At first glance, Orthodox Judaism is not compatible with the prevailing world view of equal treatment for all people, regardless of their race, gender or religion. But modern Orthodox Jews share the sense that egalitarianism is a positive moral value, so they cannot simply dismiss this contemporary ethos as incompatible with their faith. In a range of ways and variety of perspectives from the leading Orthodox scholars in the field, this collection of essays explores the affinities and disa...

The process of repentance, teshuva, presents each of us with both challenges and opportunities. While self-scrutiny, confession, and commitment to change are among the most difficult human undertakings, the very process of renewing and reconnecting – to ourselves and to God – is a gift that can fundamentally repair us, our communities, and society at large.In his annual discourses on repentance, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l set out to make the elusive path of teshuva more navigab...

The process of repentance, teshuva, presents each of us with both challenges and opportunities. While self-scrutiny, confession, and commitment to change are among the most difficult human undertakings, the very process of renewing and reconnecting – to ourselves and to God – is a gift that can fundamentally repair us, our communities, and society at large.In his annual discourses on repentance, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l set out to make the elusive path of teshuva more navigabl...

Rabbi Dr. Aharon Lichtenstein (1933-2015) was an intellectual and spiritual leader of Modern Orthodox Judaism in America and Religious Zionism in Israel. An outstanding Talmudist and a thinker of astonishing depth and scope, he studied under Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik for the rabbinate and also attained a Ph.D. in English literature from Harvard University. After teaching at Yeshiva University in New York, he moved to Israel in 1971 and joined Rabbi Yehuda Amital at the helm of Yeshivat ...

In this volume, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein explores the development of the religious personality. He advocates a life centered on the service of God, but recognizes multiple paths to this goal. Acknowledging that both the Jewish value system and human experience are multifaceted, he examines the relevant issues from an unusually wide perspective.Rabbi Lichtenstein’s essays reflect not only a staunch commitment to Halakha and a firm grounding in rigorous Torah study, but also a deep s...

Halakha is the all-encompassing source of normative Jewish conduct, and values and ethics are among Judaism’s most important and fundamental aims. In this volume, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein masterfully plots the interplay of law and ethics. Drawing on his vast knowledge of classic Jewish sources, the analytic depth of the Brisker tradition, and his wide grasp of Western scholarship and thought, Rabbi Lichtenstein charts how values are intertwined with the details of Halakha and inform its g...