The Perfect Species
At this time of the year, Jews around the globe head out in search of the perfect lulav and etrog (lulav refers to the grouping of lulav, hadassim and aravot, which, together with the…
Joined Together as One
Recognize that the significance of picking up the Four Species together at once represents the symbolic joining together of all Jews regardless of background and level of prior Jewish…
Offer Assistance
If you are told that someone’s Hebrew name has been changed or that a Hebrew name was added to an individual’s name, try to find out if you can be helpful to them during a time that may…
Hail the Holy Pomegranate
The pomegranate is a funny sort of fruit. Rather than eating the flesh and throwing away the seed, as one does when eating an apple or orange, pomegranate seeds are the parts that are…
The Three Mitzvot of Sarah
Jokes about dominant Jewish mothers are abundant and frequent. Perhaps this is because, historically, Jewish mothers have been responsible for building the foundation for passionate…
Rachel’s Tomb?
Kever Rochel, the Tomb of Rachel, in Bethlehem is considered to be the third holiest site in Jewish tradition, after the Temple Mount and The Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. The…
Request Wisdom and Guidance
The decision whether to use diplomacy, prayer or action or all three is not an easy one. Consider approaching a rabbi to seek wisdom and request guidance when faced with a particularly…
Giving Gifts
“A person who is diligent in lighting Chanukah candles will have children who are scholars” (Talmud Shabbat 23b). The desire for scholarly children was actually one of the motivations for…
Majority Rules
After the Torah was given, Moses served as the sole judge of the Jewish people until a judicial hierarchy was established at the suggestion of Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. One judge was…
Love and Reverence
This Shabbat, think about all the wonderful gifts that you have been given by our Father in heaven. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers with the words “I am Joseph,” why did he…