Gil When people think “Halakhic State” they usually think Haredistan or settler apartheid state. How Ever: If we had a revived National Court (“sanhedrin”), it probably would have authorized the initial strikes against Hamas after Oct 7 as a necessary and legitimate war of self-defense, and required everyone, including Haredim, to serve in the military – … Read more
The Covenant of Fragments: Towards a Jewish Theology of Religions Introduction The religious history of humanity is marked by astonishing diversity. Across continents, cultures, and centuries, peoples have devised systems of law, worship, myth, and wisdom to grapple with the great questions: mortality, suffering, justice, transcendence. The world’s religions vary: some aspire to universal dominion, … Read more
Very happy to see how many people are sharing the Orthodox rabbinic letter on Gaza and the state of religious Zionism today. Not surprised by the knee-jerk backlash they’re all facing in the comments …. But the public sharing itself is important. People should be confident in the stance that religious Judaism does not recognize … Read more
Honestly, with the world 🌍 the way it is right now – with our country 🇮🇱 the way it is right now – bringing a child into it is a declaration of emuna: “Ribbono shelaOlam! Your world is broken and we did not break it! But we believe! – that it can be fixed, it … Read more
All my posts are public these days. Someone recently left a bizarre comment on one of my posts about halakha and sexual orientation, and proceeded to try and tag a third party into the comment thread, not for clarification of a law or a text but evidently for the purposes of fomenting argument, discord, and … Read more
After considering recent literature reviews of peer-reviewed studies, my understanding that the consensus of the best scientific findings available regarding sexual orientation is that it is a combination of attraction and behavior, and is biologically-based with psychological next-order correspondences, stimuli, and effects, has been reinforced. This does not mean much regarding a specific biblically-prohibited act … Read more
30 days. Either come up with a plan for defeating Hamas and rescuing the hostages, or end the war. Either way, let in as much food, medicine, and baby supplies now, as the combined logistical might of the Israeli military can facilitate. But it’s been almost two years. So. 30 days.
I’m honestly confused by the opposition to gay rabbis. To my limited knowledge as someone who is not gay, it would seem obvious that being gay – or even being in a gay marriage – does not necessarily mean that one does something that is clearly prohibited by our law (at the present time). Where … Read more
There’s something about the whole polemic against liberal values and institutions in the name of “tradition” that unnerves me on a biological level. In this age of chaos and change, my genetic disposition – optimized as it is for survival and moreover for the flourishing of life – recoils at the instinctive retreat into the … Read more
Imperfect vessels containing overwhelming light… Alone they shatter, together they hold. How sacred are Your people, joining together below with the heavenly host above. Together, they carry the light into the darkest corners of our world and our souls. Together. ——- In times like these, ahabath Yisrael stands as not just an ethos but an … Read more