Angel Names
Groups, in general, frequently form some sort of hierarchy. There are always those who are placed in charge, or who take charge. Since the celestial world is a mirror image of this world,…
Singing Praises
“...The prophets of the Jewish people ordained that the Hallel be recited on special occasions and celebrations [like Yom Tov], and at times of national deliverance from peril, in…
Isaiah 66 and Shabbat Rosh Chodesh
Inevitably, the holidays, weekly celebrations (Shabbat) and monthly celebrations (Rosh Chodesh) of the Jewish calendar sometimes overlap. In some instances, the holiday overrides the…
The Torah Service
The Torah Service is central to the Saturday morning synagogue service and has much ceremony and fanfare. It begins with the opening of the aron ha’kodesh (holy ark - the cabinet housing…
What’s In The Book: Joshua
The Book of Joshua (Yehoshua) is the first of the ten books known as Nevi'im, the Books of the Prophets. It begins after Moses’ death, when Joshua bin Nun assumed the leadership of the…
Shabbat Nachamu
The Shabbat following Tisha b’Av (the ninth of the Av) is called Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of Consolation, referring to the opening words of the haftarah, the weekly reading from the…
In The Wilderness
The Torah was given to the Jewish nation in the midst of the wilderness on a tiny mountain called Sinai. Throughout the Torah, however, there is much focus on the “Promised Land” and the…
How Israel Got A King
The first king of Israel, Saul, the son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, was anointed by Samuel the Prophet approximately 400 years after the Israelites conquered the land of Israel.…
Is It Good To Be The King?
Parashat Shoftim addresses many issues, among them the Jewish jurisprudential system, false prophets and the Arei Miklat, cities of refuge. The guidelines for the appointment of a future…
Singing Praises
“…The prophets of the Jewish people ordained that the Hallel (Psalms of Praise), be recited on special occasions and celebrations [like Yom Tov], and at times of national deliverance from…