Yom Kippur: Overcoming Self-Doubt & What Rachamim Really Means

By Rav Haggai Londin, translated by Hillel Fendel 

The name of the game is not total victory, but constant progress.

Vayelekh: Who's Pulling the Strings?

by Rav Netanel Yosifun, translated by Hillel Fendel

This week's Torah portion reveals that the entirety of Jewish history, with all its uplifting joys and terrible hardships, was determined in advance. 

SPECIAL: Pre-Rosh Hashana Song Release by Ketzaleh

Composed by Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz

Rosh Hashana: The 4th Shofar of False Redemption

by Rav Meir Seidler, translated by Hillel Fendel

Back in 1934, Rav Kook delivered a famous speech in which he described the various motivations of Jews to return to Zion – and compared them to three different shofars. I would opine that today, a fourth shofar has been added, one that is actually dangerous for the process of the national return to their holy homeland, even as it is disguised by its proponents as part of the Redemption process.

Nitzavim: Connecting Teshuva & the Final Redemption

by Rav Netanel Yosifun, translated by Hillel Fendel

Rav Yaakov Moshe Harlop, a venerated student of Rav Kook and one of the heads of Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav after his teacher's death, often spoke of the contemporary phenomenon of baalei teshuvah, returnees to Torah observance. The problem was that this was far from a widespread trend at the time – 80 years ago, give or take – and his students wondered what he was referring to. On the contrary, it seemed that society in the Land of Israel was deteriorating towards secularism. 

Struggling With the Fast of Gedalia

by Rav Yehuda HaKohen, VisionMag.org

Of all the Jews murdered throughout history, why should we fast for Gedalia ben-Aḥikam? There must be a reason beyond the assassination itself. 

Q&A: I'm Finding it Hard to Forgive

  

Q. What happens if someone does something bad to someone else, but the perpetrator cannot ask forgiveness (because the other one harmed him physically or verbally)?

Q&A: How Can I Request Forgiveness from Rabbis?

 

Q. Shalom. I am not religious. How can I ask forgiveness of rabbis to whom I related in a derogatory manner? I insulted and maligned them… and some of them are no longer living. Thank you. Sincerely, David

Ki Tavo: Gratitude for the Land of Israel

by Rav Moshe Tzuriel, yeshiva.co, translated by Hillel Fendel

This week's Torah portion of Ki Tavo begins with the words of appreciation that one must say when he brings his First Fruits to the Holy Temple: "I say today that I have come to the Land that G-d vowed to our Forefathers to give to us…" (D'varim 26,3).

Rashi explains that the purpose of this statement is to show that we are not ungrateful. Ungrateful for what? The Maharal of Prague, in his commentary on Rashi entitled Gur Aryeh, explains: 

Ki Tetzei: The Secret to Israel's Victory in War

By Rav Ariel Farajun, translated by Hillel Fendel

We may feel no legitimacy for those who fight HaShem's people – or else we can lose.

Our Torah’s Most Challenging Topics

Group discussion led by Rav Gavriel Reiss, VisionMag.org

Exploring some of the scarier areas of Israel's Torah might help us to find unexpected solutions to some of our generation's most formidable challenges.

Listen to the audio/read the transcript here (1h8m min)

Elul in Our Generation of Redemption

by Rav Netanel Yosifun, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel

A man once came to his rabbi with a complaint: "Rabbi, I work very hard and make hardly any money." The rabbi said, "I can give you a higher paying job, and it's also very easy work." The man jumped with joy and said, "I'll take it!"

The rabbi said, "Great. Take this hammer and swing it up and down, over and over at a set pace, and I'll pay you per hour." The man said, "Sounds both easy and profitable," and immediately got to work.

Shoftim: How to Join the Ranks of the Greatest People in History

by Rav Netanel Yosifun, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel

A wise man once said: "The history of the world is actually the history of the great men of the world." He meant, of course, that the great people are those who move the historic processes and determine their countries' agenda.

There is much truth to this saying, but it must be understood correctly – and if it is, that will determine whether we will end up as one of these "great men," or rather trail far behind them.