivat HaKotel?

This coming Shabbat we host a group of talmidim from Yeshivat HaKotel for an inspiring Kabbalat Shabbat service, dinner in our homes, followed by an Oneg Shabbat. But why, you may be wondering, in a city that is so full of yeshivot, have we chosen Yeshivat HaKotel? Did we just happen to like the name? Did we pick it out at random? Did we consult the city’s sages?

The true answer lies in the yeshiva’s place in our country’s recent history and in our nation’s ancient commitment to Torah.

Yeshivat HaKotel was founded in the summer of 1967, just weeks after the miraculous victory of the Six day War let us return to the Old City of Jerusalem. The Old City means so much to so many of us: for some it is a place of emotional outpouring, for others a focus for national pride—and for others it is the ideal place to learn Torah and perpetuate its values. This is why it is not by accident that the yeshiva is firmly embedded in the heart of the Old City.

So what are the yeshiva’s core values? They can be summed up easily. First, there is the Torah:

Developing love for and ability to learn is the Yeshiva’s primary objective. Although concentrated on Gemara, Yeshivat Hakotel’s multi-faceted learning program includes significant opportunities to study Tanach, Halacha, Emunah, Machshava, and Mussar in a meaningful way.

Of course, the Torah can be learned anywhere, at any time. So why is learning in Israel special?

Hakotel sees learning in Israel as a means of connecting to Am Yisrael’s return to Eretz Yisrael. Being at Hakotel is not just learning about our history, but experiencing and becoming part of it. Talmidim connect to the history of Eretz Yisrael as well as the modern miracle of the State of Israel.

Is the yeshiva concerned only with book learning, or does it address also the social and cultural side of Jewish life in today’s highly mobile world?

Yeshivat Hakotel fosters achdut amongst its students by breaking down cultural barriers that often divide Jews of different countries of origin. This feeling of brotherhood permeates all aspects of Yeshiva life including classes, dormitory residence, and leisure time. It also very much identifies with the dictum of the Mishneh in Avot (4:1) that the wise man is the one who learns from all people. 

These are big claims. But are they realistic? Yes!

We broaden talmidim’s horizons and help them respect different types of Jews by teaching different types of Jewish philosophies and hashkafot (Litvish, Chassidish, rationalist, Kabbalistic …).   

So, with all of this going on, why does the yeshiva bother dealing with us?

We educate towards being part of the larger Jewish community, which includes the Jews of Yerushalayim, the State of Israel, and around the globe. 

Pretty impressive stuff! For further details you can browse the yeshiva’s website in Hebrew or in English

As a footnote, we should mention that our own Rabbi Kenigsberg studied at Yeshivat HaKotel, and we are all enriched by the learning and the perspectives that he acquired there.

The strength to overcome angels: Vayishlach 5785

Our father Yaakov sends emissaries to meet his brother Eisav, seeking to mollify him and to head off a possibly violent, even fatal, confrontation. Opinions in Midrash and the commentaries differ as to whether these emissaries were angels or humans. Either way it appears from the parsha that they failed in their mission and were unable to deflect Eisav and his four hundred armed men from confronting Yaakov. 

If we agree that the emissaries were mere humans, it is understandable that they might fail in their mission of dissuading Eisav and of convincing him to leave Yaakov and his family alone. However, if we believe that Yaakov’s emissaries were truly angels, then how could they have failed in their mission?

Another incident in the life of Yaakov does however reveal that human will and strength can overcome even an angel. Yaakov wrestles the angel of Eisav to a standoff, whereupon his name is changed to Yisrael because he was able to wrestle with angels and men and emerge triumphant. Never underestimate the power of a human being for good or to wreak havoc. Eisav’s determination to harm Yaakov is so intense and fixed that even a horde of angels cannot deflect him from his evil purpose. Angels have no freedom of will and are inherently weaker than are human beings. They possess no hidden resources of will and strength: they are what they are. Humans in contrast, when taxed, can be righteous or evil in the extreme. 

Only when Eisav finally sees Yaakov and his family before him does his will waver and he becomes more conciliatory. He is naturally influenced by the vast amount of money that Yaakov showers upon him. That is also part of human nature—to be susceptible to matieral inducements and weakened by monetary corruption. It is not the sight of heavenly angels that softens Eisav’s heart towards his brother as much as it is the largesse that Yaakov bestows upon him. 

Over the long history of the Jewish people, many a decree conceived against Jews has been thwarted because money has been paid to the proposed enforcers. As distasteful as this may seem, this method was always employed to aid Jewish survival in difficult times and places. Angels are not however subject to such temptations. Though humans can overcome angels, rarely can they escape temptation and its resulting troubles.

The same necessary strength of will that is part of the human makeup to overcome angels is also present when humans face temptations and difficult choices in life. There was once a campaign against drug use by teenagers in the United States. The campaign’s slogan was “Just Say No.” I realize that this is a very simplistic way to deal with the problem of drug use but it has the ring of truth to it. The strength to say no to angels is the same strength to say no to harm and evil.

Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein

"I will not let thee go, except thou bless me"

The Torah is written in Hebrew because it was given to us, the Jewish people, in Hebrew, and some of us have achieved so great a level of proficiency in Hebrew—lashon hakodesh—that we never need to turn the pages of an English translation in order to gain a better understanding.

For many of us, however, an English version is an indispensable support. We may sometimes also use it as an interpretational aid or a commentary, for what translation cannot claim to be a commentary when so many Hebrew words have no exact counterpart in another tongue?

