Amital Rav Amital’s teachings shaped my understanding of Jewish history, identity, and faith. He saw history not as a series of random events, but as a purposeful divine journey leading to redemption. He emphasized that our relationship with God is reflected in the state of the Jewish people, and that the sanctification of His name is deeply intertwined with our national condition. Rav Amital urged us to approach religion with simplicity, authenticity and humility, blending rigorous study with moral integrity. This book is a deeply personal journey, shaped by over three decades of learning from Rav Amital, whose wisdom continues to echo in my heart. I hope that his voice and wisdom, woven into these pages, inspire others as it has inspired me.

A Compelling Portrait of One of the Greatest and Most Influential of Our Sages Most of us learned the familiar story as children: Akiva, the illiterate shepherd who became, with his wife’s unswerving support, one of the greatest sages of our history. Now, Avrohom Yom Tov (Abie) Rotenberg shows us how to truly understand the story of R’ Akiva, in all its depth and glory. Who was this man, whom even Moshe Rabbeinu hailed for his greatness? What did his wife Rachel see in him to make her abandon her wealthy life for one of grinding poverty? How did he find comfort in the ruins after the Churban? And how did a man whose life was so full of turbulent challenges serve as our model of optimism, hope and, above all, emunah? This is a serious work of Torah scholarship that holds our attention with its absorbing details and often surprising insights. We will discover the many facets of this great sage – and we will be inspired.

This is the untold story of the rediscovery of the ancient City of David in Jerusalem and the powerful evidence that proves the Jewish people’s historical and indigenous connection to the Holy Land.

Since the founding of Israel in 1948, the Jewish people have faced nine wars against multiple enemies. Yet, beyond the physical conflicts, a deeper ideological battle has been waged against Israel and the Jewish people. This war, crafted by certain Arab leaders and echoed by international organizations like the United Nations, seeks to erase the Jewish people’s ancestral ties to the land, casting them as outsiders, imposters, and “settlers.”

One thing, however, stands in the way of the denialists: the 3,800-year history of the City of David, a site lying just south of the Old City. Archeologists at the site are unearthing evidence that proves the Jewish people’s origin story in the land for over three millennia. Every shovel of dirt reveals that while others may claim to be indigenous to Jerusalem, the Jewish people are, in fact, more indigenous to the Land of Israel than perhaps any other group living anywhere in the world.

This is the timely story of those who transformed City of David from a neglected hilltop village into one of the most important archeological heritage sites in the world, while facing powerful global institutions and terror groups that would do almost anything to keep this truth hidden. Highly relevant to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, this book foreshadows the events and historical denialism that unfolded with Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

What
is the history of how Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim were first established
in the State of Israel?

How
did different Israeli political leaders and rabbinic authorities collaborate,
or disagree, on establishing these holidays

How
have the customs and public ceremonies of Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim changed
or developed since they were first instituted?

Are
there examples in Jewish tradition—such as certain fast days or festive
dates—that might parallel the celebratory nature of Yom HaAtzmaut or Yom
Yerushalayim?

In
what ways do Jewish texts or religious authorities address ideas of national
independence or the significance of Jerusalem, potentially providing a framework
for these modern holidays?

Are
there significant rabbinic responsa (teshuvot) that serve as ideological
cornerstones for religious communities observing these holidays?”

What
are the religious/halachic arguments against the celebration of Yom HaAtzmaut
and Yom Yerushalayim?

Do
opponents propose alternative forms of commemoration, or do they abstain
entirely from observance?

Is
there a difference between how Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim are
commemorated?

Should
there be a difference?

Can
these two holidays serve as bridge across all of Israeli society?

Do
you foresee future adjustments to the way these days are observed—perhaps in
liturgy, national ceremonies, or communal customs?

How would you
define the concept of Torah Codes? Are they truly hidden messages, or are they
patterns we impose on the text?

What is the
historical basis for the belief in Torah Codes? Do we find early sources
mentioning this idea?

What are some of
the most compelling examples of Torah Codes that have been discovered?

Skeptics argue
that similar patterns can be found in other texts. How do you respond to these
critiques?

Are Torah Codes
meant to be a proof of divine authorship, or do they serve another purpose?

Can AI be used to
find Torah Codes more effectively than humans? If so, what are the
implications?

AI can now
generate texts that mimic human writing. Could it one-day produce something
that appears as intricate as the Torah?

Could AI be used
to uncover deeper layers of Torah wisdom that were previously inaccessible?

If AI can predict
patterns in human behavior, does this challenge the Jewish understanding of
free will?

Could AI one day
be advanced enough to serve as a “halachic authority,” or will halachic ruling
always require human judgment?

Looking ahead, do
you see AI and Torah Codes playing a greater role in Jewish outreach and belief
in the divine origins of the Torah?

