Rationalist Judaism
Convenient Beliefs
21 Nov
Natan Slifkin reflects on his past views regarding the avoidance of military service by charedi Jews, questioning the theological justification for exempting...
21 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
Lawrence, Lions and Teaneck
18 Nov
Natan Slifkin announces two speaking engagements in New Jersey—one in a private home in Lawrence to raise funds for his museum dedicated to Biblical Natural ...
18 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
Chessed? You mean Cruelty.
18 Nov
Natan Slifkin critiques Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch's assertion that charedi Torah study and supposed acts of chessed (kindness) are vital for Israel's survival,...
18 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
O Canada
14 Nov
Natan Slifkin shares his experience of obtaining a permit to enter Canada, while also planning a future visit to the US, with a particular interest in Florid...
14 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
Stuck in NY
14 Nov
Rabbi Natan Slifkin shares his travel mishap while on his way to Toronto for a scheduled engagement as a scholar-in-residence. Despite holding a British pass...
14 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
Black Ops
13 Nov
Natan Slifkin discusses the provocative campaign by Tzeva Shachor in Israel, a group dedicated to preventing the arrest of yeshiva students who evade militar...
13 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
UPDATE: What Kind of Torah Supports the War?
12 Nov
In this exploration by Natan Slifkin, the focus is a clarification of phrases used in the Talmud that are often associated with Torah study and its practice....
12 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
Is Torah Study a Part of the War Effort?
12 Nov
The article by Natan Slifkin examines the argument that Torah study is as essential to national defense as serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), speci...
12 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
Poppies and Cultural Appropriation
11 Nov
Natan Slifkin examines the controversy surrounding the poppy's symbolism for both Israelis and Palestinians, against the backdrop of cultural appropriation c...
11 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
Can People be Parasites?
10 Nov
Natan Slifkin critically examines the usage of the term 'parasite' to describe the haredi community, noting its historically antisemitic connotations and con...
10 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
American Achdus
7 Nov
Natan Slifkin critiques the American Jewish perspective on achdus (unity), which he sees as overly passive and not aligned with Torah values demanding active...
7 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
Meanwhile in Israel
6 Nov
Natan Slifkin highlights the political upheaval in Israel following Prime Minister Netanyahu's dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, attributing it to ...
6 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
10 Myths about Charedim and Army
5 Nov
Natan Slifkin addresses persistent myths regarding Charedim and military service in Israel, providing factual rebuttals to ten common misconceptions. He clar...
5 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
The Charedi Secession from Klal Yisrael
4 Nov
Natan Slifkin explores the charedi community's separation from Klal Yisrael, highlighting its consequences and historical context. While charedi groups maint...
4 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
No Sense of Shame
3 Nov
Natan Slifkin criticizes the charedi community for its lack of participation in Israel's national defense and its absence of compensatory acts of chesed. Sli...
3 Nov
Rationalist Judaism
Snapped
31 Oct
The tension between Israel's dati-leumi and charedi communities has culminated in a crisis, fueled by the charedi community's persistent refusal to serve in ...
31 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
It's Time for Bravery
30 Oct
Natan Slifkin shares his internal struggle with confronting communal norms regarding military service among charedi Jews. Despite his reluctance, fear, and d...
30 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
The Dati Roshei Yeshiva Speak Out
29 Oct
Roshei Yeshiva from the Dati-Leumi community are voicing their opposition to charedi exemptions from Israeli military service amid the ongoing conflict affec...
29 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
Noah and Charedi Draft-Dodgers
28 Oct
Natan Slifkin discusses the juxtaposition between the charedi community's reluctance to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces and the religious interpretation ...
28 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
A New Fleet of Arks
27 Oct
Natan Slifkin shares updates from the Biblical Museum of Natural History, highlighting the growing collection of unique Noah's Ark models from around the wor...
27 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
Ten Questions On Evolution And Judaism
23 Oct
Natan Slifkin explores the intersection of evolution and Judaism, challenging the common belief that evolutionary theory is antithetical to Jewish theology. ...
23 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
A Meeting of Natans
22 Oct
Natan Slifkin reflects on his recent meeting with Natan Sharansky, a hero who endured persecution in the Soviet Gulag and became an advocate for freedom. Sli...
22 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
Jewish Obfuscation
19 Oct
Rabbi Dr. Natan Slifkin critiques the narratives presented in Jewish Action magazine regarding communal unity and contributions to Israeli society, particula...
19 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
The Lie of Achdus
15 Oct
Natan Slifkin critiques the superficial understanding of 'achdus' or unity emphasized during Sukkot, arguing that true achdus involves proactively taking res...
15 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
A Different Type of Viduy
11 Oct
Rav Melamed, author of Peninei Halacha, offers a distinct perspective on the Yom Kippur practice of Viduy, typically focused on confession and regret. In a s...
