Born in Venice in 1654, David Nieto obtained rabbinic ordination in Livorno as well as a medical degree from the University of Padua. In 1701, Nieto (who used the Sephardi rabbinic title ḥakham) settled in London, where he became the rabbi of the newly established Spanish and Portuguese congregation. A contemporary of Isaac Newton, he was fascinated by the recent advances of the Scientific Revolution, and likely by the effort of British churchmen to come to terms with its theological implications. In conversation with Nachi Weinstein, Matt Goldish explains the intellectual world of one of England’s most important rabbis, his thought, and his involvement in controversies surrounding both religious skeptics and followers of the false messiah Shabbetai Tsvi. (Audio, 85 minutes.)

Analyzing the recent direct Iranian attack on Israel, and Israel’s security situation more generally, Michael Oren looks to the 2015 agreement to restrain Iran’s nuclear program. That, and President Biden’s efforts to resurrect the deal after Donald Trump left it, are in his view the source of the current crisis:

Of the original motivations for the deal—blocking Iran’s path to the bomb and transforming Iran into a peaceful nation—neither remained. All Biden was left with was the ability to kick the can down the road and to uphold Barack Obama’s singular foreign-policy achievement.

In order to achieve that result, the administration has repeatedly refused to punish Iran for its malign actions:

Historians will survey this inexplicable record and wonder how the United States not only allowed Iran repeatedly to assault its citizens, soldiers, and allies but consistently rewarded it for doing so. They may well conclude that in a desperate effort to avoid getting dragged into a regional Middle Eastern war, the U.S. might well have precipitated one.

While America’s friends in the Middle East, especially Israel, have every reason to feel grateful for the vital assistance they received in intercepting Iran’s missile and drone onslaught, they might also ask what the U.S. can now do differently to deter Iran from further aggression. . . . Tehran will see this weekend’s direct attack on Israel as a victory—their own—for their ability to continue threatening Israel and destabilizing the Middle East with impunity.

Israel, of course, must respond differently. Our target cannot simply be the Iranian proxies that surround our country and that have waged war on us since October 7, but, as the Saudis call it, “the head of the snake.”