25 Apr REDEMPTIVE GUSTS FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF GUSH Q & A WITH RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN
Rabbi Moshe Taragin has been a Ram at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Gush Etzion for the past 30 years. He has
Semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, a BA in Computer Science from Yeshiva Col-
lege, and an MA in English Literature from City University. Rabbi Taragin previously taught Talmud at Co-
lumbia University, lectured in Talmud and Bible at the IBC and JSS divisions of Yeshiva University, and served
as Assistant Rabbi at the Fifth Avenue Synagogue.
In addition, Rabbi Taragin currently teaches at the Stella K. Abraham Beit Midrash for Women of Yeshivat
Har Etzion in Migdal Oz in Gush Etzion. He is the author of an Internet shiur entitled “Talmudic Methodol-
ogy” with over 5,000 subscribers a weekly shiur on Pirkei Avot with over 1400 subscribers and has delivered
hundreds of audio shiurim featured on the Yeshivat Har Etzion “Audio Beit Midrash” (KMTT) as well as on
YU Torah online.
Rabbi Taragin has authored a Yom Ha’atzmaut Machzor for Koren publishing house, and is a weekly colum-
nist for the Jerusalem post on issues of Religion and Modernity. He also authors a weekly column for the OU
entitled Geulas Yisrael.
Rabbi Taragin and his wife have 8 children and reside in Gush Etzion.
This week we are celebrating Yom
Haatzmaut. Why should someone
celebrate Yom Haatzmaut when there
are constant, horrible things that go
on in Eretz Yisrael? With the current
political climate & all the terrorist
attacks it still does not feel like a safe
place for Jews.
The process of Redemption and of
settling the land will probably not be
smooth or instantaneous. Chazal assert
that we may merit a silky and rapid
geulah, but it is more likely that it will
be rocky and complicated.
In particular, settling the land will elicit
hostility and opposition. Our Avot faced
this same resistance as did the Jews
who returned for the second Mikdash.
When the people of Hashem enter His
land the world shudders. Consciously
or subconsciously, humanity recognizes
that our presence in Israel signals the
conclusion of history. Everyone is
shuddering.
Taking the long view of Jewish history
helps us manage these very frustrating
events. The process of redemption is
inevitable. The only questions are: who
will carry us home and how long will
the process unfold. Everything else is
predetermined. Pay attention to history
and less to headlines. History, not
headlines.
Do you think our forefathers wanted
us to be living in a land that has such
liberal, non-religious people running
it?
Redemption doesn’t evolve in predictable
ways. It is precisely the unpredictability
and irrationality of geulah which makes
it redemptive. We try to perfect our
world as best we can and when we fall
short Hakadosh Baruch Hu steps in and
redeems it for us, in ways that we can’t,
and can’t fully comprehend. I would
not have assumed that Hashem would
redeem us through a secular nationalist
movement. Then again, who would have
predicted that a Persian king named
Koresh would authorize the construction
of the second mikdash.
Living through redemption means
“letting go” and allowing Hashem to
operate in ways that we can’t always
decipher.
Why is geulah taking so long? Did we
really start “Aschalta De’geulah”?
After the Holocaust, our return to Eretz
Yisrael and our recovery of Jewish
sovereignty, History has shifted. We
have begun the final phase of history
which will ultimately conclude with
geulah. It is impossible to know how
long it will take and how it will unfold.
The process, though, has begun.
It seems that antisemitism is only
getting worse throughout the world.
Is this part of the way to the geulah?
Antisemitism is baked into human
history. Chazal trace antisemitism to
Jewish selection. We are the conscience
of humanity and we challenge them to
believe in the concept of “One” G-d and
to behave morally in His image. For this
we are hated..no one likes people who
challenge them.
As history nears its endpoint, or as we
call it, geulah it is possible that hatred
of Jews will increase. We hope and pray
that it doesn’t. Consciously or otherwise
humanity senses the approach of
malchut Hashem. This may cause many
to battle against His proxies on Earth-
Am Yisrael.
Should we be saying hallel, shaving &
listening to music on Yom Haatzmaut
and Yom Yerushalayim? We are still
in the middle of sefira.
Those who perceive the hand of Hashem
in this historical turnaround typically
recite Hallel. Chizkiyahu the king
failed to properly thank Hashem for the
miraculous rescue of Yerushalayim and
therefore his Messianic potential was
squandered.
Some do not recite Hallel even though
they acknowledge Hashem’s miracles
in returning us to Israel. They believe
that without a Beis Din to institute a
new takanah, additional Hallel recitals
cannot be independently added.
They celebrate the miracles of Yom
Ha’atzmaut without saying Hallel.
Mourning during sefirah is historically
and halachikally important, but
celebrating yad Hashem can override
these minhagim.
Those who don’t consider our return to
Israel as Divinely authored and don’t
view it as a miracle should not say
Hallel and, obviously, should not violate
the mourning of sefirah by listening to
music.
There are plenty of people that go out
of their way to say tachanun on Yom
Haatzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim.
