Open Search form

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

Apply for a Blog

Aug 14, 2026, 8:16 AM

Testing Prophecy (Shoftim, Covenant & Conversation)

In his enumeration of the various leadership roles within the nation that would take shape after his death, Moses mentions not only the priest/judge and the king, but also the prophet: “The Lord your God will raise up another prophet...

Aug 6, 2026, 7:10 PM

Judaism’s Social Vision (Re’eh, Covenant & Conversation)

If you seek to understand Judaism’s social vision, look at its anti-poverty legislation: If there be a poor person among your kinsfolk in any of your towns in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not...

Jul 31, 2026, 6:01 AM

Greatness and Humility (Eikev, Covenant & Conversation)

A sequence of verses in this week’s sedra gave rise to a beautiful Talmudic passage – one that has found a place in the Siddur. It is among the readings we say after the Evening Service on Saturday night...

Jul 27, 2026, 12:41 PM

Judaism is Not a Religion

It has been awhile since I took to these pages. This past March the Ayatollah Kohmeni sent ballistic missiles to Israel which unfortunately kept us from attending our grandson’s bar-mitzvah in America. My beautiful wife and I took the...

Jul 23, 2026, 6:28 PM

The First Commandment (Va’etchanan, Covenant & Conversation)

One of the most profound disagreements in Judaism is the one between Moses Maimonides and Judah Halevi on the meaning of the first of the Ten Commandments. For Maimonides (1135-1204), the first command is to believe in God, Creator of...

Jul 17, 2026, 5:55 AM

Tzedek: Justice and Compassion (Devarim, Covenant & Conversation)

As Moses begins his great closing addresses to the next generation, he turns to a subject that dominates the last of the Mosaic books, namely justice: I charged your judges at that time: ‘Hear the disputes among your people and...

Jul 10, 2026, 8:01 AM

The Danger of Suspicion (Matot, Covenant & Conversation)

It is a fascinating story, and from it comes one of the great principles of Judaism. Two of the tribes, Reuben and Gad, see that the land east of the Jordan is ideally suited as pasture for their large...

Jul 3, 2026, 6:31 AM

On Parents and Teachers (Pinchas, Covenant & Conversation)

Child Little Boy in Glasses Reading Book over School Black Board with Chalk Drawing, Kids Preschool Development, Children Education Concept

Just beneath the surface of this week’s Parsha is an exceptionally poignant story. It occurs in the context of Moses’ prayer that God appoint a successor as leader of the Jewish people. One hint is given in the words of...

Jul 1, 2026, 8:26 PM

The Leadership Our Children Will One Day Judge

Every generation inherits its challenges. It also inherits its leaders. But Parshat Pinchas asks a deeper question: What does responsible leadership look like? The parsha begins with one of the Torah's most challenging episodes. Pinchas acts decisively to halt a moral and national...

Jul 1, 2026, 2:47 PM

We the People: A Covenant at 250

As America approaches its 250th birthday, we Americans seem to have no shortage of reasons to argue with one another. Our politics are louder and more corrosive than our conversations. Our disagreements often seem deeper than our common ground....

Load more