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    Re’eh: The Danger of Becoming Separate Tribes

    ByDavid Harbater

    This week’s parasha contains a prohibition whose significance, according to Chazal, reaches far beyond its original context:בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, לֹא תִתְגֹּדְדוּ””, “You are children of the Lord your God; (lo titgodedu) you shall not cut yourselves” (Deuteronomy 14:1). According to the straightforward meaning of the verse, the Torah forbids cutting or lacerating the body as an expression of mourning. Such practices were common in the ancient world, but the Torah insists that even in moments of grief, human beings must not surrender to despair or mutilate the body that God has given them. The Sages, however, hear an additional meaning in the words ״לֹא תִתְגּוֹדְדוּ״ — לֹא תֵּעָשׂוּ אֲגוּדּוֹת אֲגוּדּוֹת, “Do not divide yourselves into separate factions” (Yevamot 13b-14a).

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    The Destruction of the Temple and Israel’s Government of Destruction

    ByDavid Harbater

    The opening words of this week’s haftarah are among the most shocking in the Bible:“Hear the word of the Lord, rulers of Sodom;give ear to the teaching of our God, people of Gomorrah.” Isaiah is not addressing Sodom and Gomorrah. He is speaking to Jerusalem—to its leaders and its people. They attend the Temple, offer sacrifices, observe Shabbat and the festivals, and raise their hands in prayer. Outwardly, they appear deeply religious. Yet God rejects their worship: “What need have I of all your sacrifices?”“Your incense is an abomination to Me.”“Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen—your hands are full of blood.” Isaiah’s accusation is not that they have abandoned religion, but that they have corrupted it. They preserve its rituals while betraying its moral demands. They invoke God while tolerating injustice, corruption, and bloodshed. It is difficult to hear these words on Shabbat Chazon—the Shabbat on which we begin to confront the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple—without thinking of what many Israelis now call ממשלת החורבן—“the government of destruction”.

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    Ki Teitzei: Returning Our Lost Optimism

    ByDavid Harbater

    Life in Israel has been unimaginably difficult since October 7, but in recent weeks I have felt a particular heaviness. Much of my struggle has centered on Israel’s decision to take control of Gaza City.On the one hand, the case for taking Gaza City seems compelling. As the largest urban center in the Strip and the nerve center of Hamas’ rule, it houses the group’s military headquarters, its underground tunnels, and its command-and-control infrastructure. Without breaking Hamas’ grip on the city, the organization will regroup, rearm, and, sooner or later, attempt another October 7. For many Israelis—including bereaved families of soldiers who fell in battle—the war cannot truly end with Hamas still entrenched. Moreover, capturing Gaza City may be the only way to secure the release of all the hostages, rather than just some. On the other hand, Gaza City is home to nearly a million civilians packed into dense neighborhoods, with roughly 10,000 Hamas operatives embedded among them and shielded by an extensive tunnel network. Taking control requires the mobilization of 60,000 exhausted reservists already bearing the weight of a war approaching its second year. The toll would almost certainly be high, with further casualties, and the hostages—many already suffering from malnutrition—would be placed in even greater danger. In short, every path forward is fraught, each option carrying unbearable consequences.