For Your Eyes Only
Did you know that according to the U.S. Postal Service, willfully and knowingly reading someone else's mail is a federal offense. That’s right, even that department store bill addressed…
Becoming a Rabbi
Today's Jewish Treats presents a history of “the Rabbi.” The basic definition of a rabbi is someone who has received rabbinic ordination from a respected rabbi or authorized…
Love and Hate
The juxtaposition between love and hate is fascinating. The relationship between love and hate has been a muse for poets, a conundrum for philosophers and a source of anxiety for…
Finally Buried
On the 4th of Adar 1307, the Maharam of Rothenberg was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Worms–fourteen years after his death. The rabbi’s remains were released from the fortress of…
The Tribe of Simeon
As the forefathers of the 12 tribes, the lives and personalities of each of the sons of Jacob impacted upon the history and behavior of the tribe that was to descend from them. The…
What You Know
Astronomy plays an important role in Jewish life because it is the means by which we calculate the months and, therefore, the holidays--based on the cycles of the moon. Astrology…
Frequent Flyer Miles
As far back as the mid-1800s, rabbis wrestled with the question of the growing mobility of the populace. Since there were no new lands to be discovered, those of an exploring nature were…
Jewish Genetics
The fact that one’s genetic code is a combination of the DNA one inherits from both mother and father is a basic lesson of high school biology. According to traditional Jewish…
Cooked Wine
Among the discussions of the many details of Jewish life recorded in the Mishna, the first written compilation of the oral law, is the following: “If a Jewish laborer is hired by a…
Heretic
The Jewish nation is a people of faith and, as part of our unique combination of peoplehood and religion, must grapple with defining heresy. Jewish life has a basic, structured framework,…