Judaism

From a Jewish calendrical perspective, Rosh Hashanah, the Ten Days of Repentance, and Yom Kippur embody a fresh start perspective with change embedded in the framework of the new year.

If the malach wouldn’t have struck him, Nevuchadnezzar would have disgraced all of David HaMelech’s praises and songs in Sefer Tehillim.

There are times when each of us has to decide, not just “What shall I do?” but “What kind of person shall I be?”

The Four Questions were composed as a prelude for the father to fulfill his biblical obligation. But what often happens is that a big to-do surrounds the Four Questions while the answers are not given the attention they deserve.

Question: My family custom is not to don tefillin on Chol HaMo’ed. What should I do if I come to a shul where it’s the custom to don tefillin on these days? M. Jakobowitz

Chametz this year has to be sold on Friday since Chazal prohibited transactions on Shabbos, and some say that you can’t even sell on Friday with the stipulation that the sale take effect on Shabbos.

The Seder is not just an educational and intellectual experience; it’s also a unique opportunity to say thank you together with our loved ones to Hashem for the fact that He chose us as His nation and gave us His wonderful mitzvos.

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

Israeli archaeologist Dr. Shmuel Yeivin (1896-1982) writes that some scholars have proposed that “chermesh” is a “sickle” while “magal” is a larger “scythe.”

Is it appropriate to introduce “gimmicks” at the Seder (like 10 toys for the 10 makos) in an effort to make it more fun for children? Or should the Seder be more dignified and formal?

It's written that only in happiness can we be redeemed. We leave the bad behind and in peace we will be led to salvation.

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Although there is a strong basis for our propensity to be more stringent on Pesach than we are during the rest of the year, we should not turn that into a blanket attitude in which stringency is always followed, regardless of the other values at stake

It took approximately two weeks, but finally a doctor checked him out. He was given permission to sit down for guard duty, and he didn’t take part in various physical exercises and marches. There was no way that he could train other soldiers with this medical issue.

Rav Yeruchum continues to say that before the geula, Hashem will take away anything that anyone could possibly think of relying on. This is in order for us to realize that the only thing that we can rely on is Hashem.

Torah study shouldn’t be saved for our retirement. We should run to learn.

In Our Days ‘We Do Not Seize a Surety From Children’ (Shekalim 3b)

Although yearly statements may show gains, there is no obligation to give maaser until shares are redeemed.

Perhaps one of the goals of the requirement to bring these sacrifices is to create psychological safety for sin and failure. The institution of sacrifices balances the normalization of failure with responsibility and accountability.

The Shechinah is [so to speak] together with the Jewish people when they are in exile, and when they’re redeemed, Almighty G-d has dictated a redemption for Himself as well. He will come out of exile with them.

Politics involves difficult judgments. A leader must balance competing claims and will sometimes get it wrong.

Hashem seeks people who are willing to subjugate their hearts to Him.

I never thought I would get so excited over a conversation with friends around a dinner table. I never was so enthusiastic about candies thrown at the bridegroom when he received an aliyah to the Torah.

Question: Since Erev Pesach is on Shabbos this year, when does one burn the chametz? Also, can you discuss some of the other Pesach laws unique to Erev Pesach that falls on Shabbos? M. Aronowitz

The Shulchan Aruch does not even mention the opinion of the Rif and Rambam and states explicitly that the requirement of guarding applies only to the matzah used for the Seder.

Is listening to rap or heavy metal music appropriate?

The opposite ends of love and joy, to pain and sorrow are great. We tend to live somewhere in the middle between great joy and great pain.

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Korbanot, a Once and Future Aspect of Temple Service