Thursday, August 30, 2018

Tosafos: Tractate Makkos - Yaakov and Ilana Melohn Edition A Clear and Comprehensive Elucidation of Tosafos, as an aid to Talmud Study IS AT KESHER STAM


The "learning revolution" that began with the Schottenstein Edition Talmud continues... The ArtScroll Edition of Tosafos An extraordinary achievement in Talmudic scholarship that will bring your Talmud study to a whole new level. To understand the Talmud, you need Rashi's commentary. But to fully appreciate the Talmud's depth and unity of structure, you need the commentary of the Baalei Tosafos. ArtScroll now offers a path to understanding this vital yet difficult commentary. The groundbreaking ArtScroll Edition of Tosafos features: Introduction to each Tosafos that gives vital background information and defines important terms Flowing translation in the format of the Schottenstein Talmud Tosafos' questions and answers clearly explained Notes that add more information A summary after each Tosafos that shows the flow of the entire Tosafos, a unique and important feature even for those who already study Tosafos You can do it. You can learn Gemara with Tosafos.(From Artscroll)

BAIS HAVAAD ON THE PARSHA 5778 KI SEITZEI Lodging Complaints: The Case of the Blighted Bungalow


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RABBI WEIN ON KI TETITZEI 5778


The Torah in this week's reading speaks about wars against our enemies. Unfortunately, over the long period of Jewish history and today as well there is no shortage of enemies arrayed against Israel and the Jewish people. The Torah does not enumerate who these enemies are, it just states generally that there certainly will be enemies and constant struggles and challenges, a strange but unremitting enmity towards the Jewish people, the Jewish state and Judaism itself.

RABBI WEIN ON GOVERNMENT AND RELIGION


Over the span of the millennia of recorded history it is obvious to note that governments of old always either opposed or corrupted religious beliefs for their own benefit or to make religion conform to the politically correct ideas and norms of a time. In the ancient world, governments relied on paganism to strengthen their hold on the people and to create tyrannies.

YU TORAH Toronto Torah: Ki Tetze 5778


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OU TORAH Ki Seitzei By Rav Moshe Twersky, HY"D


Contents: Carefulness from lashon hara Paying wages on time Learning a lesson from Amaleik The auspicious nature of Rosh Ha’Shana Are malchuyos, zichronos, and shofaros d’Oraysah or d’Rabbanan? 1) Carefulness from lashon hara

OU TORAH Ki Teitzei: The Message of Tzara’at By Rabbi Menachem Leibtag


There are two pesukim in this week’s Sedra that can be understood in many different ways, yet no matter how we interpret them, their underlying message is especially important for the month of Elul (and the rest of the year as well). In the following shiur, we take a break from our thematic study of Sefer Devarim, to delve into the world of ‘parshanut’ [Biblical commentary].

OU TORAH Ki Teitzei: The Dibrot and Mitzvot of the Main Speech By Rabbi Menachem Leibtag


Mitzvot, and more mitzvot; and all kinds of mitzvot – that would certainly sums up Parshat Ki Teitzei. Yet, it’s not clear why we find such a wide assortment and random progression of laws specifically at this point in Sefer Devarim? In this week’s shiur, we attempt to explain why – by exploring an intriguing parallel to the Ten Commandments, while considering (once again) the overall theme of the ‘main speech’ of Sefer Devarim.

OU TORAH Ki Teitzei 5778 By Rabbi Shalom Rosner


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OU TORAH “And the Winner Is…By ” Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb


It was the first time that I announced a contest from the pulpit. It felt like a risky thing to do, and probably was. But it worked, and I tried it several times over the ensuing years. It was on the occasion of this week’s Torah portion, Parshat Ki Tetze, but it was many, many years ago. What prompted me to launch the contest with confidence was a discussion I had one Friday morning with a group of teenagers. They were frustrated by the fact that they could find little relevance in many of the biblical passages that we were studying. So many of these passages seemed to be speaking of events and circumstances that were unrelated to those prevalent in the lives of these teens.

