Holidays

The 49 days between Passover and Shavou'ot are dedicated to enhancing one's behavior, following in the footsteps of the Jews, who forged/enhanced their own national character during the 40 years in the desert.

Since a sukkah is a diras aray, a temporary structure, we don’t need a reminder of the dwelling place being temporary compared to Olam Habah.

To see God’s Hand in our world is represented in the “bread of faith” known as the Matzah. To lose sight of God’s Hand in this world is represented by the Chometz.

“The joy of Purim, the merrymaking, the food, the drink, the whole carnival atmosphere, are there to allow us to live with the risks of being a Jew – in the past, and tragically in the present also – without being terrified, traumatised or intimidated.”

In the City of David, the place where Jerusalem began, the evidence of those periods and their tragic end are being revealed, bringing to light all that was lost and the incredible endeavors to reveal and rebuild our beloved and eternal capital.

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Wishing you a joyous Chanukah

Chanukah commemorates our victory over the Syrian-Greeks and the Hellenists – Jews who betrayed their own people in order to curry favor with the gentiles.

Only 1 mitzvah I couldn't keep in their prison: Sukkah; How could I build a Sukkah in a KGB camp!

The pasuk implies that only after Hashem extends his rachamim to this person and he is able to remain a compassionate person, will Hashem have rachmanus on him.

Thoughts on the holy chag of Lag Ba'Omer.

Wishing you a Tzom kal (an easy fast)

May this Shemita year hasten the coming of the Mashiach.; Shana Tova U’Mevurechet

Rabbeinu Tam has an ingenious solution for how to have Seudah Shlishit on Erev Pesach: eat matzah ashirah [egg matzah].

The temporary structure of the Sukkah highlights the historical significance of the permanent Jewish State in the Land of Israel Chag Sameach!

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To lead meaningful Jewish lives, our personal journeys must be actively shaped by the events and populated by the personalities of our peoples’ past.

On Shavuot, the Nation of Israel approached the Temple rejoicing in our blessings, rejoicing in each others' blessings; In Rashi's famous words, "As one person, with one heart."

Contrary to popular belief, the Talmud never explicitly limits the ban on footwear to leather shoes.

With thousands of Haggadot in print, it can be overwhelming to decide what to buy and what to use at the Seder. Just like kashering the home for Pesach requires preparation, so too the material for the Seder. And according to the investment is the return. Below are twenty of my favorite Haggadot.

The Holocaust was the latest attempt of Amalek to destroy the special bond that we enjoy with God.

When we return to our routines, things don’t have to go back to exactly the way they were.

Can you count to "49"?

The same is true for all spiritual circles. The ideal is not to transcend the circular system, but to uplift it, to transform the circle into a spiral, to find innovative ways of creating newness within the circular system, not beyond it.

Sin should be painful, not because of any punishment we’ll receive, says Chassidus, but because it separate us from Hashem.

The sign above the doorpost

The author of the book Ronit Treatman, the daughter of Israeli diplomats who speaks several languages and lives in Philadelphia, was inspired to write the book after she became involved with the Bnei Anousim, the tens of millions of people around the world descended from forcibly converted Spanish and Portuguese Jews through the organization Reconectar.

Shavuot is the holiday of the Torah, which impacted the US Constitution in particular and the state of Western morality, liberty, and democracy in general. Shavuot is celebrated by decorating homes and houses of worship with Land of Israel-related fruit, vegetables, herb and flowers, demonstrating the indigenous connection between the Torah of Israel, the People of Israel, and the Land of Israel.

Good Shabbos, Good Yom Tov, Kesiva Vichasima Tova

Ari Fuld uncovers and explores the real miracle and lessons of Chanukah.