If you follow the link to the YouTube video and sound recording of Jacob and the Angel, for piano and orchestra, you will find that composer and Hanassi member Max Stern introduces a classical Torah narrative with the following English text:

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when the man saw that he prevailed not against Jacob, he touched the hollow of his thigh; …and he said: 'Let me go, for the day breaketh.' And Jacob answered: 'I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.' And the angel said: 'What is thy name?' And he said: 'Jacob.' And the angel said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed' (Bereishit 32:24-30).

Over the centuries there have been many English language translations of the Torah. Some aim at simplicity, others at modernity or clarity. Others again reflect political or religious bias.  The King James version, published in 1611, probably aspired to all these things. Now, however, more than four centuries later, the text—archaic in the eyes of young readers—is replete with a degree of dignity that is absent in modern prose.

Does Max Stern’s music, performed by the Israel Sinfonietta with Bart Berman at the piano, reflect the solemnity of the King James prose, and the unfolding drama encapsulated in its weighty words? Click here to listen and you can decide for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6lbQOiXRmU&ab_channel=MaxStern

Parshat Vayishlach: The Meaning of the Name Israel

The Hanassi Blog is delighted to host another devar Torah by our member, Rabbi Paul Bloom. Paul explains: this piece is written in honor of the sixth yahrzeit of my mother, Gitel Bas Yisraell z’L HaKohen, who has all the traits described by the Kli Yakar.

This week’s parsha, Vayishlach, contains one of the most profound and transformative moments in the Torah. Yaakov wrestles all night with a mysterious figure, described as a malach—an angel. At the end of their struggle, the malach asks Yaakov his name.

“He replied, ‘Jacob.’ But he said, ‘Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.’” (Bereishit 32:28–29)

Some commentators, including Rashi, explain that this angel was the spiritual representative of Esav, Yaakov’s brother and adversary. The struggle was more than physical—it was deeply spiritual, symbolizing the challenges Yaakov would face throughout his life, and the struggles Klal Yisrael would encounter across generations.

What makes this episode so powerful is the bracha Yaakov receives. His name is changed to Yisrael—a word of immeasurable significance and transformative power. The name signifies a new identity and destiny, not only for Yaakov but for his descendants. Let’s delve into the meaning of Yisrael as explained by the Kli Yakar, who offers three profound interpretations of the word and its relevance to us.

1. The Vision of Yisrael: Seeing Beyond

The Kli Yakar suggests that the root of Yisrael is related to the verb shur, meaning to see clearly. This represents the ability to perceive beyond the physical—to see the presence of the Shechinah in the world, even in times of darkness and struggle.

This interpretation connects to Yaakov’s struggle with the malach. As they wrestled, they raised dust that reached the Kisei HaKavod, the heavenly throne. The dust was intended to blind Yaakov, obscuring his vision of holiness. Similarly, our enemies often try to "throw dust in our eyes"—to blind us to the presence of Hashem. But Yisrael symbolizes the ability to see through the dust and recognize Hashem’s hand even amidst adversity.

2. Yisrael as Yashar-El: The Straight Path

The second explanation connects Yisrael to the word yashar, meaning upright, honest, and moral. To be Yisrael means to live with integrity, guided by a divine moral compass.

This yashrut—moral clarity—stems from Torah, which provides a timeless and unshakable value system. Unlike societies that build morality on shifting human ideologies, Klal Yisrael’s values are grounded in the eternal truths of Torah.

3. Yisrael as Sar-El: Leadership and Authority

The third interpretation sees Yisrael as stemming from the word sar, meaning a prince or leader. As Yisrael, Klal Yisrael is destined to serve as a spiritual leader to the world, fulfilling Yeshayahu’s vision:

“Many peoples shall go and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of Hashem, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may instruct us in His ways.’” (Yeshayahu 2:3)

This vision is Messianic, promising a future where the nations of the world recognize the truth of Torah and seek guidance from Klal Yisrael.

Yaakov and Yisrael: Two Dimensions of Spirituality

It’s important to note that Yaakov’s name change is not permanent, as was Avram’s transformation into Avraham. Throughout the Torah, Yaakov is sometimes called Yaakov and sometimes Yisrael. Why?

Yaakov represents one aspect of our identity: groundedness in this world. The name Yaakov is linked to eikev—the heel—symbolizing physicality and the challenges of navigating a material existence. In contrast, Yisrael contains the letters li rosh—"I have a head"—signifying transcendence and spiritual aspiration. Together, these names represent the duality of our mission: to remain firmly rooted in this world while striving to connect with the heavens.

The Nesivot Shalom expands on this duality, explaining that Yaakov reflects yirat Hashem—awe and discipline in serving Hashem. Yisrael reflects ahavat Hashem—passion and joy in our connection to Hashem. These two modes, reverence and love, form the foundation of our relationship with the Divine.

The Legacy of Yisrael Today

The name Yisrael carries profound relevance for us as individuals and as a nation. It reminds us that, like Yaakov, we may wrestle with challenges, adversaries, and spiritual struggles. Sometimes the dust clouds our vision, but we must strive to see the presence of Hashem, remain steadfast in our values, and lead with purpose and integrity.

Interestingly, when the modern State of Israel was founded, David Ben-Gurion chose the name Medinat Yisrael. Many other names were proposed—Ivriya or Yehuda—but Yisrael was selected. Perhaps, just as the malach whispered Yaakov’s new name, the same divine inspiration guided this decision, reminding us of our eternal mission and identity.

May we merit to fully embrace the name Yisrael, with its vision, integrity, and leadership, and may it guide us to the ultimate geulah, speedily in our days.