OU TORAH Social Capital & Fallen Donkeys By Britain's Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks


Many years ago, Elaine and I were being driven to the Catskills, a long-time favourite summer getaway for Jews in New York, and our driver told us the following story: One Friday afternoon, he was making his way to join his family in the Catskills for Shabbat when he saw a man wearing a yarmulke, bending over his car at the side of the road. One of the tires was flat, and he was about to change the wheel. Our driver told us that he pulled over to the roadside, went over to the man, helped him change the wheel, and wished him “Good Shabbos.” The man thanked him, took his yarmulke off and put it in his pocket. Our driver must have given him a quizzical look, because the man turned and explained: “Oh, I’m not Jewish. It’s just that I know that if I’m wearing one of these” – he gestured to the yarmulke – “someone Jewish will stop and come to help me.

RAV KOOK ON Ki Tetze Part 4: Remembering Miriam's Punishment


“Remember what God did to Miriam on your way out of Egypt.” (Deut. 24:9) Six Zechirot Six times the Torah commands us to remember certain events. The six zechirot (rememberances) are listed after the morning prayers: The Exodus from Egypt. The Torah’s revelation at Sinai. The attack of Amalek and the command to destroy him. The rebellious acts of the Israelites in the desert. The Sabbath day. Miriam’s punishment for slandering Moses. The first five are clearly important for us to remember, as they are major events or fundamental principles of faith. Yet the last one, Miriam’s punishment for slandering Moses, doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the list. Can we consider Miriam’s mistake in judgment on par with historical milestones such as the Exodus from Egypt or the revelation of Torah? In order to appreciate the fundamental lesson of Miriam’s punishment, we must understand the essence of her error.

RAV KOOK ON Ki Teitzei Part 3: Drafting Yeshiva Students


“When you wage war against your enemies...” (Deut. 21:10) Rabbi She'ar Yashuv Cohen, Chief Rabbi of Haifa and son of the Rav HaNazir, told the story of his part in defending Jerusalem during the 1948 War of Independence: During the winter of 5708 (1947-1948), I was one of the younger students at the Mercaz HaRav yeshiva. I was also a member of the Haganah, the pre-state Jewish defense organization. This was during the period of Arab rioting and attacks that erupted following the United Nations’ vote on the 29th of November, 1947, to establish a Jewish state.

RAV KOOK ON Ki Teitzei Part 2: Waging War


“When you wage a war against your enemies, and God will give you victory over them ...” (Deut. 21:10) War is perhaps the most tragic and horrific aspect of the human condition. Our most fervent wish is for peace. Peace is the final blessing of birkat kohanim. The closing statement of the Talmud also extols the unsurpassed importance of peace: “The Holy One found no vessel more capable of holding blessing for Israel than peace” (Oktzin 3:12). So why does Jewish law include such concepts as compulsory and optional wars – milchemet mitzvah and milchemet reshut? Why do we find that the greatest spiritual leaders of the Jewish people – Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, King David, Rabbi Akiva – all led their nation into battle? In a letter penned in 1904, Rav Kook explained: “It would have been totally impossible, at a time when all of the surrounding nations were truly wolves of the night, that only the Jewish people would refrain from waging war. The nations would have joined together and destroyed the remnant of the people, God forbid. On the contrary, it was absolutely crucial to act without mercy in order to evoke fear in the wild savages.” We look forward to the day when the human race will advance to the state when war will become unnecessary. The Torah, however, does not attempt to proceed too quickly, before the world is ready. “Nothing ruins the groundwork for perfecting human society as much as the influence of lofty ideas on masses who are not ready to accept them. Those who sought to advance humanity by imposing the Torah’s ethical teachings before the world was ready for them completely misunderstood God’s intention. The proof [that this approach is faulty] is apparent in the phenomenon of those who burnt their victims alive in auto-da-fe [during the Spanish Inquisition] under the banner of ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ This is because the Torah’s lofty ideals require preparation. As the Sages cautioned: ‘The Torah is an elixir of life for those who follow it diligently... but the careless will stumble in it’ (Shabbat 88b, based on Hosea 14:10).

