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...
