KAPPAROT: To do or not to do kapparot with chicken?
In many communities, there is a Minhag of doing Kapparot in the eve of Yom Kippur, what is the best way to do the...
How to pray on Rosh haShana?
By Rabbanit Coty Bittón
We are very close to Rosh HaShana. The day on which we will be judged. Then come the aseret yeme Teshuba,...
ROSH HASHANA: Three questions and answers
Rosh HaShana, is a festive and joyful day, or a solemn and serious day?
To understand the double aspect of Rosh HaShana, let me share...
HILKHOT TESHUBA 2:10. Why should we forgive? (part 7)
Mishne Tora , Hilkhot Teshuba: Chapter 2, Halakha 10.
"It is forbidden for a person to be cruel and refuse to forgive ... when someone...
HILKHOT TESHUBA 2:10. Teshuba via email (part 6)
אין התשובה ויום הכפורים מכפרים אלא על עבירות שבין אדם למקום
Teshuba, repentance for what we did wrong, can happen in two separate areas. First,...
SELIHOT and the secret of the Mezuza
וכל עת שייכנס וייצא, יפגע בייחוד שמו של הקדוש ברוך הוא-ויזכור אהבתו, וייעור משינתו ושגייתו בהבלי הזמן
Yesterday we mentioned the poem “Ben adam ma...
SELIHOT and our awakenings
בֶּן אָדָם מַה לְּךָ נִרְדָּם
AWAKENING # 1.
Today is the second day of Elul. We are less than 40 days away from Yom Kippur, the...
SIXTH COMMANDMENT: You shall not murder and organ donation
We are finishing today exploring the Sixth Commandment, through examples which illustrate the extent and relevance of this commandant in our days, beyond the...
SIXTH COMMANDMENT: Abortion and genetic diseases
We continue to analyze the Sixth Commandment and its application in complex medical situations. Yesterday we explained that the Talmud discusses and allows under...
THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT: Abortion and homicide
The case of abortion primarily discussed by the Talmud refers to what we call today "therapeutic abortion", i.e., when the life of the pregnant...
SIXTH COMMANDMENT: You shall not kill or You Shall not murder?
לא תרצח
The sixth commandment, at first glance seems to be the easiest commandment to understand. However, this is one of the most complex commandments,...
FIFTH COMMANDMENT: Honoring our parents, in special circumstances
כבד את אביך ואת אמך
The rabbis of the Talmud addressed the question of honoring one's parents in special circumstances. We will see today two examples.
SENILE...
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT: The way to honoring our parents
כבד את אביך ואת אמך... למען יאריכון ימיך
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live longer in the land that HaShem...
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT: Honoring our parents
כבד את אביך ואת אמך
Today we will see some examples of honoring our parents
QIDDUSH
In most Sephardic families, children pay a special tribute to their...
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT: The difference between honoring and respecting parents
כבד את אביך ואת אמך
איש אמו ואביו תיראו
In the Tora there are two mitsvot that govern the parents / children relationship. The first is...
Mourning, on Tish’a beAb
Tish'a beAb is a day of fasting and it is also a day of collective national mourning. During Tish'a beAb we behave as mourners grieving a...
The prophet Jeremiah, and the opportunity we missed.
In the days of King Joakim, HaShem spoke to the prophet Yirmiyahu and told him to go to Bet haMiqdash and transmit this message:
CAP...
Words that hurt, words that heal. By Rabbanit Coty Bittón
Balak, king of Moab, feels threatened by Israel's presence in the area. He knows that conventional weapons will not be enough to combat this...
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT: The two aspects of Shabbat.
זכר ליציאת מצרים The notion of "rest" associated with Shabbat can be a bit confusing. The vast majority of translations of the Bible have...
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT: Shabbat, what I want vs. what I need.
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day rest...
