Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz

Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz is rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites.

UNITY DOES not mean uniformity of opinion.

Rosh Hashanah: One union

GRAPES GROW in the Tali Vineyard in Moshav Lachish.

Parashat Ki Tavo: The basket of first fruits

The Torah reserves ‘abomination of the Lord’ precisely for this form of dishonesty.

Parashat Ki Teitzei: The hidden enemy and the open enemy


Parashat Shoftim: A king who rules over himself

A true leader is one who first and foremost rules over himself and his emotions. A person who can be overtaken by negative emotions cannot serve as a leader.

HORSES: NECESSARY or excessive?

Parashat Re'eh: The gift of mercy

This is our ancestral heritage, passed down through the generations, and rooted so deeply that it is part of our very nature.

COMPASSION & MERCY: Haredi soldiers from the IDF Hasmonean Brigade take part in a beret march after completing seven months of basic and advanced training, at the Western Wall, Aug. 6.

Parashat Eikev: Service of the heart

Prayer is one of the foundations of Judaism. A hallmark of the eternal Jew is speaking with his creator...Is it reasonable that such a central mitzvah is not directly addressed in the Torah?

AT MOUNT SINAI, the Jewish people were metaphorically ‘married’ to God.

Parashat Va’ethanan: ‘This good mountain’

What is this “good mountain” Moses refers to, and what is “the Lebanon”?

An ilustrative image of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Parashat Devarim: 'And from my students more than from all'

This dynamic of student inquiry and the teacher’s patient, honest response is essential for effective and meaningful learning – for both the teacher and the student.

An illustrative image of someone writing in a notebook.

Parashat Matot-Masei: The gravitas of gratitude

Moses, the father of the nation, paved a path for generations to come: Nothing justifies an act of ingratitude. Ingratitude is never warranted in any situation.

 An illustrative image of a note saying 'Today I Am Grateful.'

Parashat Pinchas: Zealotry: The impetus to do the right thing

The story of Pinchas reminds us that even someone who once acted boldly in zeal can also become a leader of peace and understanding.

 Phinehas slaying Zimri and Kozbi, Jeremias van Winghe (1578–1645).

Parashat Balak: Others’ privacy is sacrosanct

Compassionate eyes and a kind heart – yes. Probing eyes and a gossiping tongue – no.

 Balaam and the donkey

Parashat Chukat: Simple faith

Faith – even when things don’t make sense. Faith – even when life is hard. Even when we have questions, we will always remain steadfast in our beliefs.

 The red heifers brought to Israel from Texas.

Parashat Korah: ‘An elevated place in Gehenna’

What is repentance? It is a small, good thought filled with love – the kind of thought that saved the sons of Korah from a tragic fate; a moment of introspection that can save any Jew from harm.

 ‘THE PUNISHMENT of the Sons of Korah’ by Sandro Botticelli, c. 1481-1482.