Torah, Zionism & Jewish Identity

A deep dive into the complex relationship between Torah values and Zionism. This section explains why Charedim may reject secular nationalism while still loving the land and the people, and how Torah defines true Jewish identity.

Why Are Gedolim So Important to Be from Our Mesorah?

The Jewish people have always walked through history with a guiding hand in every generation. That hand is the Gadol HaDor—the leading Torah sage of the time, a man shaped entirely by the Torah and who, in turn, shapes the Torah world through clarity, humility, and unwavering fealty to the mesorah.

Why Is “Mesorah” Such an Integral Part of Judaism?

Imagine a glowing flame passed from hand to hand, father to son, rebbi to talmid, generation to generation—never allowed to go out. That is mesorah. It is the heartbeat of Torah Judaism—the uninterrupted chain of truth that binds Har Sinai to the present day.

What Is the Difference Between Charedim and Religious Zionists in Their Hashkafa?

On the surface, Charedim and Religious Zionists share much: a love for mitzvos, a passion for Eretz Yisrael, a deep commitment to Klal Yisrael. But beneath these similarities lies a major point of divergence—how we understand the story of the Jewish people, our exile, and our redemption.

Is Zionism one of the 70 Faces of Torah?

Shiv’im Panim LaTorah”—But Not Shiv’im Paths Outside the Torah

Do Charedim Believe That the State of Israel Is a Chilul Hashem or a Kiddush Hashem?

For many Jews, the modern State of Israel stirs pride, gratitude, and even a sense of spiritual destiny. So it’s understandable that people ask: Why don’t Charedim view the state as a Kiddush Hashem? Do they think it’s a Chilul Hashem instead?

Is Zionism Working?

Zionism began as a secular national movement in the late 19th century, spearheaded by individuals like Theodor Herzl, who believed that the only way for Jews to survive and normalize their status among the nations was to establish a sovereign state.

What Is the Torah’s Interpretation of the Three Oaths in Kesubos 111a?

If there’s one sugya that stands at the heart of the Torah perspective on Zionism and the Jewish return to Eretz Yisrael, it’s the passage in Kesubos 111a known as the Three Oaths.

Why Do Charedim Oppose Saying Hallel on Yom HaAtzmaut?

But across the Charedi world, you will not find Hallel said on Yom HaAtzmaut—not in yeshivos, not in batei medrash, and not in Charedi shuls. And the reason is not a lack of gratitude or denial of the goodness Hashem has granted. It is, first and foremost, a matter of halacha.

What’s the Difference Between the Charedi View of Galus and the Zionist View?

Is exile simply a political condition—something to be reversed by statecraft, armies, or human will? Or is it a spiritual reality, a consequence of our sins and the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, to be ended only by Hashem at the proper time?

Why Don’t Charedim View the State of Israel as the “Reishit Tzmichat Geulateinu”?

For many Jews, especially within the Religious Zionist community, the establishment of a Jewish government in Eretz Yisrael after two thousand years of exile was clearly the opening act of Geulah.