Rabbi David Messer Leon (1470-1526)

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Rabbi David ben Yehuda Messer-Leon (דוד מיסיר-ליאון) was born in Venice, Italy, 1470.  He was educated at Naples in the school of his father...

AMIDA (Berakha 01). God, our protector

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The 'amida consists of nineteen blessings, or short prayers which end with a blessing. The first blessing of the Amida is called "Abot", which...

AMIDA: God, open my lips….

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  ה' שפתי תפתח ופי יגיד תהִלתך Before we begin the 'amida, we recite a very special verse from the book of Psalms, (51:15) "God, open...

Rabbi Ya’aqob Berab (1474-1546) and the renewal of Rabbinic ordination

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 Rabbi Ya'aqob Berab was born in the town of Maqueda, near Toledo, Spain, in 1474.  His teacher was the celebrated rabbi Isaac Abohab, Gaon...

AMIDA: The basic 3.6.6.1.3 structure

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The 'amida is the most important prayer. It was composed by anshe keneset hagedola, the Men of the Great Assembly during the Fifth century...

AMIDA: The after effects of the ‘Amida

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Last week we explained that prayer, particularly the 'amida, requires kavana, the proper state of mind. When praying the 'amida we don't allow mundane...

TEFILA: The basics of the ‘amida

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The 'amida or Shemona-Esre --also called by our Rabbis "Tefila"-- is the most important prayer. It is said every day, three times a day,...

Maimonides, ‘aboda zara, 11:11: The healing powers of words.

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Last week we explained the idea of the hober, a wizard or enchanter who uses spells to invoke supernatural effects (seethis). By "spells" we mean...

SHABBAT: Removing snow on Shabbat

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In most Israeli cities snow is not very common.  This year, however, there were large amounts of snow, especially in Yerushalayim, and many rabbis referred...

Rabbi Ya’aqob Sasportas (1610-1698)

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Rabbi Ya'aqob Sasportas was born in Oran, Algeria, in 1610. A prodigious child, at the age of eighteen he was elected as the Dayan ...