Ten Grand

Posted on: May 22nd, 2013

Samuel Scherr was a very successful businessman. He also was generous and would share of his wealth with others. In this way, he became the uncle of favor to his nieces and nephews, whom he would frequently shower with gifts.

Daf Yomi

Posted on: May 22nd, 2013

Detached Or Unrelated ‘He Made An Asheirah Tree Into a Ladder…’ (Eruvin 78b)

Carrying, Eruvin And Manhattan

Posted on: May 22nd, 2013

One of the thirty-nine prohibited melachot on Shabbat is carrying an object from a private domain, reshut hayachid, to a public domain, reshut harabim, or carrying an object a distance of four amot, six to eight feet, in a reshut harabim. The Torah does permit, however, carrying within the reshut hayachid itself. The definition of a reshut hayachid and a reshut harabim is crucial, therefore, to the laws of carrying on Shabbat.

A Song For The Future

Posted on: May 22nd, 2013

Question: The Midrash notes that the song the Jews sang after they crossed the Red Sea (“Az Yashir”) was unique; its likes had never been heard before in the world. Our Sages even refer to it as a shirah chadashah, a “new song.” What made “Az Yashir” so unique and in what sense was it a “new song”?

Eruvin: Dissenters And Protesters

Posted on: May 17th, 2013

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

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.

Kabbalat Shabbat At The Bimah

Posted on: May 17th, 2013

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

Daf Yomi

Posted on: May 14th, 2013

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

Celebrating Yom Yerushalayim

Posted on: May 9th, 2013

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

Daf Yomi

Posted on: May 9th, 2013

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

The Riverdale Eruv

Posted on: May 8th, 2013

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 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.

The Friday Night Simchat Bat

Posted on: May 1st, 2013

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?

Daf Yomi

Posted on: May 1st, 2013

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

Public Passage

Posted on: May 1st, 2013

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.

Daf Yomi

Posted on: April 24th, 2013

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

A Drill For A Saw

Posted on: April 24th, 2013

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.

A Break In Mourning During Sefirat Ha’Omer

Posted on: April 24th, 2013

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?

Eruvei Techumin, Ships, Planes And Mashiach

Posted on: April 24th, 2013

“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

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?