Last week we explained that the Shem haMeforash, the main name of HaShem, is written in one way and it is pronounced in a...

הויאל והיות הגוף בריא ושלם, מדרכי ה' הוא , שהרי אי אפשר שיבין או יידע והוא חולה צריך אדם להרחיק עצמו מדברים המאבדין את...

As we have previously explained, our rabbis introduced two prayers for the rain in the 'amida. One is barekh 'alenu (the ninth berakha of...

SHEMINI ATSERET The day after the seventh day of Sukkot (also known as hosha'na rabba) we celebrate another Holiday: "Shemini Atseret" which  technically, is a...

The days of Sukkot were days of a special happiness in the Bet haMiqdash (Temple of Jerusalem). In addition to the Biblical commandment of...

  ושמחת בחגך אתה ובנך ובתך ועבדך ואמתך והגר והיתום והאלמנה אשר בשעריך דב' 16:13-15 Besides living in the Sukka and taking the four species, in Sukkot...

"And, you shall take on the first day a fruit of a citric tree (etrog), branches of palm-trees (lulab), a branch of myrtle...

Rabbi Ya’aqob ibn Habib was born in Zamora, Spain in 1460. He was one of the greatest rabbis and Talmudist of his time and...

Today, Sunday September 28, 2014, is the fast of Gedalia, a fast-day instituted by the Rabbis to remember the assassination of Gedalia Ben Ahiqam, the governor of...

  ִבקראי ענני א'  צדקי, בצר הרחבת לי חנני ושמע תפילתי (4:2) My righteous God, answer me when I call to You. Grant me relief from...

The rabbis consider 'shame' (busha) as one of the three components of the Jewish ethico-genetical makeup. Together with the practice of benevolence (gemilut hasadim)...

"What is considered a perfect act of repentance? When one is faced with the same opportunity to repeat the original transgression, but...

Today, I want to write about a very special Psalm, which I think is very appropriate for a time when our sons and brothers,...

As we have explained (see this), on the 17th of Tamuz of the year 68 of the CE, after many months of siege, the...

This coming Tuesday, July 15th, we will commemorate the 17th of Tamuz, a fast-day. Five tragedies happened to the Jewish people on this day. 1. The...

Rabbi Yishma'el haCohen was born in the city of Modena, Italy, in 1723. He was considered the most important rabbi (poseq) of his generation...

אמרו עליו על ריב"ז שלא הקדימו אדם שלום מעולם ואפילו נכרי בשוקIt was said of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai that no one ever preceded...

Rabbi Menashe Setton ( סתהון , also Sittehon or Sutton)  was born in Aram Soba (Aleppo) Syria.  He was a great Tora scholar, well...

In this Psalm David haMelekh prays to God to save him from the hand of his enemies. ה' מָה-רַבּוּ צָרָי  רַבִּים, קָמִים עָלָי. David recognizes that...

ברכת הקב"ה היא שלום, שנאמר  ה'  יברך את עמו בשלום The last berakha of the 'amida, sim shalom, is the blessing in which we ask...