There is something strange about the Chanukah celebra- tion. The festival of C h a n u k a h commemorates an extraordinary victory -- of the Mac- cabees, a relatively small and dedicated force of fighters, against one...
Ask Americans what the greatest threat we face is and you will get a range of answers. Some will say it is global warming and climate change. Others think it is the issue of illegal immigration and unsecured borders....
From My Upcoming Sefer: The Traveler’s Guide If a person is traveling and their spouse or children light the Chanukah candles at home, they fulfill their obligation through that lighting. However, there is a halachic debate regarding whether the...
Dear Rabbi and Shira , Hi. I’m a weekly reader of your column. I figured this was the right place to ask my question. On my friend’s very first date, she got...
As we all know, we use olive oil to light the Chanukah menorah. Recently, olive oil has become very popular for its health benefits. Olive oil has many other uses as well (see below). In previous years, its...
I. Reasons to Deviate Rav Yosef Karo (16th cen., Israel; Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 676:1) says that the first blessing on Chanukah lights is: “le-hadlik ner Chanukah, to kindle Chanukah light.” Many have noted how puzzling this is because the...
Rav Shalom Schwadron, who was known as “the Maggid of Yerushalayim,” once worked as a teacher in a yeshiva, and he noticed that a certain student did not attend the shiur for several nights in a row....
EASY HOMEMADE DONUT HOLES INGREDIENTS: FOR THE GLAZE: 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar 3 1/2 tablespoons whole milk or soy milk to keep pareve 2 teaspoons vanilla extract FOR THE DOUGHNUT HOLES: 5 cups vegetable oil, for frying 1...
I would like to share a beautiful insight from Rav Matisyahu Solomon relating to the popular Chanukah liturgical poem, Maoz Tzur. Perhaps the most familiar stanza of this poem (owing to the well-known song using these words) is the...
As we get ready for the very sweet festival of Chanukah, it behooves us to brush-up on its spiritual messages. In this way, we can ensure that it doesn’t become a mere season of gastronomic delight such as...