More on halachic challenges in the State of Israel

In his previous lecture (noted with a link to YouTube here) Rabbi Kenigsberg asked whether halachah was equipped to cope with the challenges posed by a modern Jewish state? His answer was an emphatic “yes!”, because the very existence of the State of Israel provides a live factual context that enables us to express the halachah more clearly. He then related this conclusion to the position taken by Rav Moshe-Tzvi Neria in his debates with Yeshaya Leibowitz that it is fundamental to our Jewish belief that the Torah has a divine source of Torah, being applicable in all places and at all times.

In this lecture Rabbi Kenigsberg expanded on the need to the State to provide greater factual detail in order to apply halachah with greater precision, in particular with regard to hilchot Shabbat, where it is so important to distinguish routine factual scenarios from emergencies. He also raised the question as to what sources are most appropriate for resolving she’elot on issues of national security. While Israel was an autonomous state in the era of Tanach, Rabbi Asher Weiss has observed that one cannot pull halachot straight out of the Tanach because its contents are not presented to us in a structured manner in which we are made aware of relevant surrounding circumstances. We also do not know whether applications of halachah in Tanach reflect normal circumstances of states of emergency.

Rabbi Kenigsberg then referred to Rav Kook’s writings on the halachot of war in his Mishpat Kohen. In that work of war he discusses issues of pikuach nefesh (saving life) within the context of the war that is not mandated by Torah law—Milchemet reshut – and whether it can be allowed when it endangers lives. We see that wars of that nature were fought for the State’s economic benefit. However, laws relating to the collective (i.e. the State) are not found within Shulchan Aruch, this being a code that deals with the yachid, the individual, not the State. Seridim (remnants) of State halachah do still exist within Tanach: it is for us to trawl through Tanach for these seridim and seek to reconstitute them.

By way of a practical phenomenon that did not exist in bygone times and which is a matter of State responsibility, Rabbi Kenigsberg focused at length on the problems of cyber-defence on Shabbat. Cyber-attacks might be of obvious threat to life, such as those designed to contaminate the water supply, or they might pose risks for one of more individuals, as in the case of data capture that would enable foreign governments to identify Israeli soldiers on active service and arrest them for war crimes if they visited those countries.  The rabbi discussed the applicability to these scenarios of the long-established halachot relating to extinguishing a fire on Shabbat as well as the principles that govern self-protection on the part of cities on Israel’s borders.

From what Rabbi Kenigsberg told his audience, it appears that there are two general principles that can be invoked when weighing up whether to allow a breach of Shabbat prohibitions. The first is that, even if a threat or danger is initially very small, one must look ahead and calculate how much greater might the damage be to the public and the State if it is not immediately abated. The second is that, if action is not taken to defend oneself even against an apparently small loss, an enemy will learn to attack the State on Shabbat on the basis that there will be no response or retaliation by those who are Shabbat-observant.

This note cannot really do justice to Rabbi Kenigsberg’s presentation, which was replete with references and citations and came with printed source materials—but you can listen to it in full on YouTube 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.

Strings and things: the ladies of Tzitzit for Tzahal come to Hanassi

Starting this week, Beit Knesset Hanassi is hosting a team of women from the Jerusalem branch of Tzitzit for Tzahal who have been making tzitziyot for members of the Israel Defence Force. Until last month the team operated out of OU’s building in Keren HaYesod but that building’s closure left the women without a base. They will be with us on Mondays and Wednesdays until further notice, and we wish them hatzlacha in their noble endeavors.

Demand for tzitziyot has remained high since the outbreak of the war, and Tzitzit for Tzahal has worked hard to fulfil that demand. As of the end of November, Tzitzit for Tzahal had supplied the IDF with a remarkable 96,000 tzitziyot, more than half the 180,000 supplied so far.  The tzitzit are tied to green begadim provided by the army so as to be uniform-compliant. Soldiers don’t have to wear them all the time: when they are on the base, they can wear white, but when in combat they are required to wear green begadim.  The army has said that it needs 60,000 more regular tzitziyot, plus 15,000 cotton begadim.  Tankists and combat engineers need cotton, rather than polyester, begadim because of the high temperatures they encounter in the course of their work.

The team that will be working from Hanassi is headed by Ruti Younker, who alone has tied about 2,000 pairs.  Ruti is the principal teacher for those who have not tied tzitzit before (and there are many who come without any prior experience).  She teaches both the Ashkenazi and Sephardi, depending on her pupils’ preferences.  She also checks each set of tzitzit before giving them to Tzitzit for Tzahal to make sure that they are kosher.  An interesting fact is that in general, Sephardim permit women to tie tzitziyot l’chatchila.  Ashkenazim don’t. However, because we are living through a sha’as hadechak, the Rabbis have said that women can tie Ashkenzi tzitziyot now as well—and even when it is not a sha’as hadechak, if a man ties the first double knot on each corner of a beged, it is permitted for women to tie the rest.

