Happiness, said Aristotle, is the ultimate good at which all humans aim. But in Judaism it is not necessarily so. Happiness is a high value. Ashrei, the closest Hebrew word to happiness, is … more

What is the real challenge of maintaining a free society? In parshat Eikev, Moses springs his great surprise. Here are his words: Be careful that you do not forget the L-rd your G-d. … … more

Buried among the epic passages in Va’etchanan — among them the Shema and the Ten Commandments — is a brief passage with large implications for the moral life in Judaism. Here it … more

At the beginning of the book of Devarim, Moses reviews the history of the Israelites’ experience in the wilderness, starting with the appointment of leaders throughout the people, heads of … more

In 1165, an agonizing question confronted Moroccan Jewry. A fanatical Muslim sect, the Almohads, had seized power in Morocco and was embarking on a policy of forced conversion to Islam. The … more

In the course of blessing the Jewish people, Bilaam uttered words (Num. 23:8-9) that have come to seem to many to encapsulate Jewish history: How can I curse whom G-d has not cursed? How … more

There are some, say the Talmud, who acquire their world in an hour and others who lose it in an hour. No example of the latter is more arresting and bewildering than the famous episode in Chukat, … more

On the face of it, what Korach and his fellow rebels said was both true and principled. “You have gone too far,” they told Moses and Aaron. “The whole community is holy, and G-d … more

Imagine the following: You are driving ever so slightly above the speed limit. You see a police car in your rear-view mirror. You slow down. You know perfectly well that it is wrong to exceed the … more

David Brooks, in his bestselling book, “The Road to Character,” draws a sharp distinction between what he calls the résumé virtues — the achievements and skills … more