The Ban on Philosophy
Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet (a.k.a. the Rashba 1235-1310) was born in an age of controversy. The Jewish world was still unsettled over the first blend of “philosophy and Torah” produced by…
Scapegoat
The Jewish people have often been cast as the proverbial “scapegoat.” When millions died during the Black Plague, the Jews were accused of poisoning the wells. Blood libels accusing…
Shabbat Prayers: Lecha Dodi
Written by the 16th century kabbalist Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz, Lecha Dodi is one of the best known songs of the Friday night service. There are nine full stanzas that create an image…
Sing the Songs of Shabbat
Music is said to raise a person’s spirit (Berachot 57b), and there is no time more appropriate for joyousness than Shabbat, the day of rest. To honor Shabbat, and to bring it more…
Henna
While all Jewish weddings are centered around the chuppah (wedding canopy), the ketubah (wedding contract) and the ring, each Jewish community has its own unique customs. Of all the…
The Jews of Ethiopia
In May 1991, Operation Solomon transported 14,500 Ethiopian Jews to Israel. This was the third great rescue mission of the Ethiopian community (Operation Moses, 1984 and Operation Joshua,…
Shabbat Shabbaton – Complete Rest
In Exodus 31:14-17, the Torah once again reminds the Jewish people to keep Shabbat. In this section, however, Shabbat is referred to as Shabbat Shabbaton, which is translated as a…
Come My Beloved
The Talmud (Shabbat 116a) describes how the sages would greet Shabbat: “Rabbi Chaninah would wrap himself in his cloak and say: ‘Come, let us go and greet the Shabbat Queen.’ Rabbi Yannai…
Animal Instincts
In their natural habitats, every creature on earth helps create a balance that allows the environment to flourish. This biological fact is part of the mechanics of Planet Earth. But the…
Earthshattering Moments in One of Israel’s Holiest Cities
Tzfat (Safed), the Israeli city in the rolling hills of the Galilee, is known as one of the four holy cities of Israel, along with Tiberias, Hebron and, of course, Jerusalem. It was the…