At present, each soldier gets only one pair of tzitzit and, as you can imagine, they get quite gross in even a short period of time.  The Tzitzit for Tzahal team pray that the need for green ones will speedily be reduced. But until then, after each soldier who wants has one pair, they hope to be able to supply another set—or at least to replace those that have become ruined.

To conclude, here’s a random fun-fact for you. Tzitziyot are one of the most popular items to be requested by serving members of the IDF – coming second only to barbecues!

And here's an article from the Jewish Press, "Women and Children Tying Tzitzit", by Rabbi Shimshon HaKohen Nadel.  Rabbi Nadel heads the Sinai Kolel, which learns three mornings a week at Beit Knesset Hanassi.

Halachic dilemmas in the State of Israel

Speaking last week on the Beit Midrash Rechavia program which Hanassi hosts in conjunction with OU Israel, Rabbi Kenigsberg delivered the first of two lectures on the topic of "Halachic dilemmas in the State of Israel". This lecture pointed to the emergence of a range of questions about the application of halacha that arose from the creation of a modern Jewish state. Some of these questions had never been considered before; others had been furnished with answers -- but only within the context of Jews living within a non-Jewish society. A third source of questions arose from the need to apply halacha to hitherto unknown technologies. 

The range of issues is vast. Israel, being a state, is required to maintain law, order, security and safety within its jurisdiction. The existence of the concept of pikuach nefesh, for example, is well established: we can violate even the laws of Shabbat in order to save a life. But how far does this go, in terms of maintaining an army, a police force, medical services and other essential services across the board? And is there a notion of State pikuach nefesh? 

If these topics intrigue you, why not enjoy this lecture in full (54 minutes) on YouTube by clicking here.

Rabbi Kenigsberg will be giving his second lecture in the series on Wednesday 11 December in Beit Knesset Hanassi. Come and hear him live!

“If not for us, then for our children”: Jews in the USA

Yesterday Rabbi Wein delivered the fifth of his eight lectures in the current series, The Jewish World 1880-1914. In this lecture the audience was treated to a potent mix of hard fact, penetrating analysis and personal recollections.

Towards the end of the nineteenth century around 2.5 million Jews had entered the United States. This began a wave of migration that both saved Jewish people and allowed for creation of State of Israel. But why was the USA so eager to welcome Jews? After the Civil Law, the USA had became a continental power. It took over an enormous amount of land—but was short of human resources and needed people. At the start of its industrial revolution this new power needed workers and customers in great number. Thus Immigrants encouraged to come until the 1920s.

The earliest Jews to arrive came in colonial times, but they comprised only around 1,000 out of a population of around two and a half million. In the main they were Sephardi, and traditional in their religion observance. This was a good time for them to come, being businessmen and middlemen in a land that had no income tax, no poll tax, and practically no restrictions on trade: this was the beginning of the era of the robber barons. Thus the USA offered great opportunities and a world of freedom and enterprise that simply didn’t exist in Europe.

In the 1840s there was an influx of reform Jews from Germany, but this wave of immigration left little behind since second and third generation Jews of German origin chiefly converted to Christianity. Though they created federations, institutions, hospitals and schools, the aim of these institutions was to Americanize any Jew that came to America. Rabbi Wein cited the extreme example of the Pittsburgh Platform – a document that called on Jews effectively to abandon their Jewish practice and to divorce themselves completely from traditional Judaism.

Non-Jews who thought that the assimilationist position of the Pittsburgh Platform was real Judaism were deeply shocked at the sudden massive influx of Jews from Eastern Europe towards the end of the century. Yiddish-speaking and very different in their behavior and dress, they looked quite out of place in their new social environment. In the eyes of America, the USA was supposed to be a melting pot, so there was no tolerance of diversity. The norm throughout the land was a six-day working week, with Sunday being universally recognized as the day of rest. This posed enormous problems for immigrants who sought to remain observant Jews, who also had to face the challenges of urban life as they exchanged the city for the shtetl.

Life was tough for those who kept Shabbat since jobs were lost on a weekly basis. Poverty was rife and tenement life was tough. However the prevailing attitude was positive and forward-looking: “I won’t make it, but my children will”.

Rabbi Wein did not neglect the unseemly side to Jewish immigration—our involvement in crime. This was a field in which the immigrant Jews and Italians dominated, but there was a crucial difference between them: the Jews never put their children into the crime business, preferring to spend the proceeds of crime on educating them and putting them through college, whereas the Italians put all theirs into the family crime business and thus became the scapegoats for all crime.

Around 10 percent of Jewish immigrants were involved in left-wing politics, which was seen as anti-American. There were no pogroms as such, but there was the occasional spontaneous blood libel. Although the Jewish populace was generally not liked, such fighting as there was tended to be along ethnic, not religious lines. But the hold of religion on the new Jewish Americans was weak. Rabbi Wein quoted a telling aphorism of Dr Twerski: parents were giving their children what they didn’t have, but forgot to give them what they did have.

