The Food of Yom Kippur
Food on Yom Kippur? Isn’t Yom Kippur the most famous fast day on the Jewish calendar? “One who eats and drinks on the ninth, is considered by the Torah to have fasted on both the ninth…
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…
Reuben, Son of Jacob
Our forefather Jacob’s departing words to his firstborn son were: “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and my initial vigor, foremost in rank and foremost in power. Water-like…
The Three Weeks
“When Av enters, we must lessen our rejoicing,” declare the Talmudic sages in Ta’anit 26b. In truth, however, his period of "sadness" begins on the 17th of Tammuz (yesterday) and lasts…
The Truth About Gefilte Fish
There is a little known secret that, hidden in what was once the Russian Pale of Settlement (basically Belarus and Eastern Poland), there is a deep, fresh water lake stocked with the…
Oh My Gosh…Passover Is Coming
The intensive physical and emotional preparations for Passover come from one seemingly simple commandment: “Seven days you will eat only matzah, but on the first day you shall have put…
An Eye For Civil Law
You’ve heard the phrase “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand...” And you’ve likely heard frightening stories of societies in which this biblical rule is applied…
Praying In Many Ways
Many nutritionists recommend that a person should have three square meals a day to maintain his/her physical well-being. Spiritual nutritionists (our sages) recommend that for the utmost…
With Your Permission
Dear Miss Manners: Yesterday, a friend knocked on my door. I invited him in and he proceeded to grab a snack out of the fridge, watch a movie on my TV and then hopped on to my exercise…
Watch What You Say
One of the greatest figures in early-twentieth century Jewish life was a modest rabbi known as the “Chofetz Chaim” (Translation: He who desires life), in honor of his first published…