Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz

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

 Moses is seen breaking the Tablets after coming down from Mount Sinai.

Parashat Eikev: With respect for the past

Moses on Sinai (Le tables de Loi judaique), 1773. Artist Simon Julien.

Parashat Va'ethanan: The positive within the negative

SEVENTY LANGUAGES?

Parashat Devarim: Always relevant


Parashat Matot-Masei: Slow and steady

The most important movement is not always what is visible externally, but what takes place within a person.

EVERY STATION on the slow journey  plays an indispensable role.

Parashat Pinchas: What Joshua learned from Moses about true leadership

We often encounter people who seem to be pursuing the very same path on which we hope to succeed, and naturally, we may sometimes fear that their success will diminish our own opportunities.

Shining: Moon rises behind the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem.

The breached walls we must rebuild this Seventeenth of Tamuz - opinion

This fast day is a reminder that destruction begins inside when unity fails and division takes root.

An ultra-Orthodox jew prays at the Westen Wall July 17, 2002 on Tisha B'Av

Parashat Balak: Guarding our eyes

Jewish tradition values personal modesty and meaningful inner growth that is not displayed for public attention. Such conduct is fitting for a people who serve God.

ONE SHOULD NOT intrude into the life of his neighbor.

Parashat Hukat: A life of meaning

The Torah teaches that genuine values require commitment and effort. A person who remains connected to their values only when it is convenient will struggle to maintain them over time.

‘MESIRUT NEFESH’: Willingness to give up comfort, time, money, and personal interests for a greater value.

Parashat Korah: The story of the almond – and of diligence

When Korach questions Moses’ authority, a simple staff becomes a powerful symbol of divine choice and enduring leadership.

Almond trees bloom near the border with Lebanon.

Parashat Shlah: The absolute truth

When fear overrides faith, even truth becomes distorted; this is the lesson of the spies in the desert.

Truth

Parashat Beha'alotcha: Know your place

After Pharaoh intensified the Jewish slaves' work, Moses felt that his mission had failed. Out of deep pain, he turned to God and said, “Why have You done evil to these people? Why did You send me?

Reading a torah scroll

Shavuot 2026: Why the Torah still matters in the age of AI and technology

One of the fundamental principles of Jewish faith is that the Torah is eternal and will never be replaced.

TECHNOLOGY KNOWS how to make life easier, but it does not know how to make a person better.

Parashat Bamidbar: The individual within the collective

When the Torah counts the people by tribes and families, it teaches the art of integration: Each individual is counted on his or her own, yet as part of a larger structure.

THE PURSUIT of individuality is one of modern culture’s most prominent trends.