OzTorah

Torah insights by Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple z"l, Emeritus Senior Rabbi of the Great Synagogue, Sydney

OzTorah is a website, weekly email and social media service exploring the timeless teachings of Jewish tradition from a contemporary Australian and global perspective. The website includes insights into the parashah (Torah reading), an 'Ask the Rabbi' forum, and articles on a wide variety of Jewish, interfaith and freemasonic issues.

22/06/2026

𝙒𝘼𝙍 & 𝙍𝙀𝙇𝙄𝙂𝙄𝙊𝙉 - 𝘼𝙨𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙞

Q. Why is religion responsible for most of the wars and suffering in the world?

A. Read the response:

A. Superficially it appears that it is religion that impels the wars, terrorist attacks and human suffering that we see in so many parts of the world. The non-believer therefore argues that we would be better off without religion and there would be more peace and harmony if God did not exist.

18/06/2026

The ideal way of handling one’s disappointment is suggested by the story of Alexander the Great.

When raised to high rank, Alexander was young and felt that every possible battle had already been fought and won by others. What was left for him to do? His answer was, “There must still be victories for me to win!”

So it is with someone who does not achieve the position he or she dreamt of. There are still victories they can win.

Read more: https://oztorah.com/2026/06/meritocracy-korach/

The death of Korah, by Gustave DoreRashi asks, “Why was Korach in conflict with Moses? He was jealous of the status of Elitzafan ben Uzziel”.

15/06/2026

𝗚𝗢𝗗 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗨𝗦𝗧 - 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝗯𝗯𝗶

Q. Every year the memorial events on Yom HaSho’ah raise the question of how God could allow such suffering. Do you have an answer?

A. Read the response:

Q. Every year the memorial events on Yom HaSho’ah raise the question of how God could allow such suffering. Do you have an answer?

11/06/2026

Since forgiving people is so much harder than wanting to destroy them, we need the Divine example in order to reinforce the capacity to forgive even when forgiving is difficult.

Read more:

Was it any wonder that God was irate when the twelve spies brought back a gloomy report of the land and got the people to believe them?

08/06/2026

𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐀𝐓 𝐙𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐓 - 𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢

Q. Why do many people sing zemirot (special table songs) during the Shabbat meals?

A. Read the response:

The z’mirot that are most widely known are full of liveliness and spirit, yet maybe, many centuries ago, they were livelier still, but their full-throated joy was deliberately toned down as a mark of mourning for the lost glories of ancient days.

04/06/2026

Some philosophies deify desire. Others deny it. Judaism believes in directing it. It directs physical desire by the rules of modesty, appetite by the dietary laws, and the drive for possessions and status by saying, “Earn them if you can, but use them in the service of the Almighty.”

Read more: https://oztorah.com/2026/05/lighting-up-bhaalotcha/

Our task as Jews was spelled out by Isaiah. Un’taticha l’or goyim, he said: “I shall make you a light to the nations” (Isa. 49:6).

28/05/2026

We bring children up as Jews from the moment of birth; indeed even before birth a child can be influenced by the spiritual choices made by its parents.

But was the child given a vote about being Jewish? Is not Jewishness something that we impose, as it were, regardless of the child’s own feelings and desires?

Read more: https://oztorah.com/2026/05/a-nazirite-from-birth-naso/

Gersonides explains that God foresaw that Samson would be a sensual, passionate man, who even from birth had to be kept to a strict discipline.

25/05/2026

𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐕𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐑 𝐋𝐀𝐖 – 𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢

Q. Which takes priority – religious or secular law?

Read more:

Enunciated in the Talmud several times, it does not override religious law but is part of it in situations in which the regime has a direct interest. Thus if the government tells a Jew to put butter on a steak, it is intruding upon religious law and is out of order.

20/05/2026

Our ancestors were caught napping; we have to make up for their lapse.

True, it is not our generation that were at fault, but every generation can be guilty of failing to be ready for a spiritual experience.

Read more: https://oztorah.com/2026/05/why-werent-they-ready-shavuot/

The giving of the Torah was a noisy affair – “thunder and lightning, a heavy cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast” (Ex. 19: 16 – 17).

18/05/2026

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦

The tablets of the Ten Commandments, according to rabbinic tradition, were prepared at the eve of Creation, antedating history and humanity and independent of time and place.

Read more: https://oztorah.com/2026/05/the-shape-of-the-ten-commandments/

Depiction of Moses with the Ten Commandments by Phillipe de ChampagneThe tablets of the Ten Commandments, according to rabbinic tradition, were prepared at the eve of Creation, antedating history and humanity and independent of time and place.

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