Lost my rebbe today, Rav Ezra Neuberger zt”l. Rav Ezra, as he was affectionately called in Yeshiva Ner Yisroel, was a one of a kind rebbe.

He asked questions and had insights others simply overlooked.

I remember when we studied Gittin together he spent a tremendous amount of time clarifying the geography of Eretz Yisroel.

🧵 On Modeh Ani

The first prayer in every siddur is called Modeh Ani.

Immediately upon waking up, we are supposed to give gratitude:

“I thank You, living and eternal King, for giving me back my soul in mercy. Great is Your faithfulness.” Interesting its origin is a bit of a mystery to most.

This prayer does not appear in the Talmud.

It is not recorded in Shulchan Aruch.

Where is it from and what is its significance?

This is an extremely significant development imho.

The tectonic plates of Jewish communal life continue to shift.

Hope everyone is ready. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Full article link: jta.org/2025/01/06/ny/… Non-Orthodox communities should be paying closer attention to the retention of the Orthodox world. Not everyone is likely to become Orthodox but personally I think every Jewish family in America should be taking a closer look at Jewish education and communal Shabbos.

I don’t think the Catholic Church should be lecturing the Jewish State about genocide.

The Jewish People need their own State in large part because of the rampant antisemitism and persecution perpetuated by the Catholic Church.

https://twitter.com/ap/status/1858104138422170004

Keep in mind the Vatican only formally recognized the State of Israel in 1993.

What took so long?

The establishment of the State of Israel theologically contradicts many of the tenets the Church is built upon.

American Jews need to have a very serious and honest conversation about intermarriage.

It’s a sensitive subject in this modern era. Marrying in-kind can feel racist, outdated, or elitist.

But here’s the thing.

Jews marrying other Jews is the single best preservative of the Jewish People. I’m mentioning this because of the discourse surrounding the show Nobody Wants This, which is about a rabbi who falls in love with a non-Jewish woman.

Recently some non-Orthodox rabbinical seminaries began officially ordaining intermarried rabbis.

I know it’s old fashioned to bring up this issue. Some likely argue it is counterproductive. But after a year of fighting for the future of the Jewish People, how can we ignore this issue?

The first Tisha B’Av in history was the sin of the meraglim, the spies the Jewish people sent to check out the land of Israel.

Their report was realistic but pessimistic. The Jewish people began to cry.

Why is this the template for all future mourning on Tisha B’Av? Maharal says something incredible in Netzach Yisroel ch. 8.

The first Tisha B’Av bifurcated the generation who was redeemed from Egypt from the generation who entered the Land of Israel.

Our journey became detached from our destination.

Oh Gosh @RealCandaceO found out about Sabbateanism. 🤦🏻‍♂️ Candace—before any of these movements become a part of some contemporary anti-Semitic conspiracy theory, please not they were vehemently opposed by rabbinic leadership.

Happy to offer book recommendations if you want to learn more.

A friend of mine from Yeshiva called himself “hashkafically homeless” yesterday. Don’t think he’s alone. There was an undercurrent of feeling among some that’s been quietly bubbling about a reevaluation of some of our religious outlooks (that’s the best translation I have of the word Hashkafa) particularly as it relates to the State of Israel.

Genuinely shocking to read Ryna Workman’s account of events.

She blamed Israel in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attack.

Now in a gofund me she is shocked people read malicious intent into her email and claims she’s being singled out “not only because of what I said but because of who I am.”

No. No. No.

It’s 100% what you said.

We have a generation that has lost its grip on moral clarity.


The only consolation is knowing his lack of judgment in determining who is a victim is not just for Israel—but extends to her own self-assessment as well.

🧵 On Gvir Culture™️ Recently there has been a lot of attention given to a trip advertised during yeshiva week that is being run by a dear friend as part of his efforts to normalize UA relations w Israel.

🧵 I think the 3rd Chapter of Eichah (Lamentations) describes the creation of the world of modern religious life.

Let’s learn some of it together. For the past few years I’ve been fixated and moved by the 3rd chapter of Eichah and how it is used in later rabbinic literature to describe what contemporary religious life feels life.

We read it every Tisha B’Av because it lays the groundwork of the exilic lives we still lead.

🧵 On the theme of Tractate Gittin

In today’s daf, Gittin 7a, we’re introduced to a fascinating character named Genivah.

He’s a rabbi who apparently relentlessly harassed another rabbi named Mar Ukva.

It’s an offhand story that most don’t pay too much attention to. Except I… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… Here’s the wild thing about the Genivah story: It weaves its way throughout the entire tractate.

Different parts of this same story appears again and again littered throughout the tractate.

See 31b, 62a, 65b.

It’s easy not to even notice.

I read this over Shabbos. This is a jaw-dropping read about a subject that is so understudied but should be given way more attention: the nature of consciousness.

Maybe in religious communities we take these concepts and their importance for granted.

@Philip_Goff is an incredibly writer. A perfect… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Very interesting/fascinating/sad/intriguing developments in the world of Gemorah learning for women in the modern Orthodox community.
yucommentator.org/2023/04/three-… As Chaim Saiman once wrote regarding gedolim, I think the same is true re: higher Talmud learning for women: There has been too much focus in changing the “supply” and not enough efforts in changing the “demand.”

Prob a lot more at play as well.

I read this over the final days of Pesach. I bought this kind of as a fluke at the YU Seforim Sale. I had heard of R’ Bezalel Naor but for some reason thought of him as more of a translator than a first-class leader in Jewish thought.

Boy, was I wrong.

There is a custom for firstborns to fast on Erev Pesach.

The reason is misunderstood.

Firstborns were originally supposed to serve as the priests in the Temple but because of their participation in the Golden Calf, God gave that privilege to Kohanim instead. Erev Pesach is *the* busiest day for Kohanim, getting everyone’s korban Pesach ready.

It *should* have been *the* day for firstborns.

To commemorate this loss, firstborns fast.

We begin our commemoration of the exile in Egypt with the exile from our kitchen in order to get ready for Pesach. Shoutout to all the dads whose job today was “keep the kids out of the house.” 🙌

Tattoos are prohibited in Judaism but contra to popular belief you can still be buried within a Jewish cemetery with one.

This person got a tattoo which reads, “Even if a Jew even sins, they are still a Jew.”

This tattoo def encapsulates that. 😬

https://twitter.com/hasidic_1/status/1639269007848087556

The formulation in the tattoo comes from the Talmud in Sanhedrin 44a and was used most notably by Rashi to justify treating apostate Jews as Jews for many areas of Jewish law.

Not sure what’s happening w/ these protests in Israel but I’ve made that exact face anytime I’m pulled into a wedding dancing circle I don’t really wanna be in. Who can share a good primer to understand the Bnei Brak protests today?

These yeshiva guys are part of a counter protest?

What’s going on? This about judicial reform? Anti-prostletyzing bill?

Explain it to me like I’m a child.

I can’t tell if this is a cute plush toy grab game or deeply anti-semitic 🧐 Someone sent this to me from their winter break. Seriously did a double take.

Jeopardy answer: “What is Kosher?” I always wonder what the rest of the world thinks the kosher symbols on food packaging I’m doing but this Jeopardy contestant nailed it!