Virtually every Rabbi started their sermon this past Shabbos with a similar theme, I am quite sure. The juxtaposition of the inauguration of President Trump with the verse from Parshat Shmos “ And a new King arose ” was too providential to ignore. No matter what one thinks, in this very divided country, about the new President, it is certainly an exciting time to be living, with great promise of change in the air. In the Orthodox Jewish community, of course, there is particular excitement, given that, for the first time, Orthodox Jews have such proximity to the most powerful human on the planet (at least for the next few years). The long list includes Jason Greenblatt, special representative for international negotiations, David Friedman, Ambassador to Israel, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who is clearly Trump’s most trusted advisor and right-hand man. The President has made it abundantly clear that he is very pro-Israel and intends to ...
There are some problems that cry out for a solution – that tug at the heart of any decent person who cares about justice and compassion for victims of abuse – that have defied resolution and thus cause much frustration and heartache. Well-meaning people long for a magic wand that will finally solve the problem, restore justice, peace and sanity and end the power of the abusers, and thus understandably continue to try to find novel solutions. A solution, however, that causes even worse problems than the one it comes to solve, is worse than no solution at all. Unfortunately, it appears that the new “ International Bet Din for Agunot ” that has been publicized recently is just such a non-“solution”. The distressing problem of Agunot – commonly referred to as “Chained Women” – is one of the most vexing in the observant Jewish world. It is much publicized, and – contrary to those who consider it a “women’s issue” – it is a problem that inflicts suff...
I have found the last few weeks particularly unsettling. These weeks are supposed to be weeks of inspiration; as we count the Omer we march with the freedom gained on Pesach towards reenacting the great unified national experience at Sinai, when we collectively experienced the receiving of the Torah “Ke-ish Echad Beleiv Echad”, as one person with one heart. In total unity of spirit and purpose, we stood before Hashem, privileged to be called upon to serve him as a Chosen People. It ought to be a time for putting aside differences and arguments, and of focusing on that which unites us. Perhaps this was among the reasons that the 24,000 disciples of Rabbi Akiva met their untimely death – due to having insufficient regard for each other – specifically during this time period. Perhaps this was the reason that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was originally sentenced to spending 12+1 years in a cave – for not having yet learned to see the good in lesser people (see Talmud Shabbos 33b). I don’t kno...
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