R. Yakov Nagen’s prolific output includes books on the Mishna, spirituality, attitudes to other faiths, and a volume profiled here by Yitzchak Blau. Nagen combines academic tools with a search for religious meaning and he successfully integrates the worlds of mysticism and rationalism. This volume, beyond the specific thesis concerning the holiday of Sukkot, is methodologically interesting, arguing that philosophical explanations of mitzvot may seem like an overly speculative endeavor but demonstrating that we can utilize halakhic details to more rigorously establish a hashkafic interpretation.

The family of R. Benny Kalmanzon, Rosh Yeshiva at Otniel, has known far too much loss, tragedy, and suffering—in the years leading up to this war and especially in the past month. After his son was killed in battle on Simhat Torah, R. Benny spoke with Makor Rishon, and what he says from within his mourning is noteworthy, impressive, and instructive. Yitzchak Blau shares what he learned from R. Benny’s quiet, heroic response.