Can You Count to 49?
There is a commandment (Leviticus 23:15) to count the 49 days that immediately follow the first night of Passover and, on the 50th night, to celebrate the holiday of Shavuot. This period…
Can You Count To 49?
There is a commandment (Leviticus 23:15) to count the 49 days that immediately follow the first night of Passover and, on the 50th night, to celebrate the holiday of Shavuot. This period…
The Holy Ari: Rabbi Isaac ben Solomon Luria
When Rabbi Isaac ben Solomon Luria arrived in Safed, in 1569, the town had already become a center of Jewish learning, with a particular emphasis on the kabbalah (Jewish mysticism). By…
Breslov
“To always be happy is a great mitzvah.” These famous words of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov have inspired the followers of his teachings to strive to achieve true simcha (happiness) in their…
The Blessings of the Amidah: Rebuilding Jerusalem
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The fourteenth blessing begins a new focus on the time of redemption, beginning with the restoration…
The Blessings of the Amidah: On Behalf of the Righteous
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The thirteenth blessing is the opposite of the one before; it is a prayer for the righteous, with the…
Sabbath Prayers: The Blessings Over The Torah
On Shabbat morning, seven different people are called to recite the blessings over the reading of the Torah. Each person is referred to as the oleh, "he who has come up." The blessings…
Sabbath Prayers: Mizmor Shir L’Yom Ha’Shabbat / A Song for the Sabbath Day
While much of the Kabbalat Shabbat service (service to greet the Sabbath) was implemented by the Kabbalists in Tzefat in the 16th century, Psalm 92 has been recited on Friday nights since…
The Blessings of the Amidah: God’s Might
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The second blessing is a meditation on God’s might and His role in the basic flow of life. Ah’tah gibor…
Can You Count To 49?
There is a Biblical commandment (Leviticus 23:15) to count the 49 days that immediately follow the first night of Passover and, on the 50th night, to celebrate the holiday of Shavuot.…