19 Aug Standing Up For Judaism
How much should Judaism change to accommodate those who cannot abide its rules? When someone claims that the Torah’s laws may drive them to suicide, does this threat to life...
How much should Judaism change to accommodate those who cannot abide its rules? When someone claims that the Torah’s laws may drive them to suicide, does this threat to life...
During a brief period lead- ing up to Tisha B’Av, Jews ob- serve additional mourning practices. For Ashkenazim, the quotes three opinions on the time period of these additional restrictions,...
Don’t Disagree The mourning practices of Tisha B’Av include a prohibition on learning Torah, an activity that naturally leads to joy. Some authorities forbid learning Torah on the afternoon...
I. Strong Finish As we finish reading Bamidbar this week, we can take the time to ask why the congregation says “Chazak, chazak ve-nischazek (alt: ve-nischazak)” after completing the reading...
I. No Smell After Shabbos ends, we recite havdalah on wine, a special candle and spices for smelling, each item with its own blessing plus a blessing on separation itself marking...
DO WE SAY G-D’S NAME CORRECTLY? I. G-d’s Grammar In the early seventeenth century, scholars who were both grammarians and Kabbalists debated the proper way to pronounce G-d’s name. The Tetragrammaton (4-letter...
I. Celebrity Selfies One Motza’ei Shabbos two years ago, Jewish social media buzzed when a famous non-Jewish comedian posted a selfie with Jewish students walking in Manhattan, with a note that...
I. EMUNAH & KNOWLEDGE Judaism is founded on its core emunahs, which the Rambam lists as thirteen. But what is emunah and how do we acquire it? A better understanding of...
I. AMEN’S LIMITED IMPACT In the mid-1500’s, a Rabbi Yisrael in Adrianople initiated a new synagogue practice. On arrival in shul in early morning, a group of men would alternate reciting...