11 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
The Great Torah-Science Controversy
9 Oct
Natan Slifkin reflects on the twentieth anniversary of the Great Torah-Science Controversy, when his books integrating Torah with scientific perspectives wer...
9 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
Torah vs. Daas Torah, again
8 Oct
Natan Slifkin explores the debate between traditional Torah perspectives and the Charedi concept of Daas Torah concerning military service and divine assista...
8 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
October 7th Reflections
6 Oct
Living through the traumatic events of October 7, 2023, Rabbi Natan Slifkin reflects on the emotional and societal impact on Jews, particularly in Israel. De...
6 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
The Perfect Charedi Storm
5 Oct
Natan Slifkin explores the disparity in responses to war between Israel's charedi and dati-leumi communities, particularly during the High Holidays. Slifkin ...
5 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
What a Way to End the Year
2 Oct
Reflecting on the distressing end to a tumultuous year for Israel, Natan Slifkin discusses the impact of recent terrorist incidents, including a deadly attac...
2 Oct
Rationalist Judaism
It's a Strange, Unpredictable World
30 Sep
Reflecting on a year marked by severe challenges and surprising developments, Natan Slifkin discusses the unpredictability of life, referencing recent geopol...
30 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
My Ridiculous and Amazing Idea
29 Sep
Natan Slifkin shares his inspired yet belated idea to write a more accessible book on animals and the Torah, building on his previous work, "The Torah Encycl...
29 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Torah vs. Daas Torah
27 Sep
The piece by Natan Slifkin critiques the stance of certain Orthodox Jewish groups, such as Torah uMesorah, against drafting Haredi men into the IDF, contrast...
27 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
The Trojan Tefillah
26 Sep
Natan Slifkin critiques an upcoming event in Lakewood, framed as a collective prayer gathering, which serves as a protest against Israeli draft laws affectin...
26 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Are You Sick Of It?
25 Sep
Natan Slifkin addresses the ongoing frustration surrounding the charedi community's avoidance of IDF service amidst a critical military situation in Israel. ...
25 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Crocodile Conflicts
25 Sep
In "Crocodile Conflicts," Natan Slifkin discusses the controversial narrative around a crocodile exhibit at the Biblical Museum of Natural History, sparked b...
25 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Yeshivish vs. Charedi
23 Sep
Natan Slifkin discusses a revealing newsletter from Mishpacha magazine that highlights a conflict within the Charedi community in America. The newsletter ref...
23 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Is Celebrating Beep Beep Moral?
21 Sep
Natan Slifkin explores the celebration in Israel following successful military operations attributed to the Mossad/IDF, raising ethical questions about rejoi...
21 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
UPDATE: Torah Defeated
20 Sep
Natan Slifkin humorously reports on the cancellation of a large Charedi rally in New Jersey, initially organized to protest against Israel. The event, expect...
20 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Another War this Sunday
20 Sep
Amidst Israel's ongoing military conflicts, a significant controversy arises within the Charedi community who plan to protest against the Israeli universal d...
20 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Yeah, They Went Ahead And Did It
19 Sep
Natan Slifkin critiques the audacious claims by the Israel edition of Yated Neeman that recent successful operations by Israel's intelligence and military ca...
19 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Beep Beep
17 Sep
In this article, Natan Slifkin humorously recounts an unexpected incident where Hezbollah militants were attacked through their pagers, leading to significan...
17 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Yemen Day
16 Sep
Natan Slifkin shares an unusual experience where a hypersonic missile from Yemen was intercepted near his location just as he was writing about Yemen's histo...
16 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Gedolim and Slogans
15 Sep
Natan Slifkin critiques certain Charedi Gedolim for their misuse of traditional phrases to support pre-determined positions on theological and practical issu...
15 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Daas Torah and Army
11 Sep
Natan Slifkin explores the complex issue of army service in Israel and the divergent views of Torah scholars, particularly contrasting the charedi community'...
11 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Dinos and Rhinos
10 Sep
Natan Slifkin explores the intersection of halacha and zoology concerning the use of animal horns for shofars, sparked by the humorous confusion between dino...
10 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
The Amazing Ahmed's Error
8 Sep
Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, despite his harrowing experiences and losses due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, stands out as a unique advocate for peace and mut...
8 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Torah on a Large Scale
6 Sep
The article "Torah on a Large Scale" explores the different approaches of the charedi and dati-leumi communities in Israel towards applying Torah principles ...
6 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Joy Amidst Pain
4 Sep
The article presents a poignant narrative set against the backdrop of the ongoing pain in Israel due to hostilities, focusing on a visit to an unconventional...
4 Sep
Rationalist Judaism
Pain and Division
2 Sep
The article "Pain and Division" discusses the intense political and social discord in Israel following the murder of six hostages. It explores the complexiti...
2 Sep