Gil Student

My author copies of the book finally arrived and the book looks great! I’m very excited about this publication. I recently did a Q&A with the newspaper, The Jewish Vues. Links to order the book and read the Q&A to follow

@bentziavtzon His book is fascinating amazon.com/Seat-Table-Acc…

When I was a kid Mitchell Silk was just the Gabbai of Chabad Hong Kong. A little older, I found out he was a bigtime lawyer. But it was only this past Friday when I went with my father to his home in Borough Park to film him for the documentary that I heard a whole new side to his story. Mitch, or as my father always called him Reb Moshe, came to Hong Kong to take advantage of his fluency in Chinese to pursue a highly lucrative career in law. Like most expats, Hong Kong was a career play. But one night Reb Moshe got a call from my father to help with a Tahara, preparing a deceased for burial, which is when he found out that the Jewish burial society was in urgent disrepair. So began a decades long saga of his turning his own corporate law office into the unofficial HQ of the Chevra Kadisha, so much so that on a recent visit his secretary showed him all the files and correspondence they had amassed together over the years. He told me how he’d sometimes get a call and for the next two days all work was put on hold to take care of the ultimate kindness, burying a fellow Jew. “I was billing big numbers as a lawyer then, you know,” he told me, “but this was Hong Kong. Who else was going to do it?” Just another example of a journey to Hong Kong that started off as business and ended up becoming deeply spiritual. (Still of interview in comment)

If you’re expecting a Star Wars joke from me on May the 4th then you’re looking in alderaan places

When the rabbi didn’t daven in the minyan but still comes in to give a speech

I ask Rabbi Genack if Rav Soloveitchik ate chalav stam and how early he allowed others to do melachah after Shabbos, among the many other things we discuss

If a terror attack happens against Jews and your response mentions the word “Gaza,” you might just be an antisemite.

Opinion: If Judaism indeed has a "central tenet," it's obeying God's commandments. *All* of them.* * Or at least as many as one can within one's ability.

For those not familiar with the reference youtu.be/puJePACBoIo?si…

There’s a Chasidic owned small grocery store near me that sells pre-made sandwiches. Every single sandwich is flavored “tuna pickle”. Which happens to be delicious but that’s the only choice.

Millennials will not understand this one

I read from this on Shabbos @ShabbosReads

@tacoyac88 @RationalSettler Because we say a lot of prayers about returning the sacrificial system as it used to be

@GilStudent @RationalSettler How did Rav Kook zt"l know that? And why should it be obvious?

Will there be animal sacrifices in the rebuilt temple? I just had a fascinating discussion on Twitter generated by a post I wrote about the red cow and a comment made by Eylon Levy about whether korbonot, including the red cow, will exist in the Messianic era. The Rambam was crystal clear in his position that the mitzvot are eternal and will never change. In his Mishnah Torah, he wrote that Mashiach will rebuild the Temple and “[animal] sacrifices will be offered… as commanded by the Torah.” This is the consensus and traditional opinion. Yet there are sources that suggest korbonot might change. The medrash in Vayikra Rabbah taught that in the future, “All sacrifices will be annulled — but the sacrifice of thanksgiving will not.” In an opinion I neither understand nor can find any source for in Chazal or the Rishonim, Rav Kook wrote that when humanity reaches its highest refinement, “Man will no longer feel the need to take animal life,” and only grain offerings will remain.” Rav Kook urged students not to rush practical questions before prophetic guidance returns. I don’t claim to resolve the sugya, it’s a complex Torah topic with legitimate sources on multiple sides. The position that there will be korbonot in the future seems more convincing, and more importantly, based in Jewish tradition. The vitriol of the discussion was upsetting, this wasn’t a discssion led by derech eretz. People on both sides responded with anger and mockery instead of wisdom and ideas. Whether or not there will be korbonot in the future is a Torah question about the geulah, not a political fight. During these days of Sefirat HaOmer, when we mourn Rabbi Akiva’s students who died for failing to treat each other with basic kavod, we should remember: derech eretz comes before everything, especially the Torah. Let’s debate Torah with respect.

🤮🤮🤮 You can also say, "It was an interesting idea but it isn't working" or "you tried valiantly but it's time to shut it down" without the godforsaken jargon.

@ihatedeadends Sounds like a great marketing opportunity

Reb Gil! Any Shilisel Matzah 🫓 on this Pesach Sheni? @GilStudent

@RoniBrookman46 It's a machlokes vinnews.com/2026/05/01/but…

@GilStudent If they're eating it should be tonight not today.

@Marc987654321 @RationalSettler Because it’s very important and complicated

@GilStudent @RationalSettler So why so many mesechtas and Parshas dedicated to the topic?

@Marc987654321 @RationalSettler I don’t know that it ever was the main source of worship. It was central for the nation but not for the individual. How many people went to the Beis HaMikdash on a daily basis? Even kohanim were only there two weeks a year. Prayer was always the primary worship.

@GilStudent @RationalSettler Ok so Karbonos shouldn’t be our main source of worship like it used to be