Judaism

Question: The Gemara in Berachot teaches that the Sages authored our prayers. If so, it would seem that we did not pray before this. Did we pray before their innovation or not? Menachem Via Email

Both Rise To The Occasion ‘What if his son is his teacher?’ (Kiddushin 33b)

More than merely fostering personal piety among Jews, tshuva that begins with a reawakening of Hebrew identity will lead Israel to express kedusha in every sphere of national life.

This night proved that Judaism does not belong only to grandma, but also to her grandchildren.

The liturgy for the High Holiday Selichos is not found in most siddurim; rather, it is found in a special Selichos sefer, with a different selection for each day.

We who can bring Shabbos in each week with ease. We who have the opportunity to bring the light of Shabbos into our homes, to welcome the malachei shalom to our tables, to bless our children and plug into the menucha that Shabbos brings – how do we welcome the Shabbos Malka?

Repentance is not the cause of tension in our lives; it is the soothing balm.

Although he had been raised in Pharaoh’s palace and had never in his life actually seen Eretz Yisrael, Moshe was held accountable for allowing himself to be referred to by others as “an Egyptian man.”

And while I’m already in full-blown kvetchy mode, now may be as good a time as any to mention the mess!

Difficult times should inspire reflection and improvement. This is why the word we use to describe life lessons – mussar – shares a root with the word yisurin (suffering). Yisurin should inspire us to learn and internalize mussar lessons.

God pardons like a mother, who kisses the offense into everlasting forgiveness. -Henry Ward Beecher

The only way to stay young, hungry, and driven is through periodic renewal, reminding ourselves of where we came from, where we are going, and why.

Commentaries are bothered by two main questions. First, what is the symbolism of Torah being referred to as a yoke? Second, what exactly is the mechanism behind what seems to be guaranteed removal of these other responsibilities?

It’s only the yeitzer hara that fools us and makes us think that we have so many better things to do.

The birth of a new year is a time of reflection and resolution; a time when hope and inspiration fill the air. We dream about what this upcoming year holds in store; how we can make the rest of our life the best of our life.

We have all experienced the frustration of not following through on our goals, and feeling we are right back where we started. But hopefully we have also experienced some modicum of success and self-improvement. Wherein lies the difference?

An individual who seeks to be a baal teshuva, to return to Hashem, must recognize that he needs Hashem for every single nuance of his life.

It is suggested that unmarried girls stopped lighting Shabbat candles because it was difficult and costly to get candles during and even between the two world wars. With this disruption the custom was lost, and unfortunately not reignited in the New World.

To be brief, the overwhelming rabbinic opinion presented is that one should only say Selichot after Chazot or in the early morning hours before davening.

Throughout history there have been great leaders and great rabbis who passed on to us the beautiful ways of life. Through these leaders we've been able to seek higher levels in worshiping Hashem and simply higher spiritual levels.

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Hashem performs a miracle of accounting because if He did not, none of us would survive the coming year.

Imagine a seventy-year-old man who is bringing Bikurim for 57th time...

Even though we know the score can even change once we are up there (through the mitzvos that our performed in our merit), what we must seriously keep in fresh in our mind is that our interactions have a lasting impact and a value for eternity.

The two friends have been studying together every day for 42 years and are completing the Talmud for the sixth time.

Moshe’s Request ‘I Love My Master, My Wife, My Children …' (Kiddushin 22a)

A Jew must escape from his egocentric existence and embrace a new life founded on the conclusions of true soul-searching and repentance.

If the seller knew the buyer's intent to move, the seller is responsible for returning the merchandise. If not, the buyer is responsible for returning defective merchandise when he could have checked before distancing it, but seemingly not for mistaken merchandise.

Dear Rabbi Klass: As most of us know, in Elul and until Shemini Atzeret we say the 27th chapter of Tehillim (“L’David Hashem Ori – [A Psalm] of David: The Lord is my light”). The second verse states: “Bikrov alay me’re’im le’echol et besarai…– When evildoers approach me to devour my flesh….” Why does it not say “reshaim – wicked ones” or “anashim ra’im – evil people?” Tzila Kleinbart Brooklyn, N.Y.

The importance of not squandering opportunities to learn is not just an abdication of personal responsibility or failure of personal growth but has larger repercussions for the national survival of the Jewish people, and that is why Rabbi Chanina uses such strong admonishment.