Ekev (Because) Deuteronomy 7:12 – 11:25

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Print
Torah (1)

This week marks eleven months on the Hebrew calendar since the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Eleven months is the traditional Jewish mourning period. This week’s Torah portion Ekev speaks of future disasters and destructions, many of which feel all too familiar today. This portion also describes the Children of Israel as a “stiff-necked people”. While this description often comes with negative connotations, Shmuel shares how being stiff-necked has anchored the Jewish people in their faith and traditions. Shabbat Shalom!

Related News

An Eye on Zion: Kochav Yaakov

Just over a century later, a group of devout pioneers sharing the same love and passion for the Land of Israel, founded a new community just north of Jerusalem. Drawing their inspiration from Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira, they named it “Abir Yaakov,” the same venerated title that was used to address the late Rabbi during his life. Subsequently renamed “Kochav Yaakov,” (“Star of Jacob”), the community has absorbed many Jews who, like Rabbi Abuhatzeira, left their respective countries of birth to live in the Land of Israel.

Read More
Mar 3, 2025

The Evil That Surrounds Us

As we watched the return of what we thought were the bodies of four beautiful Israelis, we wept with the families and with all of Israel. Shiri Bibas and her two gorgeous red-headed children, Kfir and Ariel — their story and their pictures traveled the world and became the symbol of the evil and cruelty of the Hamas terrorists.

Read More
Feb 25, 2025

An Eye on Zion: Kiryat Arba

On April 4, 1968, Rabbi Moshe and Miriam Levinger, a visionary couple, registered themselves and dozens of others to stay at Hebron’s Park Hotel. Just ten months after the People of Israel liberated Hebron and the rest of the Biblical Heartland during the Six Day War in 1967, this dedicated group excitedly planned to hold the city’s first Passover Seder in several decades.

Read More
Feb 17, 2025

The Price We Pay for Caring

What an emotional roller-coaster! Last Sunday and again this past Saturday, we waited with baited breath to see which hostages would be released and what they would look like. It had been more than a year since the last hostage release, and no one knew what their condition would be.

Read More
Jan 28, 2025

A Week in Washington D.C.

The experience of participating in what could be one of the most pivotal moments for Judea and Samaria left an indelible mark on me. I want to share with you, my friends, the highlights of this extraordinary journey.

Read More
Jan 23, 2025

An Eye on Zion: Yakir

The pioneers named the nascent community “Yakir,” meaning “precious,” the precise Hebrew word used by God to describe His “son,” Ephraim (Jeremiah 31:19).

Read More
Jan 13, 2025

Life in a Villa in a Jungle

It is hard to believe that another year has gone by—another year of seemingly unending war, tragedy, loss. There are still 100 hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza. While at least 36 have been murdered, it is not clear how many of the remaining 64 are still alive.

Read More
Dec 31, 2024

An Eye on Zion: Avigayil

Drawing their inspiration from the Biblical figure Avigayil (Abigail), Elisha and his friends decided to establish a new community in the southern Hebron Hills. They parked an old bus on a plot of land facing Maon, the ancient Biblical site where Avigayil lived.

Read More
Dec 9, 2024

Israel Welcomes Trump

What an astounding result in the US elections! While this regime change will have significant effect on many issues in the US, as an Israeli, I want to share with you my thoughts, which reflect the thoughts of so many in Israel, on how this change will affect Israel.

Read More
Nov 19, 2024

An Eye on Zion: Bet Hagai

On Friday evening of May 2, 1980, a group of students from Nir Yeshiva, located on the outskirts of the Biblical city of Hebron, excitedly headed to the Cave of Machpelah. There, they joyfully welcomed in the Sabbath with uplifting prayers.
That evening, however, terrorists threw grenades and fired bullets in the direction of the students, murdering three of them.

Read More
Nov 11, 2024