Born in Padua in 1707, Moses Hayyim Luzzatto received a traditional rabbinic education alongside training in philosophy, rhetoric, literature, and other liberal arts. He also delved deeply into kabbalah and claimed to have communed with an angelic messenger who instructed him in the Torah’s mysteries. A polymath, Luzzatto wrote poetry, Hebrew plays, works of theology and mystical speculation, and the guide to moral and spiritual perfection titled Path of the Just, which is popular in yeshivahs today. Some of his writings led him to be condemned as a secret of follower of the Sabbatian heresy, and Italian rabbis eventually forced him out of Italy. Since his death in 1746, he has been admired and claimed as a precursor by both secular and religious Zionists, proponents of the Haskalah, kabbalists of all kinds, and the strictest Haredim.

In conversation with J.J. Kimche, Jonathan Garb explores Luzzatto’s life and legacy, as well as the past and present controversies surrounding him, and explains how his study of rhetoric informed all of his work. (Audio, 65 minutes.)

For more than a year, the Iran-backed Houthis have been launching drones and missiles at ships traversing the Red Sea, as well as at Israeli territory, in support of Hamas. This development has drastically curtailed shipping through the Suez Canal and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, driving up trade prices. This week, the Trump administration began an extensive bombing campaign against the Houthis in an effort to reopen that crucial waterway. Burcu Ozcelik highlights another benefit of this action:

The administration has a broader geopolitical agenda—one that includes countering China’s economic leverage, particularly Beijing’s reliance on Iranian oil. By targeting the Houthis, the United States is not only safeguarding vital shipping lanes but also exerting pressure on the Iran-China energy nexus, a key component of Beijing’s strategic posture in the region.

China was the primary destination for up to 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports in 2024, underscoring the deepening economic ties between Beijing and Tehran despite U.S. sanctions. By helping fill Iranian coffers, China aids Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in financing proxies like the Houthis. Since October of last year, notable U.S. Treasury announcements have revealed covert links between China and the Houthis.

Striking the Houthis could trigger broader repercussions—not least by disrupting the flow of Iranian oil to China. While difficult to confirm, it is conceivable and has been reported, that the Houthis may have received financial or other forms of compensation from China (such as Chinese-made military components) in exchange for allowing freedom of passage for China-affiliated vessels in the Red Sea.