Judaism

The heirs in the present situation are permitted to bring witnesses who testify to the fact that they saw the debtor repay the loan, before the maturity date, when he was still live.

According to Tosafot, the rabbis were concerned that if one would be allowed to benefit from non-Jewish wine at all, it might lead to participation in these idolatrous practices.

An Essential Agent ‘Set In The Skin Of The Rennet Of Nevelah’ (Avoda Zara 35a)

Usually the parties reach a settlement agreement in the end or the dayanim rule a compromise.

She told me, pointing to a blue and orange set. It wasn’t exactly a color scheme that I appreciated, nor was it especially fancy for yom tov, but having shlepped out and waited this long, I wasn’t ready to head home without something to show for my time.

Question: I’ve noticed in shul that at the conclusion of Shemoneh Esreh some people take three steps back but do not take three steps forward. Is this practice acceptable? Zelig Aronson

Hashem is more concerned for my good than I am. Hashem looks out for my interests more than I do myself.

According to the opening line of the famous song Shoshanas Yaakov, Klal Yisrael was extremely happy when they saw “techeiles Mordechai.” What is “techeiles Mordechai”?

Each prayer, each Shabbat, each festival, each mitzvah, is an opportunity to reconnect to that very different wedding at Sinai

One passage in this week’s sedrah shows how differences in interpretation can lead to, or flow from, profound differences in culture. Ironically, the subject concerned – abortion – remains deeply contentious to this day.

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All of us go through challenges in our lives. One can just let one’s imagination run wild wondering how many tests and challenges a person might experience in the course of 20 years.

The path from moral principle to moral policy is rarely straightforward. But the path from lack of moral principle to immoral policy often is straightforward.  

The Rambam describes the history of idolatry as beginning with the adulation of God’s creation and culminating in the erection of monuments to celebrate the heavenly hosts.

More eternal wisdom from Rebbetzin Jungreis, a”h. This week considering how to become an agent of chesed (compassion) and rachamim (mercy)-continued from last week.

May we each brighten the world in our own way and may we merit having and seeing children whose light will both burn brightly as well as kindle the light of others. Shabbat Shalom

Mr. Berger called home to see if he left his wallet there by mistake. "I'll check right away," said his wife. She called back two minutes later that the wallet was on his desk.

Exchanging Land? ‘Nor Shall You Show Them Favor’ (Avodah Zarah 20a)

If we can make Hashem's presence even slightly more real to ourselves, it will be a great accomplishment!

Question: At work, people sometimes argue that the Torah doesn’t regard women highly, only mentioning them in passing, almost begrudgingly at times. They cite, for example, the Torah’s treatment of Serach bat Asher and Yocheved bat Levi. I would appreciate very much if you could provide me with “ammunition” to refute them. Mrs. C. Grosz

Any defendant who denies a claim in its entirety must take the Shevuat Heiset oath of denial.

I decided to unplug my phone before davening to prevent any distractions. Finally after one on the most intense prayers I have ever experienced I went to plug in the phone. It immediately rang.

Hashem created those sacs so that there would be another dimension to our enjoyment. The sensation of eating an orange would be different without this feature.

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Very often we experience a moment of hisorerus or inspiration in which we immediately develop aspirations to better ourselves.

By delegating the judicial function downward, Moses would bring ordinary people – with no special prophetic or legal gifts – into the seats of judgment. Precisely because they lacked Moses’s intuitive knowledge of law and justice, they were able to propose equitable solutions.

Yitro confronts us for the first time with a new phenomenon: to be a Jew by choice. By doing so, he presents all Jews with a major challenge: how to become a Jew by choice even when one has been born into the fold.

My special needs child was in the car and it was a very cold and rainy morning. These two officers didn’t leave my side for more than 2 hours.

The art--and history--of Jewish communication.

So why sing it? If the second shirah does not add any new ideas or even words, what was its purpose?