Balancing the needs for human economy and pleasure against sensitivity to animal life presents a delicate challenge. R. Moshe Feinstein’s halakhic rulings aim to demarcate the acceptable parameters of treating God's creatures. In this installment of “Unpacking the Iggerot” Moshe Kurtz takes us through R. Feinstein’s approach to these issues in his halakhic and homiletic writings.

As a brief addendum to our previous “Unpacking the Iggerot” column on secular education, Moshe Kurtz asks what should be a simple question: Did R. Moshe Feinstein read the news? While this may sound like an inconsequential matter, it became a flashpoint for how his posterity and disciples chose to frame his legacy to the masses.

In 1980, R. Moshe Feinstein issued a harsh condemnation against cheating on the New York State Regents exam. While the question of cheating was immediately put to rest, what remained less clear was his general approach to secular studies. In this column, Moshe Kurtz explores R. Feinstein’s complicated opinions on college, medical study, and more.

Is it enough to believe that the Messiah “might” arrive soon? In this installment of "Unpacking the Iggerot," Moshe Kurtz provides us with a selection of stories and halakhic rulings that reveal R. Moshe Feinstein’s unique approach to living with a Messiah Mentality.