Tu biSh’vat is Coming
While it has been a difficult winter for many of us, it may be time to look beyond the turbulent weather and see that spring is just around the corner. You might wonder how one can…
One for the Queen (Or Really Three)
During the 45 year reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603), the Jewish people were still under a ban of settlement that had been in effect since their expulsion from England in 1290. In…
Where To Wear Tefillin
While Jewish Treats has previously discussed the requirements for kosher tefillin (Click here for a full description of tefillin, including the difference between the box worn on the head…
Thoughts on Shevat
Although the Torah implies that Abraham and his descendants are removed from the fate of the stars (based on Genesis 15:5, Nedarim 32a) - meaning that their personal destinies are not…
If You Thought the Spanish Expulsion Was Bad…
Those familiar with Jewish history are well aware of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain that occurred concurrently with Columbus’ sailing for the new world. A great number of these…
The Bread of the Sabbath
Challah, known to some as "Jewish bread," is one of the essential elements of the Shabbat table. Each of the three Shabbat meals begins with the blessing over two loaves of Challah, which…
Humiliation Day
Surf the web and you will find that most days on the calendar have been designated as “holidays.” Many of these holidays are intended to be cute. Others seek to acknowledge different…
No Such Thing As A Human Herd
The recent social media discussions about the meaning of the Jewish reggae star Matisyahu’s shaving his beard has raised many issues: the significance of a beard in general, Chassidic…
Favoritism
“A person should never discriminate among his children even to the extent of a thread [garment] weighing only two weight-measures of silk, similar to that which Jacob gave to Joseph but…
The Story of Chanukah
Around the year 167 B.C.E., the Syrian-Greek rulers of Judea tried to force the Jews to assimilate into Hellenic culture. They summoned the Jews to the town squares where they were forced…