RAV KOOK ON Ki Teitzei Part 1: Rationale for Mitzvot


Are we capable of understanding the true reasons for the Torah’s commandments? Or should we be satisfied with the simple rationale that we perform mitzvot in order to fulfill what God wants us to do? “If you come across a bird’s nest ... You must first send away the mother, and only then may you take the young.” (Deut. 22:6-7) At first glance, the mitzvah to chase away the mother bird seems clearly to be an expression of Divine compassion for His creations. In fact, that is exactly what Maimonides wrote in his Guide for the Perplexed (III:48). However, we find the Talmud (Berachot 33b) explicitly states: “One who says in his prayers, ‘May Your compassion extend to us as it does for the mother bird’ ... should be silenced.” Maimonides explained that this Talmudic statement is according to the opinion that we should not to seek explanations for mitzvot. According to this position, the Torah’s mitzvot may only be understood as an expression of God’s Will and His divine decrees, and are beyond the grasp of the human intellect.

Aneinu Please Daven


Please daven for a Chicagoan, Yerucham Michah Dovid ben Leah that his procedure today should go smoothly and give him a refuah Shlaima b’karov. 

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Aneinu Please Daven Thursday


From an Aneinu member: Our grandson is having surgery tomorrow afternoon (Thursday) to take out his tonsils and adenoids.  Please daven for Yaakov Dov ben Chana Yedida.

Aneinu Tehillim Needed


Please say Tehillim for the young brother in law of a Chicagoan.  His name is Shlomo Efraim ben Chaya Bracha. He is undergoing heart surgery now and needs our Tefillos.

Aneinu Please Daven


Please daven for the mother of a Chicagoan, Rivka bas Zilpa, who is in need of tefillos for a refuah shlema.

Aneinu Please Daven


PLEASE DAVEN FOR NEWBORN FROM ISRAEL HAVING SURGERY RIGHT NOW IN CHICAGO CHAYA ITA BAS ELISHEVA

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Aneinu Name Correction


I was just told that the correct name is Matan Dov ben Yocheved Masha

Aneinu Please Daven


I received the following: A relative of someone I’m close with just passed away. Unfortunately she was married to a non-Jew who doesn’t understand the need to rush the burial, and is not planning on having the funeral until Friday. Please daven that Raizel bas Shlomo Yaakov should be zocheh to be brought to kever Yisroel kihalacha. Please forward if possible.

Aneinu Please Daven


Please daven for Matan ben Yocheved Masha. His infection spread to his brain and he's undergoing a procedure to drain it. Thank you. 

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Aneinu Tefillos Needed


Please daven for the son of an Aneinu member, Matan ben Yocheved Masha. He has been battling a serious infection all summer. It's a very rare infection, and he needs our tefillot. 

Aneinu Please Daven for Mommy and Baby


Please daven for the daughter of an Aneinu member, Tzippora Etta bas Rena Masha who is having surgery this morning to deliver a baby early who needs refuos. Please daven that the baby should be healthy.

Friday, August 24, 2018

Aneinu Please Daven Emergency Surgery this Morning


Please daven for the son of an Aneinu member, Dovid Hershel ben Rivka Miriam who is having emergency surgery on his eye this morning.

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Aneinu Please Say Tehillim Surgery Now


I received the following request: Please say Tehillim for an elderly woman, the mother of a friend of mine, Miriam bas Tova, who is in surgery now.

RABBI WEIN ON SHOFTIM 5778


The Torah deals with human realities and not with imaginary paradises and utopian societies. As such, the Torah pre-supposes that there will be disagreements and altercations between human beings even in the Jewish society that allegedly should be protected from these untoward events by simply observing the values and ordinances of the Torah.

RABBI WEIN ON WHAT HAPPENED?


The Talmud records for us that the great scholar Choni Hamgael slumbered for a period of seventy years. When he awoke he looked around and saw an entirely new and different world than the one that he knew before his sleep. Society had changed drastically, and he realized that somehow, he was unable to adjust to the new world that surrounded it. As a result, he asked that the Lord take him from this world since it was impossible for him to live in it.

