Eruvin: Dissenters And Protesters

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

In order to carry from one's home into the street (even when the area is enclosed by a properly constructed eruv), the eruvin ceremony must be performed. This ceremony involves the placing of food in one designated home on behalf of all Sabbath observers in the enclosed area. In order for the eruvin ceremony to be valid, however, it must be performed on behalf of all owners of streets and homes in the enclosed area.

Lost Cap

Posted on: May 17th, 2013

Kabbalat Shabbat At The Bimah

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Hymie was visiting Israel and enjoying an afternoon with his grandchildren in the park. After pushing them on the swings and watching them slither down the slides, he went to sit down on a bench in the corner of the park.

Posted on: May 17th, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Question: On Friday night the chazzan in many shuls ascends the bimah for Kabbalat Shabbos but goes to the amud starting for Barchu. Why?

Posted on: May 14th, 2013

Celebrating Yom Yerushalayim

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Summer Eruvin ‘A Separate Contribution From Each’ (Eruvin 72b)

Posted on: May 9th, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Question: Is there anything special that one should do on Yom Yerushalayim?

Posted on: May 9th, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Spreading the Wealth ‘Giving to Only One Poor Person’ (Eruvin 63a)

The Riverdale Eruv

Posted on: May 8th, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

The purpose of the eruv is to enclose on all sides the area in which one wants to carry, so that it becomes a private domain, a reshut hayachid. If the area in question is a karmelit, a space that qualifies neither as a public domain nor as a private domain, gaps in the eruv structure may be bridged by means of a constructive or symbolic doorway called tzurat hapetach. A tzurat hapetach is made up of two posts, each called a lechi, and a crossbeam or overhead wire called a korah.

Take It Or Leave It?

Posted on: May 8th, 2013

The Friday Night Simchat Bat

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

The winter was over, and the days began to get longer and warmer. The sun shone brightly in clear skies, grass and flowers were blooming, and the trees were producing layers of green foliage.

Posted on: May 1st, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Question: Upon the birth of a son, common custom is to hold a Shalom Zachor on Friday evening for family and friends. But what about the birth of a girl? Some Modern Orthodox families hold a Simchat Bat on Friday night, but there doesn’t seem to be a source for this in Jewish literature. Are these Jews acting properly?

Posted on: May 1st, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

A Sage View ‘It Needs A Partition To Divide It’ (Eruvin 47b-48a)

Public Passage

Posted on: May 1st, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Pleasantville was a quiet suburban town with large properties and curving roads that wound around them. Mr. Feder lived just behind the local shul. Since the road wound around his property, people coming to shul on Shabbos would often take a shortcut through his property to walk to shul. The treaded area of earth marked the place where people made their way weekly. The through traffic did not bother Mr. Feder, as his house was on the other end of the property. He never made a fuss about it, but had never officially sanctioned this public shortcut.

Posted on: April 24th, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Twin Cities ‘A City Is Given A Karpif’ (Eruvin 57a)

A Drill For A Saw

Posted on: April 24th, 2013

A Break In Mourning During Sefirat Ha’Omer

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Betzalel was a "fix-it" man who enjoyed carpentry as a hobby. He did many home improvements himself, which he found both economical and enjoyable. He was now building a swing set for his children, happily sawing, drilling, hammering, and bolting the pieces.

Posted on: April 24th, 2013

Eruvei Techumin, Ships, Planes And Mashiach

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Question: Why do we interrupt sefirah mourning on Lag B’Omer? When a person observes a personal mourning period (for the loss of a loved one), he never takes a “break” no matter what. Why should sefirah be different?

Posted on: April 24th, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

“On Shabbat, every person must remain in his residence,” said Moshe to the people, forbidding them to walk more than a certain distance beyond their desert encampment. This distance, which measures two thousand amot – about two thirds of a mile – is known as techum Shabbat. It is the same distance that stretched from the perimeters of the Levite cities to their outlying suburbs.

A Break In Mourning

Posted on: April 17th, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Posted on: April 17th, 2013

Laws And Customs Concerning Sefirah

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

An Early Navigational Instrument ‘Rabbi Gamliel Used His Tube To Measure…’ (Eruvin 43b)

Posted on: April 17th, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

In the movie “The Paper Chase,” a Harvard student rips out a page of the law report so that his fellow student will be unable to read it and will come to the lecture unprepared. About 2,000 years earlier a student lay feverishly ill in the academy of Rabbi Akiva in Bnei Brak. So caught up were the other students in the competitiveness of their learning that they found no time to visit him or take care of him. As the student lay dying, Rabbi Akiva himself entered the sick room, fed him, made him comfortable and swept the dust from the floor. The sick student survived. His peers did not.

Babysitter Bonus

Posted on: April 17th, 2013

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

For a number of years Mrs. Baum hadn't worked but instead stayed home watching her young children. As their youngest child approached pre-school age, she decided to enter the work force again. Half a year before she planned to return to work, she began sending out resumes, networking and speaking with potential contacts.

Chametz Cookies

Posted on: April 11th, 2013