SPECIAL EDITION: The Touro Synagogue
Today, I had the pleasure to pray in the beautiful Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island.
In 1658, approximately 15 Jews from Barbados settled in...
SHABBAT: Wearing vs. Carrying
Last Friday we explained that carrying an object is a melakha, i.e., an activity forbidden on Shabbat. That includes transferring an item from one...
The Ten Commandments: what makes them special?
As a preparation for the festival of shabu'ot, less than three weeks away, I will begin today a review of the Ten commandments.
The...
TEFILA: What shoes are you wearing today?
כשהוא נועל את נעליו, הוא אומר: ברוך שעשה לי כל צרכי
As we have previously explained (see this) birkot haShahar describe all the activities (mini...
SHABBAT: Carrying an object outdoors
Last Friday we began our overview of the melakha (=an activity which is forbidden to perform on Shabbat) named "hotza-a", i.e., carrying, transferring an object from...
Yom haZikaron 2013
Israel Independence Day--YOM HAATZMAUT--which will begin tonight, celebrates the anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel. Today, YOM HAZIKARON, the day preceding this...
SPECIAL EDITION: Yom HaZikaron, 2013
MUST WATCHAn intense and moving testimony of a Israeli mother, Miriam Peretz, who lost her TWO sons in the war. This is a solemn and...
SHABBAT: “hotza-a”, introduction to the melakha of carrying.
There are 39 activities that are forbidden in Shabbat (melakhot , see here). One of them is called in Hebrew hotza-a, i.e., carrying, transporting or transferring...
Pirqe Abot 2:2, Rabban Gamliel vs. Intellectual Arrogance
"Rabban Gamliel the son of Rabbi Yehuda the Prince, said: The study of Tora is good combined with the good ways of the world...
Pirqe Abot 1:7, friendship and second-hand smoke
To prepare ourselves for the day of Shabu'ot, the day we received the Tora, it is customary to study pirqe abot, the "Chapters of the...
The Habdala Ceremony
Previously, we saw the different opinions regarding the time Shabbat ends ( see here). We also began to explain the Habdala ceremony, which is the official...
PESAH: List of approved foods and products for 5773
The foods and products described in the following list do not contain Hametz and are authorized for Pesah 5773.The products mentioned in this list...
PURIM: Why Mordekhay did not bow down to Haman?
When King Aḥashverosh appointed Haman as his Chief of Staff he ordered all the officers of the King's court to bow-down to him. Everyone...
Haman, the genius megalomanic
The villain of the story of Purim is Haman ben Hamedata, a descendant of Amaleq. King Aḥashverosh appointed Haman as his Vizier (or Chief...
SHABBAT: Understanding the Habdala ceremony
The fourth of the Ten commandments states: "Remember the day of Shabbat to sanctify it". This means that we should sanctify the Shabbat with...
THE 13 PRINCIPLES: # 13: Tehiyat hametim, just for the...
The thirteenth principle of the Jewish faith states our believe that the dead will be brought back to life. This is known as resurrection...
Rabbi Eliyahu Hazan: The first Sephardic Bat-Mitzva
After being in Tripoli for a few years (see this), rabbi Eliyahu Hazan was invited to serve the Jewish community of Alexandria, Egypt, replacing...
TEFILA: Our ability to walk upright (hamekhin mis’ade gaber)
כשהוא הולך, הוא אומר: ברוך המכין מצעדי גבר.
This blessing, "Blessed are You, haShem, our God, King of the universe, Who makes firm the steps...
SHABBAT: At what time does Shabbat end?
We have explained that Shabbat begins at sunset and that we are instructed to add some additional time at the beginning of Shabbat. Thus,...
PRINCIPLE 12: When will the Messiah come, according to Maimonides?
In the last chapter (Chapter 1000th) of his monumental book Mishne Tora, Maimonides conveys a very interesting idea about the Messianic times, which sheds...