All year round they find every rebbes
yahrzeit & excuse not to say tachanun,
but on Yom Haatzmaut they say it.
How do you respond to that?
Among those who don’t view the
medina as yad Hashem most do not see
it as a miscarriage of history or a tragedy.
There is no reason to specifically recite
tachanun on this day. Obviously without
any extenuating factor they should
continue to recite tachanun.
The Satmar Rebbe viewed the Zionism
as a historical crime for which the
Holocaust was a punishment. Those
who agree with his position should
specifically recite tachanun on this day
to mark the tragedy.
There was a statistic that came out
last week that said that more than
46% of the Jewish people worldwide
are currently living in Eretz Yisrael.
Once we break the 50% mark, does
anything change from a halachic
standpoint?
Certain laws of Shmittah and Yovel
may be affected if the majority of
Jewish population inhabits Israel, but
the halachik details are very intricate.
Beyond the halachik import of this
population shift the iconic value of
this development is momentous. Israel
is the epicenter of Jewish history, land
of Jewish future and the terminus of
history. As more Jews migrate home
history surges forward.
Over Pesach, Klal Yisrael heard
about the Dee family of Efrat
tragedy. Everyone around the world
felt the pain & sorrow for the loss of
a mother & two daughters. How does
the family deal with that? How does
Klal Yisrael deal with that?
It is impossible and even insensitive to
describe how people or, in this instance
how a family experiences personal
tragedy. Amazingly, Rabbi Dee
courageously reinforced our Emunah
and built Jewish solidarity and achdut.
He has turned his personal tragedy into
a kiddush Hashem.
Kelal Yisrael should try, as best they
can, to feel the pain and share in the
our common historical struggle to settle
our homeland and build our future.
Those who live in Israel are battling
on behalf of every Jew and on behalf
of Jewish history. There are several
ways to feel the pain of these heroes of
Jewish history. At the very least people
should be aware of the names and watch
the funerals. Optimally, on a day of a
major tragedy in Israel, overseas Jews
should try to limit their entertainment
or recreation. Family life, professional
work and education must continue but
it is unthinkable that Jewish heroes are
being buried in Israel while Jews in NY
are sitting in stadiums cheering on sports
teams. Where possible, entertainment
should be curtailed, even briefly and
symbolically, to better identify with
Jewish sacrifice. One suggestion is to
watch a sporting event on TV rather than
attending the game. Another suggestion
is to limit watching only part of the
game in symbolic identification with
Jewish suffering. Another suggestion
is to cancel or reschedule social dinner
reservations on a night of Jewish tragedy
and suffering. Living with the pain of
Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael is just as
much a part of frumkeit as the Torah we
study and the miztvos we perform.
What can you tell a nervous parent
that has a child learning in Eretz
Yisrael or going to Eretz Yisrael
next year to learn in Yeshiva or
seminary? How should one approach
the constant terrorist attacks in Eretz
Yisrael?
There is a thin line between panic
and precaution. Panic is a deficiency
of Emunah whereas precaution is
a legitimate expression of Chazal’s
instruction not to rely upon miracles
or ein somchin al haness. The sky isn’t
falling, and we are safer than we have
been in any past generation.
Terror is psychological. You are in
greater danger taking a taxi to the
airport than flying across the ocean.
Statistically, life in Israel is far safer that
anywhere in the United States.
Hashem will judge us by the Emunah we
demonstrated during tthese challenges
and the manner in which we preserved
our relationship with His land. Continue
your “routine” regarding Eretz Yisrael
: if you visited in the past, continue
to visit. If you sent children to learn
continue to send them. Extra precautions
to make the visit more psychologically
reassuring are appropriate, running away
from the land of Hashem is a meraglim-
like betrayal.
Last week was the 8th yahrzeit of Rav
Aharon Lichtenstein, the Rosh Yeshiva
of Yeshivat Gush Etzion. As a talmid of
his, can you please share with everyone
a memory of Rav Lichtenstein & what
made him so special?
Rav Aharon, one of the greatest
talmidei chachamim of his generation
was also a surpassing tzadik who
worked tirelessly on his middos
In particular he was exceptionally
humble, and he demonstrated that
humility is the gateway to all other
character traits. To him, being an oved
Hashem meant perfecting every aspect
of being a human being and channeling
every human instinct toward Avodas
Hashem. He was asked what he wanted
written on his kever and he responded
that he only wanted two words: oveid
Hashem. Sometimes we only define
religion in how it improves our lives
and our character, and we forget that
we are servants of Hashem
He taught and inspired tens of thousands
of talmidim, both in the United States
and in Eretz Yisrael and dramatically
changed the Torah world in Eretz Yisrael.
Please give everyone the “Aliyah
speech.” Should everyone make
aliyah? Why should everyone in Chutz
La’aretz make aliyah?
Ideally everyone should move to Israel.
Chazal lament the timid rate of return
during the second Beis Hamikdash era
and attribute the failure of the second
mikdash era to that national apathy.
