Jonathan Sacks
ARTICLES BY: Jonathan Sacks
Why Civilizations Fail: The Lack of Faith
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...
Often Times, There Is No ‘Right Way’ in Judaism
What was the first commandment? On this question, there are two fascinating disagreements in Judaism. One was between Moses Maimonides (1135-1204) and the author of...
Devarim: The Book of the Covenant
As we begin reading the fifth and final book of the Torah this week, I would like to discuss three questions. First, why does the...
Understanding the Prophets
During the three weeks between the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha b’Av -- as we recall the destruction of the Temples -- we read three of the most searing...
The Difference Between Influence and Power
Knowing that he is about to die, Moses turns to God and asks Him to appoint a successor: Moses said to the Lord, “May the Lord,...
A People That Dwells Alone
One of the most profound and influential comments ever made about Jewish destiny was made by the pagan prophet Bilaam in this week’s parsha: As I...
Korach: A Lesson in Conflict Resolution
The Korach rebellion was the single most dangerous challenge to Moses’ leadership during the 40 years that he led the people through the wilderness. The precise...
Leadership Beyond Despair
Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible, is remarkable for the extreme realism with which it portrays human character. Its heroes are not superhuman. Its non-heroes are not...
We Must Work for Peace, Not Just Pray for It
The parsha of Naso seems, on the face of it, to be a heterogeneous collection of utterly unrelated items. First, there is the account of the Levitical...
The Torah and the Jewish People: An Ever-Repeated Story
Bamidbar, our parsha this week, takes up the story where we left it at the end of Shemot. The Jewish people had journeyed from Egypt to Mount Sinai....
Minority Rights in Judaism
One of the most striking features of the Torah is its emphasis on love of -- and vigilance toward -- the ger (stranger): Do not oppress a stranger; you...
The Duality of Jewish Time
Time plays an enormous role in Judaism. The first thing that God declared holy was a day -- Shabbat -- at the conclusion of creation. The...
Judaism’s Three Voices
The nineteenth chapter of Vayikra (Leviticus), which starts this week's parsha, is one of the supreme statements of the ethics of the Torah. It’s about...
We Must Praise People, Not Just God
The Sages understood tsara’at -- the theme of this week’s parsha -- not as an illness, but as a miraculous public exposure of the sin of lashon hara (speaking badly about others). Judaism...