Rav Chaim Kanievsky on the Yamim Nora'im Comments, laws, customs, stories, and perspectives on Elul, Selichos, and the Yamim Nora'im


The time between Elul and Yom Kippur. Forty of the holiest - and perhaps the most important - days of our year. Imagine having Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlita guiding you each and every day. You can. Written by Maran HaRav Chaim Kanievsky's grandson, Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Shteinman, who has been spending time daily with him for many years, Rav Chaim on Elul and the Yamim Noraim includes stories, commentary, laws, customs, and perspectives on the awesome time between the month of Elul and Yom Kippur. This sefer includes: Rav Chaim's answers to questions on the laws and customs of Selichos, Elul, Rosh Hashanah, Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, Yom Kippur His explanation of the meaning of many of the prayers of these exalted days His comments on the Torah readings of the Yamim Noraim His personal practices His insights on Selichos, Vidui, and the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy His inspirational words on repentance, mussar, prayer, the blowing of the shofar, and many more vital topics Many inspiring stories about Rav Chaim and lhbch"h the Rebbetzin(From Artscroll)

BAIS HAVAAD ON THE PARSHA SHOFTIM 5778 M'i Ya'aleh V'har Hashem: Ascending the Har Habayis in Our Time


Dear Friends: We are pleased to present to you the redesigned and reinvigorated Bais HaVaad Halacha Journal. Thank you to our loyal readers for your patience while we worked to refresh the format and introduce new features. We hope our efforts find favor in your eyes. The mission of this missive is unchanged: to apply the scholarship of the Dayanim and Talmidei Chachamim of the Bais HaVaad to the most pressing, fascinating, and relevant Halachic issues of the day. Rabbi Nosson Kaiser Editor in Chief Click here.

OU HOLIDAYS Elul The 13 Midot of Rachamim By Rabbi Menachem Leibtag


Our recitation of the thirteen ‘middot ha-rachamim’ [God’s thirteen attributes of mercy] is certainly the focal point of the ‘selichot’ prayers and the highlight of ‘ne’ila’ on Yom Kippur. But how are we to understand this recitation? Is it a ‘hokus pokus’ type magic formula through which one can achieve automatic atonement? In the following shiur, we attempt to prove quite the opposite. By undertaking a comprehensive analysis of when and why God first declared these middot (in the aftermath of ‘chet ha-egel’), we will show how their recitation relates to the very essence of ‘tefilla’ [prayer] and our special relationship with God. Our conclusions will also help us appreciate the transition from Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur; as the focus of our prayers shifts from ‘din’ [judgement] to ‘rachamim’ [mercy].

OU TORAH Shoftim: Long Live the King… By Rabbi Menachem Leibtag


What is the ideal form of leadership for Am Yisrael: a NAVI [a prophet]; a SHOFET [a judge]; a KOHEN [a priest]; a MELECH [a king]? As Parshat Shoftim mentions each of these four ‘models’, in this week’s shiur we discuss this important question.

OU TORAH Shoftim 5778 By Rabbi Shalom Rosner


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YU TORAH Elul By Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik


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YU TORAH Re'eh By Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik


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OU TORAH Shoftim: Tree-like By Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb


I love metaphors. An apt metaphor can help stimulate boundless creativity and can lead to a deeper and richer understanding of the concept being studied. Take, for example, the metaphor of a tree as representing a human being. We find this metaphor in this week’s Torah portion, Shoftim, in the following verse: “When you besiege a city for many days to wage war against it, to seize it; do not destroy its trees, by swinging an ax against it; for from it you will eat, and you shall not cut it down; because man is a tree of the field, to come against you in a siege.” (Deuteronomy 20:19) I am aware that there are alternative translations of the phrase under consideration, and that some render it as a question, “Is a tree of the field like a man?” But the literal meaning of the phrase is declarative. Man is like a tree of the field.

OU TORAH To Lead is to Serve By Britain's Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks


Our parsha talks about monarchy: “When you enter the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “I will set a king over me, like all the surrounding nations,” set over you a king whom the Lord your God chooses.” (Deut. 17:14-15). So it should be relatively easy to answer the question: From a Jewish perspective, is having a king a good thing or a bad thing? It turns out, however, to be almost unanswerable.

