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Ten Days to Recreate a World

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This essay was adapted from a longer chapter in a forthcoming sefer on the Yamim Tovim, presenting the Torah of HaRav Michel Twerski שליט״א and prepared with his blessing and encouragement. One Ten-Day Continuum We usually think of the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah as the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. But Chazal did not call them the “seven days of repentance.” They are the Ten Days of Repentance, which means that Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur themselves are not merely the bookends of the process. They are part of it. That changes the way we understand these days. Rosh Hashanah, the beginning, and Yom Kippur, the culmination, are woven into one fabric. They are not two separate spiritual events that happen to appear on the calendar near each other. They form one continuum: the recreation of the self. Rosh Hashanah is the anniversary of the creation of Adam HaRishon. More deeply, it is not merely the commemoration of creation, but the annual renewal of creation. The world comes ...
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We Cannot Wait for Permission

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Why the New Chareidi Party Must Be Built From the Bottom Up Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein’s wonderful recent Cross-Currents essay, “Boy George Obligates the Fence-Sitters” , ends with the single word that Motti Leitner has chosen to summarize the platform of HaTzibbur HaCharedi : Responsibility That word is exactly why this new party is necessary. Israel’s debate about the Chareidi community has become dominated by military service. That is understandable in a country exhausted by war and repeated reserve duty. But beneath the draft controversy lies an even broader question: Can a rapidly growing community build its future around economic dependence, inadequate preparation for employment, and the assumption that someone else will continue paying the bill? That question is not anti- Chareidi . It is a question about the future of the Chareidi community itself. According to a recent Israel Democracy Institute statistical report, only 54 percent of Chareidi men are employed, and the ...
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Responsibility Must Work Both Ways

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Chareidi enlistment requires courage from the Chareidi community — and trustworthiness from the IDF Two recent stories highlight both the promise and the risks in expanding Chareidi military service. The first is genuinely encouraging. Chareidi recruits arriving at the Tel Hashomer induction center spoke openly about their desire to serve while remaining committed to their religious identity.  One young man described working hard for the chance to enlist; another insisted he would keep his black kippah and peyos because “that is who I am.” A father proudly brought his firstborn to join a combat unit in the Chashmonaim Brigade. Family members articulated a principle many of us have long supported: full‑time learners should be protected, but those not learning full‑time should serve. These recruits are not leaving the Torah world. They want to serve as members of it—and to return from their service knowing that they still have an honored place within it Moti Leitner, chairman of...
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The One Question of Elul - A Shiur from Rav Michel Twerski שליט"א

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This essay was adapted from a longer chapter in a forthcoming sefer on the Yamim Tovim, presenting the Torah of HaRav Michel Twerski שליט״א and prepared with his blessing and encouragement. Elul is often described as a time for introspection, improvement, and teshuvah . We ask ourselves familiar questions: What have I done wrong? What do I need to fix? Where have I fallen short? These are important questions, certainly. But perhaps they are not yet the deepest question of Elul. To understand Elul, we need to return to its beginning. Rosh Chodesh Elul was the day Moshe Rabbeinu ascended Har Sinai for the third time. The first forty days had ended in catastrophe, when Moshe came down carrying the first Luchos and found Klal Yisrael worshipping the Egel . Those Luchos were shattered. The second forty days were days of pleading, as Moshe begged Hashem to forgive Klal Yisrael. But those days are described as days of anger, yemei ka’as . Only the third forty-day period — from Rosh Chode...
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An Elul Message from Dolly Parton, of blessed memory

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I heard the sad news yesterday of the loss of one of my favorite songwriters...a genuinely good person who brought joy to so many.  Famous to some only for her physical appearance, she wrote some absolutley beautiful and touching ballads that touched the hearts of many, and was known for her kindness, generosity and deep faith. This is my favorite Dolly song ... it contains a powerful and much needed Elul message (I bolded a few particular lines).    Hello God Hello God, are you out there? Can you hear me, are you listening anymore? Hello God, if we're still on speaking terms Can you help me like before? I have questioned your existence My resistance leaves me cold Can you help me go the distance? Hello God, hello, hello? This old world has gone to pieces Can we fix it, is there time? Hate and violence just increases We're so selfish, cruel and blind We fight and kill each other In your name, defending you Do you love some more than others? We're so lost and confused ...
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A Fork in the Road

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Channel 13 reports that elements associated with the Peleg Yerushalmi have been exploring the possibility of yet another Chareidi political party formed with several leading figures unsatisfied with the “mainstream” parties — one that would take an even more uncompromising position against military service. The name it has taken is “Code Black” (Tzeva Shachor) from the network  they developed to alert supporters when military police attempt to arrest Chareidi draft evaders. Demonstrators are then dispatched to obstruct the arrest. At almost the same moment, a very different Chareidi political movement has begun taking shape around Moti Leitner, deputy mayor of Beit Shemesh. Leitner argues that genuine full-time Torah learners must be protected, but that the great majority of Chareidi men should serve in the military or perform meaningful national service. He speaks openly about teaching mathematics and English, preparing young people to earn a dignified living, representing workin...
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When Did “Lately” Begin?

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An Elul question about the boundaries of our grief A recent family message about the death of another young person during Bein Hazmanim began with words that were entirely natural: “Terrible. It seems that the middas hadin has really been strong against us at this time. There have been so many tragedies lately.” I shared the sorrow. There is something especially heartbreaking and frightening when a young person dies, particularly someone we know or to whom we feel some connection. Hashem yerachem . May the family somehow be given the strength to endure its terrible loss. But one word stopped me: “lately.” In the past few weeks, news sites serving chareidi and yeshiva communities have reported a horrifying series of deaths during bein hazmanim . The headlines have spoken of a “ black and horrifying twenty-four hours ,” of “tragedy following tragedy,” and of families suddenly losing their children. A VINnews op-ed by Yehuda Dov asked, “ How Many Will We Cry For This Bein Hazmanim ...
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