Preparing for the Torah

Shortly after the Israelites encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, they agreed to accept the Torah and do all that God had commanded. And so, God declared that He would bring Himself, in…

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Protecting the Torah

“Moses received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua; Joshua to the elders; the elders to the prophets; and the prophets handed it down to the men of the Great Assembly.…

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Preparing for the Torah

Shortly after the Israelites encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, they agreed to accept the Torah and do all that God had commanded. And so, God declared that He would bring Himself, in…

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Labor, Technology and the Torah

Labor celebrations have taken place throughout North America since the 1880s, and Labor Day became an official U.S. holiday in 1894. As students of history are well aware, in the decades…

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Preparing for the Torah

Shortly after the Israelites encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, they agreed to accept the Torah and do all that God had commanded. And so, God declared that He would bring Himself, in…

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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…

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Sabbath Prayers: The Blessings Over The Torah

On Shabbat morning, seven different people are called to recite the blessings over the reading of the Torah. Each person is referred to as the oleh, "he who has come up." The blessings…

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War In The Torah

The Torah’s protocols of war begin with the following verse: "When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses, chariots and a nation greater than you..." (Deuteronomy 20).…

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Preparing for the Torah

Shortly after the Israelites encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, they agreed to accept the Torah and do all that God had commanded. And so, God declared that He would bring Himself, in…

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Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah

The holiday of Shemini Atzeret, literally the “Gathering of the Eighth,” is a connected, yet independent holiday that immediately follows Sukkot, which begins tonight. During the seven…

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