Judaism

Luring another to sin is worse than killing them because killing only removes the victim from this world, while sin removes one from the next world as well.

On every Tisha B’Av, when it is forbidden to learn Torah, Reb Shlomo Zalman would read Dignity to Survive in its original Hebrew.

The city of Kiel is full of pictures of the menorah and everyone here is excited about its return We have been interviewed by the New York Times, the Guardian, and other media outlets, and now feel that this story is much bigger than us.

It is these Chanukah candles that we light all over the world that will usher in the light of Moshiach and the great Hakhel of all “Jewish candles” – all Jewish men, women and children throughout the world in the great geulah coming speedily in our very own days.

Question: Non-Jews distribute gifts at Christmas to their friends and family. What is the halacha about and reasoning for Jews to distribute gifts at Chanukah to friends and family? Growing up, we used to get Chanukah gelt rather than gifts from my parents. Larry Marks Via E-Mail

Israel's collective soul can only fully manifest itself through an earthly nation that reveals the Divine Ideal in all spheres of national existence.

As I sat there thinking, I finally realized the lesson I was supposed to learn. Beauty is not about the physical; it’s about how we live our lives, how we choose to see the world.

Rav Moshe Feinstein argues that the fact that a couple chose to forgo a Jewish ceremony demonstrates that they have no desire to be married according to Jewish law.

It is often difficult and painful for us to admit fault, to take responsibility for our failures, to see ourselves or our prior behaviors as guilty.

To understand the power of this anti-climax, we must remember that only since the invention of printing and the availability of books have we been able to tell what happens next merely by turning a page.

It could be understood that in the earlier years it was not necessary to tout the miracle of Chanukah within the home. Steeped in Jewish law and tradition, the members of the household were imbued with Torah and Yiras Shamayim.

Love is the affinity that links and draws together the elements of the world... Love, in fact, is the agent of universal synthesis. -Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

When encountering difficult texts in Scripture, it is usually productive to consult Rashi, and Rashi doesn’t disappoint in the present case.

The idea is to slowly create an operating standard: approved batei din are ones which are transparent, which don’t allow for shady deals, and which recognize abusive behaviors when they present themselves.

The obvious question is why didn’t the Sages immediately declare the festival the very same year that the miracles occurred?

It is clear that Yaakov knew that Yosef was alive and in Egypt. The only question that remains is – did he know that the brothers had sold Yosef into slavery?

Angels They dance before him As he sways gently, Serenely Then his voice reverberates Gratitude for sanctification

Obviously, the question is not only in regard to owning a gun, but having it in one’s possession and if necessary, using it.

The small light we light on Chanukah it's very symbolic of the Jewish soul. As small as the fire is or as small as a person might think his or her soul is, it’s an everlasting fire and is something that cannot be extinguished.

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Wishing you a joyous Chanukah

Two sets of neighbors, joined by a wall and a hedge, but worlds apart.

Many commentaries differentiate between three different categories of people: wicked, intermediate, and righteous. These commentaries contend that the message to judge favorably just relates to the middle group.

Here, the pennies were not lent as monetary value, but rather as objects to be used and returned themselves – hashalah, so that there is no violation of ribbis.

The Plucked Apple ‘…Which Cannot Become Permitted’ (Nedarim 58a)

Concerning the difficult questions raised about G-d, Rebbe Nachman often said: On the contrary, that is precisely how it should be.

Question: We see numerous instances in Scripture where a person’s name was changed. Some people are then always referred to by their new name, while others are not. A case in point is the way we refer to our Patriarchs in the daily Shemoneh Esreh. Why is that so? Abraham Goldman Jerusalem

Remarkably – and frankly, rather shockingly – Yehuda shows the exact same type of favoritism to one of his sons that his father had shown to Yosef!

It was not Yaakov in his individual capacity who did these things. It was Yisroel, in his national capacity that did them.

As opposed to the standard issur hana'ah, which prohibits any and all types of benefit, the issur hishtamshut prohibits specifically redirecting the Chanukah lights towards one’s personal use.