By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
The Tur (Hilchos Rosh Hashanah 581) states that Chazal instituted the custom of blowing the shofar during the month of Elul so that people will be alerted to perform teshuvah, as the posuk (Amos 3:6) states, “Im yitoka shofar be’ir ve’am lo yecherodu? Can a shofar sound in a city and the nation will not tremble?” This question demonstrates that the sound of the shofar causes people to be fearful.

By Rabbi Moshe Meir Weiss
We interrupt our series on tefilah for a timely discussion about Elul.

By Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer, American Thinker
“Orthodox Jewish man assaulted in Brooklyn.”
This headline has become the norm these days, as recent attacks on Jews in their New York City neighborhoods have become increasingly common and quite numerous.
NYC mayor Bill de Blasio blames this uptick in anti-Semitism on right-wing ideologies. But considering that the attackers are uniformly black and Hispanic, the mayor seems to be a bit off, to put it kindly. (Furthermore, judging from the videos — such as this, this, and this — I would not bet on the attackers having any ideology, much less knowing what the word even means.)

By Rabbi Moshe L Kuskin

Various Perspectives and Experiences of English speakers Living in Eretz Yisroel
Paving the Way
I am the youngest of eight siblings. We all grew up in England, and all of us ended up here in Eretz Yisroel for a few years of married life. That was the original plan—to be in this environment conducive to shteiging for a few of the formative years of life.
Most of my siblings had managed to make it here for at least two to three years before heading back to England. Finding that Yerushalayim was prohibitively expensive for a kollel couple, we had to think of an out-of-the-box solution for the longer term. Although we were still keeping two days of Yom Tov, we weren’t quite ready to leave Eretz Yisroel.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
With Elul upon us, the mood in Jewish communities is changing. The frivolity and care-free attitude of summer are gone, having faded out for the more severe tone of Elul. Serious days are ahead and we need to prepare.
A person who stands trial and groups awaiting a governmental decision on their fate as independent citizens look for people to write letters for them, sign petitions, and submit amicus briefs.

Various Perspectives and Experiences of Anglo-Chareidim Living in Eretz Yisroel
Soul Connection
When I came to learn at a yeshivah in Yerushalayim in 1982, it was only for a year. At that time, the Land was still quite foreign to me, as I was used to life back in Canada. I was just more comfortable living on the other side of the ocean.
That quickly changed over the course of the year, and I had come to love being in Eretz Yisroel, becoming more connected to the Land and feeling so much closer to Hashem. It was the place to be Jewish, so I chose to stay here another year—which led to another year. By the fourth year, it was clear to me that I wanted to live in Eretz Yisroel, and I made that clear as well when I started shidduchim. 

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
It is one of the strangest things in politics; Jews overwhelmingly vote Democrat. This habit is said to go back to the days of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a hero of liberal Jews. And the dichotomy was evident there. Though FDR provided jobs for many unemployed citizens, led the United States into World War II, and guided the country to subsequent victory in the war that saw 6 million of our brethren murdered, he refused entry to refugees from the Nazis and rebuffed pleas to bomb the tracks to the concentration camps and shut them down. Many have faulted him for millions of deaths, which they say could have been prevented had he acted properly.

Dear Editor,
I am worried about the proposed NY State regulations that could impact yeshivos, which I have been reading about for the past half year on Matzav.com.
However, there is a question that people have been asking that no one seems to be answering:

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
This week is one of the Shivah D’nechemta, the weeks of consolation following the annual period of mourning and Tisha B’Av. Where do we find consolation in Moshe’s admonitions that fill this week’s parsha?
As we continue our study of Seder Devorim, we find this week in Parshas Eikev that Moshe Rabbeinu continues his rebuking of the Jewish people for their waywardness. He warns them not to delude themselves as to why Hashem has been kind to them and why they have experienced success. He reminds them that all Hashem asks for in return is that they have yiras Shomayim.