Civilian Casualties in the Light of Halakhah and Ethics: Revisiting Rav Shaul Yisraeli’s Analysis

Aryeh Klapper analyzes Rav Shaul Yisraeli’s classic work on civilian casualties in Halakhah.

Maimonides at the Museum

David Fried reviews The Golden Path: Maimonides Across Eight Centuries, the companion volume to the Yeshiva University Museum’s exhibit on Maimonides.

Catastrophic Miracles and Miraculous Catastrophes: The Torah of Pregnancy in Tazria and Toldot

In her winning Ateret Zvi essay, Leah Sarna explores two simultaneously true stories about pregnancy: it is at once a beautiful, incredible miracle, and also a demanding journey, both physically and mentally, that often feels more like a catastrophe. Studying the Torah's accounts of pregnancy in Tazria and Rivkah's life, Sarna offers a moving analysis of what it means to hear, tell, and live these stories.

A Festive Song with an Unclear Message: Uncovering the Meaning of Maoz Tzur

Yaakov Jaffe delves into two possible themes of the song Maoz Tzur.

Biblical Proportionality: The War to Restore our Faith in Man

Aton Holzer reflects on the loss of faith Israelis are going through following the events of October 7.

Thoughts on Aliyah and the Akeidah from Israel at war

Alan Jotkowitz looks at the current situation in Israel through the lens of modern interpretations of the Akeidah.

My War Diary

This war diary, presented by Susan Weingarten, relates her experience in a kibbutz on the Gazan border on October 7th and the days following her return to Jerusalem after the Hamas massacre.

War Is a Very Ugly Thing but Not the Ugliest

What is the Israel-Hamas war about? Dov Lerner of Yeshiva University, Young Israel of Jamaica Estates, and the Sacks Legacy shares his perspective on the source of evil.

Rabbi Lamm, Sukkot, and the Spiritual Perils of Materialism

Can we solve the growing problem of materialism in the Orthodox community? Tzvi Sinensky explains how Rabbi Norman Lamm’s Sukkot sermons shine some light on the matter

The Yom Kippur War and Yeshivat Har Etzion: Letters from a Talmid

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, published here are excerpts from letters of an American student studying in Israel in 1973. These letters, written during and immediately after the war, shed light on Yeshivat Har Etzion in its formative years and the lasting impact of the Yom Kippur War.