The Power of Shabbat
Jewish life ebbs and flows around the celebration of Shabbat. The days of the week are labelled by a count toward Shabbat (Sunday is Yom Rishon, the first day; Monday is Yom Shaynee, the…
Religious Recycling
Organized recycling is a development of the modern world, and from the current understanding of the concept, is not discussed in the Talmud. After all, in the era when the sages were…
A Day Without Sleep
While Rosh Hashana is frequently translated as “new year,” the literal meaning of the Hebrew words is “ head of the year.” According to Jewish tradition, one’s actions on these auspicious…
All Vows
Yom Kippur begins this evening before sunset with the recitation of Kol Nidre, which is actually the prelude to the evening service.Kol Nidre, which literally means "All…
Shortcut Through Shul
It is a common complaint that our society, always in a hurry, lacks respect for that which was once respected. People no longer dress their best to go to the theater, nor are they…
The Fast of the 17th of Tammuz
Everyone knows about Yom Kippur. There are, however, several other fast days in the Jewish calendar that are not nearly as well known. Tomorrow, on July 15, the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz…
Bring Back Our Boys
Tonight marks the third Shabbat since three Israeli boys,Yaakov Naftali ben Rachel Devorah, Gilad Michael ben Bat Galim and Ayal ben Iris Tishrah, were…
Whose First Fruits
When the Oral Law was first codified, most Jews lived in agrarian settings. Today, being less familiar with agrarian culture, some people find it difficult to relate to some of the…
My Kids’ Inheritance
There’s a cute bumper sticker that says “I’m spending my kids’ inheritance.” If you were to ask whether the great Jewish scholars would approve of such an attitude, you might be surprised…
Under Cover of Darkness
Of the ten plagues that devastated the land of Egypt, the plague of darkness appears to be the most benign. Certainly being trapped in the dark is frightening (sensory deprivation is a…