Tu b’Av and the Offering of Wood
Tu b’Av, the fifteenth of Av, which is today, was celebrated in ancient times by unmarried maidens who went out on this day to dance in the vineyards hoping to be chosen by an unmarried…
The Five Prohibitions of Yom Kippur
“…on the tenth of the month, you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all…for on that day God will forgive you and cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before God”…
The 25th of Kislev
It is not uncommon to find that significant events in Jewish history occurred in different years, but on the same date on the Jewish calendar. For instance, Tisha B’Av (9th of Av), the…
Chanukah and Divine Order
Chanukah always overlaps with at least one Shabbat (if not two), and since Chanukah begins on the 25th of Kislev and lasts for eight days, the holiday always coincides with the…
The Four Mitzvot of Purim
This year, Purim will be celebrated beginning this evening, March 6th after sunset, and continue through tomorrow, Tuesday, March 7th. Four mitzvot are associated with the holiday:…
Purim Again?
Unique to the Jewish calendar, the festival of Purim is actually observed on different days depending on a person’s location. The majority of the Jewish people celebrate Purim on the 14th…
Isru Chag
The day after vacation is often a time of distraction and disorientation. The same is true of the day following a religious holiday, especially after one of the week-long holidays…
Does Life Begin at 40?
In 1932 Walter Pitkin published his popular self-help book, Life Begins at Forty. Truthfully, before the 20th century, life expectancy, on average, rarely exceeded 40. The number 40 is…
Burying The Dead
An unusually large body of Jewish law is concerned with interpersonal relationships, teaching how to properly respect each person, since all of humankind is created b’tzelem Eh-lokim, in…
Kiss and Make Up
Today, August 25th, is the anonymously anointed “Kiss and Make Up Day.” These modern “holidays” have little historic meaning, but Jewish Treats would be remiss in not noting that the…