RAV KOOK ON Shavuot and Shoftim Part 3: The King's Torah Scroll


While the Torah commands every Jew to write a Torah scroll, there is one individual who is obligated to write an additional Torah scroll. Surprisingly, it is neither the high priest, nor the head of Sanhedrin. It is the king who is commanded to write a second Torah scroll during his reign and keep it with him at all times (Deut. 17:18-19, Sanhedrin 2:4). What is the significance of these two Torah scrolls, that of the individual and that of the king?

RAV KOOK ON Shoftim Part 2: The Wisdom in Civil Law


Three Types of Courts The Torah commands that a system of courts and police be established in every town. The Torah’s judicial system contains three levels of courts: Regular courts of three judges who deal with matters of civil law — litigation and other monetary cases (in Hebrew, dinei mamonot). Higher courts made up of 23 judges who hear cases relating to capital crimes (in Hebrew, dinei nefashot). These courts were called “Minor Sanhedrins.” A supreme court consisting of 71 judges, called the “Great Sanhedrin.” Located in the Temple complex in Jerusalem, this high court had two functions: (a) to clarify the law in new or unclear cases, and (b) to promulgate new decrees.

RAV KOOK ON Shoftim Part 1: The Murderer's Admission


We all live a double life. There is our external world: our relationships with friends and family, our jobs, our place in society. And we have our inner world: our private thoughts and emotions, our introspections and contemplations. We are influenced by both spheres, and we need them both. One of the positive aspects of the outside world is the sense of worth and respect that society bestows to the individual. The Sages placed great value on human dignity, even waiving rabbinical prohibitions when one’s dignity is at stake (Berachot 19b).

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Aneinu Please Say Tehillim Surgery Tomorrow


Please say Tehillim for the father of an Aneinu member,  Moshe ben Perel who is having surgery tomorrow. Please daven that the surgery goes well.

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Aneinu Please Daven


Please daven for a Chicagoan, Karmel ben Miriam, a good friend of mine and my husband who was admitted to emergency for severe back pain and is awaiting one more test. He's in terrible pain and has 3 discs that are problematic. We don't yet know what the plan is, but he needs a refuah for his pain and that he can be healed and treated successfully. Thank you. 

Friday, August 17, 2018

Fwd: [Aneinu] Wow! Rabbi Ashear & Rabbi Wallerstein coming to Chicago!





Sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy Note8.

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Date: 8/17/18 12:22 PM (GMT-06:00)
To: myysbyy@aol.com
Subject: [chicago-aneinu] Wow! Rabbi Ashear & Rabbi Wallerstein coming to Chicago!

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Aneinu Please Daven


Please daven for the grandfather of a Chicagoan, Nachman Yona ben Chaya, who is in need of a refuah shlem

Thursday, August 16, 2018

MAZEL TOV DAF YOMI FINISHED ZEVACHIM ON SHABBOS AND STARTED MENACHOS SUNDAY


Click here for Rabbi Elefant or Rabbi Rosner daf shiur and The Bais Havaad The Daf In Halacha.Click here for Real Clear Daf.Are you looking for a little Chassidus in your daf then Rabbi Zajac for you.YU Torah Daf Shiurs.Daf Hachaim Intro to Seder Menochos.Click here for Daf Hachaim around 5 minute review of the daf. Click here for the Kollell Iyun Hadaf where you will finf daf outlines Tosfos outlines and more.Click here for Daf Digest which features the very nice Halacha Highlight.Daf Notes English Commentary – If you wish to read an easy to understand complete English translation of the Daily Daf then our English Commentary is for you. Our Daf Notes English translation incorporates the discussions of the Gemara for the advanced learner’s review and at the same time offers an easy to understand translation for the beginner where you can learn and review the Daf Yomi in under 20 minutes a day! Daf Insights – In conjunction with the Daf elucidation, we offer some additional food for thought, what we call Daf Insights . These Insights consist of Halachic and Aggadic topics and can be used as a springboard for further research and learning. Daily Mashal – We attempt to glean something practical from each and every Daf; something that can make a positive difference in your life.Email yael@talmudisraeli.co.il for Talmud Israeli.Also available as a Pdf.Chavrusa gemara also available as an app.

