How does a soldier light Chanukah candles? There is an important rabbinic commandment to light Chanukah candles (really, flames) for all eight nights of Chanukah. Normally, we light in our homes, either in the window or right outside the...
I. Davening for a Soldier We daven for a time when there will be no more war. We also daven that until that time arrives, our soldiers return from the battlefield to their families and their lives. Is...
I. Shabbos Clothes We greet Shabbos and spend the entire day clean and proper, dressed in fine clothes. Do we also need to wear fine shoes that we have designated for Shabbos? The Gemara (Shabbos 119a) says that...
I. Aliyah in Response to Crisis We learn from Ya’akov that the common response to danger, to plead with G-d, is proper. People promise to become better if they or their loved ones survive the crisis. They genuinely grow...
Religious Jews violate Shabbos in response to even a life threatening situation. Religious soldiers fight war 24/7 in order to protect lives. This is widely understood nowadays. But was it always accepted that we may wage war on Shabbos?...
A few weeks ago, we discussed the debate between Rav Shaul Yisraeli and Rav Shlomo Goren regarding the siege of Beirut. As mentioned, on August 6th, 1982, then Chief Rabbi of Israel Rav Shlomo Goren published an article in...
I. Danger in Yeshiva? It is now common for many American yeshiva students to spend a “gap year” in Israel after high school. This year usually fosters religious growth through intense study in a specialized environment. Since war began...
When we pray, we talk to the King of kings. In that spirit, we should dress as if we are meeting a king (see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 91:5). Most people today are not as strict about this...
Anyone who owns a gun needs to understand proper gun training, safety and usage in order to avoid tragedy. These issues are crucial but not our topic. Here I am interested in exploring other aspects of gun ownership. I. Carrying...
Israel is currently laying siege on the Gaza strip in order to prevent terrorists from leaving, particularly with Israeli hostages. Is a full siege on Gaza halachically permissible? In the summer of 1982, the Israeli army placed a siege...