Can you give us a brief introduction
to Don Isaac Abarbanel and his historical significance?

How did Abarbanel view the conversos
and what was his relationship with the?

What role did the Abarbanel play in
the Spanish expulsion of 1492, and how did it shape his writings?

The Abarbanel was both a statesman
and a Torah scholar. How did these two roles influence each other?

His commentaries are known for their
unique style. How do they differ from those of other commentaries like Rashi,
Ramban, or the Ibn Ezra?

What are some key themes that appear
consistently in Abarbanel’s biblical commentaries?

What are some of the innovative
Chidushim found in the Abarbanel’s Tanach commentaries?

The Abarbanel opens his Zevach
Pesach with a series of deep questions. What is his approach to
understanding the Haggadah?

How does Abarbanel’s interpretation
of Ma Nishtana differ from traditional explanations?

What does the Abarbanel say about
the concept of Yetziat Mitzrayim as an eternal lesson?

How did the Abarbanel’s works
influence later Jewish commentators and thinkers?

Are there any elements of his
thought that remain especially relevant in modern Jewish life?

What are some lesser-known works of
the Abarbanel that deserve more attention?

What challenges did he face in
writing Torah commentaries while navigating a turbulent political career?

If the Abarbanel were alive today,
what do you think he would say about Jewish continuity and exile?

Engaging
the Essence – The Torah Philosophy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

What is the
thesis of the book?

How did the
Tanya shape the Rebbe’s worldview and leadership?

How does the
Rebbe’s Coronation Maamer encapsulate the Rebbe’s outlook?

What was
unique about the Rebbe’s view regarding Dira BaTahtonim?

What was the
underlying spiritual concept driving the Mitzva Tank projects?

How did the
Rebbe understand “free choice”?

Why did the
Rebbe place such importance to global outreach, no matter where, no matter who?

What is the
connection between Talmudic study/methodology and the messianic process?

How did the
Rebbe define “Bitachon”? And how did this impact the advice he gave his
followers?

Why should
there be an emphasis on Simcha preceding the messianic era?

How did the
Rebbe view the role of women in the modern era?

In what ways was the Rebbe a Universalist?

What was the
Rebbe’s model for Jewish leadership?

Do the
messianists misunderstand and misinterpret the Rebbe’s writings and
proclamations?

What was the reason behind Haman’s hatred—was
it personal, political, or theological?

Why was Haman so confident that he could wipe
out the Jewish people? Did he see the Jews as politically weak, morally
compromised, or lacking divine protection?

What is the significance of Mordechai refusing
to bow to Haman? Was he correct? And how does this connect to Jewish
resilience?

Why did Mordechai instruct Esther to remain
silent about her Jewish identity initially, and what does this suggest about
Jewish survival strategies in exile?

Why did Esther
invite Haman to her banquets? What psychological or political strategy was she
employing?

Why was it
necessary for the Jews to fight back even after Haman was executed? What does
this say about Jewish self-defense throughout history?

Why is the name of God absent in the Book of
Esther, and what does this teach about divine providence (השגחה פרטית)?

How does the Purim story reflect the Jewish
concept of 'והפוך הוא'
('everything was turned upside down') in both personal and national
experiences?

How does
the concept of Measure for Measure play out in the Book of Esther?

What is
the spiritual or mystical significance behind the Purim drinking custom? How
does it relate to the theme of hidden miracles in the Megillah?

Kabbalah and the Rupture of
Modernity: An Existential History of Chabad Hasidism 

Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity provides a comprehensive intellectual and institutional history of Chabad Hasidism through the Kabbalistic concept of ṣimṣum. The onset of modernity, Eli Rubin argues, was heralded by this startling idea: existence itself is predicated on a self-inflicted 'rupture' in the infinite assertion of divinity. Centuries of theoretical disputations concerning ṣimṣum ultimately morphed into religious and social schism. These debates confronted the meaning of being and forged the animating ethos of Chabad, the most dynamic movement in modern Judaism.

Chabad's distinctive character and self-image, Rubin shows, emerged from its spirited defense of Hasidism's interpretation of ṣimṣum as an act of love leading to rapturous reunion. This interpretation ignited a literal conflagration, complete with book burnings, denunciations, investigations, and arrests. Chabad's subsequent preoccupation with ṣimṣum was equally significant for questions of legitimacy, authority, and succession, as for existential questions of being and meaning.

Unfolding the story of Chabad from the early modern period to the twentieth century, this book provides fresh portraits of the successive leaders of the movement. Innovatively integrating history, philosophy, and literature, Rubin shows how Kabbalistic ideas are crucially entangled in the experience of modernity and in the response to its ruptures.