RABBI WEIN ON RE’EH 5778


There are many things in life that appear to be simple and logical to one person and yet remain beyond the understanding of one’s companion, friend or acquaintance. To our great teacher Moshe, someone who is blessed with the immense powers of prophecy and who is spiritually able to communicate with Heaven almost at will, the mission of life and of the Jewish people is simple and visible to all. It is to obey and treasure the laws and values that are represented in the Torah as elucidated and explained by Moshe to the entire congregation of Israel.

RABBI WEIN ON LOOKING FORWARD


Though we are always filled with warmth when looking back at our personal and national lives, Judaism and Jewish life are built upon the idea that we must look forward as well…..and on a constant basis. There is much evidence, both psychological and physical, that when people have an event to look forward to, somehow they have greater powers of physical survival and mental acumen.

OU TORAH Re’eh 5778 By Rabbi Shalom Rosner


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OU TORAH Re’eh: HaMakom Asher Yivchar Hashem By Rabbi Menachem Leibtag


To our surprise, the city of Jerusalem (by that name) is never mentioned in Chumash. However, the underlying concept of that eternal city emerges as a major theme in Parshat Re’eh. In the following shiur, we uncover the ‘foundations of Jerusalem’ in our study of the Torah’s repeated use of the phrase: “ha’makom asher yivchar Hashem” [lit. the site that God will choose], and its thematic significance.

OU HOLIDAYS VaYigdal Mosheh on Elul By Rav Mosheh Twersky HY"D


Shofar During Elul In Pirkei d’Rabi Eliezer (perek 46), Chazal say that a shofar was blown on Rosh Chodesh Elul when Moshe Rabbeinu went up to Har Sinai (for the final 40 days). This is the source for blowing shofar during the month of Elul. The text of this Chazal as brought by a number of the Rishonim (see Radal there) is with the following expression, “it was established that shofar should be blown in Elul in order so that Klal Yisrael should do teshuvah and to befuddle the Satan.”

OU TORAH Re’eh: The Thief of Blessing By Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb


I am sure that you, dear reader, have had the occasion to come across a book which you simply could not put down. Something so fascinating, so gripping, that you were compelled to read it cover to cover in as short a time as you could manage. I came across such a book several weeks ago. It is a Hebrew book, the biography of a rabbi named Dov Cohen. Rabbi Cohen passed away several years ago at the advanced age of 94. He was one of the last, if not the last, of the students of the yeshiva in Hebron which experienced the horrible massacre there in the summer of 1929, almost exactly 81 years ago.

OU TORAH On Not Being A Victim By Britain's Former Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks


Making a series of programmes for the BBC on morality in the twenty-first century, I felt I had to travel to Toronto to have a conversation with a man I had not met before, Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson. Recently he has recently become an iconic intellectual for millions of young people, as well as a figure of caricature and abuse by others who should know better.[1] The vast popularity of his podcasts – hours long and formidably intellectual – suggests that he has been saying something that many people feel a need to hear and are not adequately hearing from other contemporary voices.

RAV KOOK YORTZEIT Third of Elul Part 2: Stay in the Land!


One of the last people to speak with Rav Kook before his death was Prof. Hermann Zondek. Director of Jerusalem’s Bikur Cholim hospital, Zondek treated the rabbi in a guest house in the Kiryat Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem during his final illness. The doctor was amazed at the rabbi’s concern and empathy for everyone with whom he came in contact — even during his last hours, when suffering intense pain.

RAV KOOK YORTZEIT The Third of Elul Part 1: Usishkin's Eulogy


During a session of the 19th Zionist Congress in Switzerland, the delegates received the bitter news: Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaKohen Kook, the Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael, had passed away earlier that evening in Jerusalem. Overcome by grief and mourning, the session was brought to an early close. When the assembly reopened, Dr. Chaim Weizmann invited Menachem Ussishkin, respected Zionist leader and president of the JNF, to say a few words in honor of the beloved Chief Rabbi. The text below is from Ussishkin’s eulogy at the Congress.