ROSH CHODESH: We and the moon
The Jewish month follows the moon's cycle of 29 days and a half. That is why sometimes we have one day of Rosh Chodesh...
SEFIRAT HAOMER: Counting the days
In the times of the Bet haMiqdash, during the second day of Pesach, an offering was presented in the altar of the Temple which...
SHABBAT: Cooking from Yom Tob to Shabbat
Erub Tabshilin means "mixing of foods," whereby one prepares a plate with food prior to a Jewish Holiday (Yom Tob) which will be followed by...
Lending Money and Tzedaqa
One of the 613 Mitzvot of the Tora is lending money, without interest, to a fellow Jew who needs it (Shemot 22:24). Helping a...
The 13 principles of Jewish faith: # 6: the mission of the Prophets (3...
Many people think of a prophet as any person who sees the future. While the gift of prophecy certainly includes the ability to see the...
RELIGIOUS INTEGRITY: Lying to preserve peace
Our Tora is very strict with the prohibition of lying. In Shemot 23:7 the Pasuq says:midebar sheqer tirchaq "Keep yourself away from lying". There are...
SHABBAT: At-risk youth and Shabbat dinner
"A core predictor of which families produce children who grow up to be described as "mentchen" (=decent and good) children is the amount and...
Rabbi Yehuda Bibas (1776-1852) and the independence of Israel
Previously we explained (see here) that Rabbi Yehuda Bibas served as the chief rabbi of the island of Corfu (today's Greece) from the year 1831...
PRINCIPLE 6: The Prophets of Israel (2 of 3)
Last week we explained what were the three prerequisites for a person to be a candidate for prophecy (see here). Besides being a God fearing...
RELIGIOUS INTEGRITY: Representing and misrepresenting God
The Tora is very strict about our obligation to say the truth and our duty to keep away from falsehood. Speaking the truth and...