Given the powerful pressures towards conformity and Americanisation, it was not surprising that European rabbis had little influence even on their own families. After all, this was the United States, not the shtetl, and everything was different. Against this, the early 1900s saw the creation of the Young Israel movement. This was an attempt to preserve halacha while giving it an American tinge. Young Israel encouraged communal singing in shul, spoke English and looked for English-speaking rabbis. Against this, the Conservative movement sought to make concessions to religious observance and custom on the basis that this was the only way to prevent the complete assimilation of American Jewry. There was little else to choose from, since even by 1914 there were only a few truly orthodox institutions, and they weren’t seen as forerunners of any successful movement.

In conclusion, Rabbi Wein reminded his audience, when contemplating the calamitous situation he had depicted, not to be too judgmental. Times were hard and so were the decisions that people had to make.

The blessing of success--and how to handle it: Vayetzei 5785

Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov all suffered from jealous reactions to their success from the local populations in which they lived. Avraham is recognized as the “prince of God in our midst” and yet is begrudged a grave in which to bury Sarah. Yitzchak is sent away from the kingdom of Avimelech because, the latter says, “you have grown too great from us.” And, in this week’s parsha, Lavan tells Yaakov that everything that Yaakov owns really belongs to Lavan. 

The blessings of God and His promise to protect the patriarchs and matriarchs of Israel do save them from their neighbors, relatives and enemies. However, the success and achievements of this small family, as per God’s promise and against all odds and opposition, raise the hatred and jealousy of their neighbors—even though the neighbors themselves, such as Avimelech and Lavan, benefit mightily from the achievements of Yitzchak and Yaakov. 

The rabbis of the Talmud taught us that “hatred destroys rational thought and behavior.” So, instead of gratitude and friendship, the accomplishments of the patriarchs and matriarchs only bring forth greed, jealousy and persecution, with the ever-present threat of violence hovering in the background. All efforts to maintain a low profile and to mollify Lavan result only in increased bigotry and hatred. 

It is not for nothing that the Pesach Haggadah makes Lavan a greater enemy to the survival of the Jewish people than even the Pharaoh of Egypt. But almost all the enemies of the Jews over the centuries suffer from the same basic moral faults regarding the Jews: ingratitude, jealousy and greed. These are all revealed to us in this week’s parsha. 

Someone mentioned to me that perhaps, if we maintained a lower profile in the world, didn’t receive so many Nobel prize awards, and were less influential in the fields of finance, and the media, that anti-Semitism would decrease. “What if?” is a difficult thought process to pursue intelligently. There is no question that the world and all humankind would be so much poorer if the Jews purposely withheld their energy, creativity and intelligence and ceased to contribute to human civilization. And there certainly is no guarantee that the world would like us any more than it does now if we were less successful and prominent. 

The mere fact that God blessed the patriarchs with success and influence indicates that this is His desire for us. The Torah specifically states that every nation and family on earth will benefit and be blessed through us. So, in our case, less would not necessarily be more. Yet we were enjoined from flaunting our success in the faces of those less fortunate than us.

Modesty in behavior and deportment is an important partner in times of success. This is also a lesson that our father Yaakov intended to teach us. We are not allowed to rein in our talents and achievements. We are however bidden to control our egos and bluster. That is also an important Jewish trait that should be a foundation in our lives. 

Shabat shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein 

Peninei Halakha: pearls of Jewish law

Beit Knesset Hanassi has just purchased for its Beit Midrash library a set of the multi-volume magnum opus on Jewish law in the contemporary world, Peninei Halakha. 

What does this purchase mean for our shul? Rabbi Kenigsberg explains:

The Peninei Halakha series, authored by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed (right), is a comprehensive and accessible guide to Jewish law that addresses a wide range of halachic topics. Written in clear and concise language, these volumes present halacha in a way that combines depth with clarity, appealing to both scholars and laypeople. 

Rav Melamed’s unique approach integrates classical sources with contemporary applications, emphasizing the beauty and relevance of halacha in modern life. His works also reflect a profound commitment to the values of Zionism and the centrality of the State of Israel in Jewish destiny, which of course resonates strongly with the ethos of our community.

 These volumes will both enhance the shul’s library and serve as an invaluable resource for congregants seeking to deepen their understanding of halacha (and improve their Hebrew!)

Rabbi Melamed is Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Bracha and, since 1988, rabbi of Har Bracha, on the southern ridge of Har Gerizim. Apart from writing the Peninei Halakha, he also produced a new edition of the Shelah’s classic Shenei Luchot HaBrit and the first two volumes of the new edition of the writings of Rabbi Zadok HaKohen. Together with his parents he was involved in the establishment of the radio station Arutz Sheva, where his popular daily halacha broadcasts formed a basis for the first volumes of Peninei Halakha.