Rabbi Ari Shvat
Rav Kook's Torah, religious Zionism, the Land of Israel & Original Songs
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Did Rav Kook Wear a Beard and Payot?
Yes — but the Rav redirects us to what really mattered to him. Q. Did Rav Kook have a beard before…
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Do Religious-Zionist Authorities Support Drafting Yeshiva Students?
Everyone agrees it’s a milchemet mitzvah — the live debate is only about timing. Q. Do Zionist halachic authorities agree to…
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Why Are There So Many Theories About Moshe’s Sin?
Maybe the Torah stays vague not only to protect his honor, but because the sin was what he didn’t do. Q.…
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How Long Were the Days of Creation?
The Torah is deliberately vague here — which the Rav reads as itself being the answer. Q. How long were the…
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Is Life a Journey or a Destination?
Rav Kook’s answer to this classic quote (often attributed to Emerson): only G-d ever reaches ‘destination.’ Q. “Life is a journey,…
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Lesser-Known Laws of Tisha B’Av
From hand-washing rules for the sick to why greeting a friend is off-limits, even by phone. Q. Lesser-Known Laws of Tisha…
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What’s the Difference Between ‘Jew’ and ‘Israeli’?
A demographic prediction: by 2032 most ‘Jews’ will again be ‘Israelis’ — and that’s the more original name. Q. Is there…
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When Will the Third Temple Be Rebuilt?
The Amida lays out the order — and Aliya then renewing the Sanhedrin, not construction, comes first. Q. When will the…
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Why Do Some Jews Dislike Jews?
A pattern traced through two millennia of accusations, and the statistics that complicate the stereotype. Q. Why do even some Jews…
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How Should an Adult Respond to an Abusive Parent?
An 800-year-old source on distancing yourself, and the honor obligation that survives even that. Q. How should an adult act towards…