Shemini Atseret and Simhat Tora
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...
For the first time since the destruction of the Second Temple…
The days of Sukkot were days of a special happiness in the Bet haMiqdash (Temple of Jerusalem). In addition to the Biblical commandment of...
SUKKOT, The commandment to be happy
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...
SUKKOT, and the fantastic four species
"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 (1460-1516)
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...
The Fast of Gedalia
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...
TEHILIM # 04: Save me from my enemies
ִ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...
TESHUBA and Chutzpa
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)...
TESHUBA, in front of a camera
"What is considered a perfect act of repentance? When one is faced with the same opportunity to repeat the original transgression, but...
TEHILIM # 144: A Psalm from the battlefiled
Today, I want to write about a very special Psalm, which I think is very appropriate for a time when our sons and brothers,...