Though I have no source , I assume that
if every single Jew relocated to Israel,
Moshiach would come.
However life is very complex and not
everyone has the financial, personal,
psychological marital or religious
capacity to move to Israel. I think it’s
unfair and condescending for Israelis to
demand that every Jew move to Israel.
It is a zechut to live under Hashem’s
eye but one which is very brittle and
shouldn’t be taken for granted. It is an
honor.
Is there anything else that you would
like to tell Jewish Vues readers
that we did not discuss?
Please come visit me in the Gush. I have
a lot I would like to show you . Hopefully
it will change your avodas Hashem!
FAST FACTS:
Parents Names: Tzvi Dov and Shulamit
Family: Wife, Atara, 8 children and b”h 9 grandchildren.
Job Title: Rebbe, Maggid Shiur
Years at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Gush Etzion: 35
Students Currently at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Gush Etzion: 500
Made aliyah in: 1993
Currently lives in: Alon Shvut, Gush Etzion
Grew up in: Brooklyn, NY
Education:
BA Computer Science, Math – YU
MA English Literature City University
Received semicha from: RIETS
Rebbiem at YU: Rabbi Soloveitchik, Rav Aharon Solovietchik, Rav Hershel
Shechter, Rabbi Aharon Kahn
Seforim written: Several currently under construction I”h
FUN QUESTIONS WITH RABBI MOSHE TARAGIN
Favorite part about living in Eretz Yisrael.
Kibutz galayot -living together with Jews from around the world after we had
been separated by exile.
Most challenging part about living in Eretz Yisrael.
In chutz la’aretz each group and each ideology can build their own community and
their independent institutions such as schools and shuls. In Israel we have to learn
to share common resources with Jews who are very different from ourselves.
There is only one Yerushalayim and only one Kotel. It challenges your ahavas
Yisrael in ways that life in chutz la’aretz does not.
Favorite Israeli food.
Shemittah fruit
Biggest nachas a talmud can give a rebbie.
1- A life of idealism- living for something else more important than your own
comfort.
2- A life centered around Talmud Torah
3- A life of respecting other people and adding to their dignity. Preserving human
dignity is the way we protect the gift of tzelem Elokim.
Biggest nachas a child can give a parent.
Finding their own calling and building their own identity based upon the values
they see in a parents. To be authentic they must find their own voice. Hopefully it
is the same frequency as their parents but a different tune.
Also there is great nachas when your children love their siblings.
Favorite person in tanach.
Moshe Rabenu- a spiritual giant who deeply loved every Jew and also had
unlimited patience. Patience is an underrated virtue.
Favorite Mesechta.
Kesuvos which is a Shas Katan – it includes so many different topics, especially
the third perek.
Mesechta you learned the most.
See above – especially the sugyos about shetaros/contracts. The discussion of
shetaros teaches us so much about eidim, beis din, and kinyanim. It combines so
many important sugyos.
Someone in tanach that you would like to know more about than what the kriah
says.
Ezra- He struggled to inspire Jewish return to Israel and battled assimilation. He
also recognized that prophecy was about to close.
Someone alive that you would call a leader.
Rav Asher Weiss
Skill you wish you had.
Playing musical instruments – it would afford me an additional language.
Name someone alive that you never met that you would like to meet,
before your time expires.
My great-great grandchildren. I know its not a fair answer but that is what I will
go with.
Favorite song that you like to sing with your family on Shabbos.
Kah echsof
Which matzevah that when you go to it, you feel most connected to?
1. Kivrei Avos, especially my alter Zeide Rav Zelig Reuven Bengis
2. My Roshey Yeshiva
3. A talmid who was murdered al kiddush Hashem
#1 Middah a person should look for when looking for a shidduch.
Lev tov – good, kind, loving heart – everything else will work itself out. Rip up the
lists that shadchanim provide and make sure the person has a lev tov.
#1 Segulah for shalom bayis.
Good role models- people who have blissful marriages. They provide navigational
compasses for marriage.
Also people should view success at marriage as part of avodas Hashem. I conclude
every conversation with a chasan by reminding him of this.
Name a subject that you think yeshivas should spend more time on then they do.
Jewish history
Top 3 qualities a rebbie should possess.
Humility
Authenticity/humanity/vulnerability
Respecting the individuality and dignity of each talmid
Top 3 qualities the Israeli Prime Minister should possess.
Historical awareness
Moral integrity
Patience
Fill in the blank: Moshiach will come ____________________
When Hashem decides- He doesn’t want us asking or answering this question. Just
ask Ya’akov.
Fill in the blank: When Moshiach comes _____________________
The enormity and clarity of Hashem’s presence will help us realize there isn’t one
derech of Avodas Hashem.
What is one middah that you think all of Klal Yisroel needs to work
on, as a whole?
Authenticity in Avodas Hashem. We live in an age of great conformity and B”h this
had led to improvement and growth of religious observance. Conformity can often
become shallow and artificial. I fear that at some point we will pay a steep price.
I hope I am incorrect.