The nature of disbelief is not static; it is a mirror reflecting the prevailing cultural understanding of humanity itself. In previous epochs, the existence of God was arguably too manifest to be genuinely denied. Thus, disbelief meant rebellion. God was too obvious to deny. The world, in all its wonder and beauty — by the …
Too Good To Be True: The New Disbelief of Our Age Read More »
Introduction It begins with something small — a single piece of graffiti on a subway wall. A few days later, another appears beside it. Within weeks, the entire surface is layered in markings, grime, and peeling paint. What began as a trivial blemish transforms into a symbol of neglect, and soon, the space feels hostile, …
From Broken Windows to Broken Order: A Talmudic Psychology of Disorder Read More »
The Talmud teaches a profound lesson when it declares, “We interrupt Torah study to carry out the dead and to escort a bride” (Ketubot 17a). Torah study, the sages tell us, is an intimate bonding with God—a continuous dialogue that nourishes the soul and connects humanity to the Divine. Why, then, would we pause such …
Skeptics often dismiss religious belief as childish—an intellectual relic of an immature mind grasping for comfort in an unknowable universe. Faith, in this view, belongs to the nursery: it is Santa Claus for grown-ups, a fantasy for those who refuse to face the cold facts of a godless reality. But this critique, repeated often enough …
We live in Jerusalem, where the sound of sirens from the threat of missiles has become a familiar thread in the fabric of our days. At some point, we stopped meeting them with urgency. If there is a shelter nearby, we walk, not run. I’ve come to believe that the panic, the racing pulse, is …
Since my teenage years, I have been captivated by the great proofs of God’s existence. Though they are not “proofs” in the strictest philosophical sense, they are rigorous arguments—elegant, intricate, and to me, profoundly stirring. I pored over them with wonder. Yet my fascination always struck me as puzzling. I grew up in a Middle …
Simchat Torah will be celebrated by Jews around the world this upcoming week. On that day, we complete and begin anew the annual Torah reading cycle. This joyous milestone is celebrated primarily by singing and dancing while the Torah is kept aloft. Much has been written about the power and nature of singing. Much less …
The other day I had the good fortune to strike up a conversation with an Israeli man. He was as secular as they come. He lived most of his adult life in Japan and then in a small city in Mexico. He kept close to nothing religiously. He was disconnected, uninterested, and removed from his …
Shabbat is a time of peace and transcendence. It’s a time when the profanity of the week evaporates and palpable holiness envelopes the day. One who is sensitive can sense that time is fundamentally different on Shabbat. It might operate according to the same speed as the weekday, but it has an entirely different character. …
Depression is really the combination of stagnation and despair. You’re in a place of pain and it seems your situation is inescapable. And because the demon of depression is more of an existential angst as opposed to a purely mental stress, I think its prescription is slightly different than anxiety. Anxiety is a feeling of …