When Pesach’s Eve Falls on a Shabbat
A SINGULAR YEAR
This year, the celebration of Pesach will be a bit more special because the Pesach Seder will take place on a Saturday...
The Meanings of Matsa
The most characteristic Mitsva of Pesach is to consume Matsa (in English: matzah"). Matsa replaces ordinary "bread." And it is, in fact, a type...
What Is and What Is Not Chamets?
We cannot eat, benefit from, or even own Chamets during Pesach. Today, we will explain what is and what is NOT Chamets.
THE FIVE GRAINS...
PARASHAT HACHODESH: Why do we call this coming month “Nisan”?
חזרנו לקרוא החודשים בשם שנקראים בארץ בבל, להזכיר כי שם עמדנו ומשם העלנו ה’ רמב”ן שמות י”ב , 2
This Saturday, March 29th, we will begin...
The Fifth Cup, and Eliyahu haNabi
והוצאתי והצלתי וגאלתי ולקחתי והבאתי
BLESSINGS OVER A CUP OF WINE
Reciting a blessing over a cup of wine is an ancient Jewish tradition...
Pesach, through Haroset
"And embittered the lives the hardest works, mud and bricks..."
Exodus 1:14
POLITICAL FREEFALL
For several decades Jews had a privileged life in...
Regular Matsa vs. Matsa Shemura
The Matsa is a special bread made of a flat dough. The dough is prepared exclusively with flour and water and without yeast. The...
The Land of Israel or the State of Israel?
THE LAND OF ISRAEL
Jerusalem was not always the vibrant capital of the Jewish state that we know today. For centuries, the few Yehudim who...
MEGILLAT ESTER -CHAPTER THREE
VERSES 1-7
After some time, King Achashverosh appointed a new prime minister: Haman, son of Hamedata, the Agagite. Agag was from the nation of Amalek,...
Singing the Hallel in Yerushalayim
Pesach was celebrated with great joy in the times of the Bet haMiqdash (the Temple of Jerusalem, destroyed in the year 68 of the...
Understanding the Never-Ending Palestinian Conflict
WRITTEN FEBRUARY 2024
RELIGION AND TERRITORY
Today, I am going to address a topic related to Islam, which must be known to more appropriately understand whether...
Shabbat Sheqalim
In the time of the Bet haMiqdash, the Temple of Jerusalem, communal sacrifices (qorbanot) were offered daily on behalf of the entire Jewish people....
TERUMA: Are Jews generous?
FORCED LABOR
In this week's Parasha, Teruma, we begin reading about the Mishkan or Tabernacle, which was the Temple built by the people of Israel...
MISHPATIM: Who wrote the Tora?
This week's Parasha contains a large number of Mitsvot: 53. Almost all of these precepts are categorized as mishpatim, or civil laws. This code...
TERUMA: Parasha Summary
This Parasha describes God's instructions to Moses to invite the people to contribute whatever they can or want to contribute to the construction of...
TERUMA: Respect For What You Were
This week's Parasha describes among other things the Ark of the Covenant, or aron haberit. The Ark was inside the Qodesh HaQodashim, the most...
MISHPATIM: Human Law vs Divine Law
ואלה המשפטים אשר תשים לפניהם
כי תקנה עבד עברי
This week’s Parasha contains many Mitsvot, almost all of them belonging to the category of “Mishpatim”, Civil...
MISHPATIM: The Rights Of A Jewish Wife
The Ketuba, which is the Jewish marriage document, outlines the husband's obligations to his wife. During the wedding ceremony, the groom declares that he...
TU BISHBAT, understanding why you need a new year for trees
Tu Bishbat is the "new year of the trees." This "new year or cycle" is an halakhic concept relevant to some commandments of the...
