The "Tevila By All Means" Project gathers stories of women who kept the laws of ritual purity despite the courage it demanded of them.
What place does Satan play in Jewish belief?
The opening word of the Torah “in the beginning” already encoded all of what was to come, the potential of everything which will ever be.
Heter mechira fruits are preferable to those grown by non-Jewis. It fulfills the mitzvah of settling the Land by strengthening the farmers.
Why the Torah begins with the letter bet and not aleph has a meaning connected with the nature of light.
How can the Jews invoking Rashi on Bereshit as the basis of rights to Eretz Yisrael convince the nations that we are not thieves?
A puzzling story that's been told for millennia, there is much to question in the tale of Adam and Eve.
The whole story announces a new event in the world, the moment when the Creator chooses to establish a relationship with humans.
On the most basic level, we have to ask why, in the story of Adam and Eve, does the Torah repeat the word 'arumim?' What does it mean?
Milton's epic poem describes the impossibility of returning to Paradise once lost. The Torah presents that return as a challenge..
What does the word "Bereshit" allude to?
The first letter of the Torah is bet, the last is lamed. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson spoke of the letters before and after bet and lamed.
And how do Jews dance? Not individually but in a line with hands clasped or in a circle – a gathering, a community, a unity. Together.
In Temple times there was a fascinating halakha relating to visitation to Jerusalem, one which has a message beyond its content.
Who rejoices on the approaching holiday, the Jewish people or the Torah? Grammatically, it is the Torah. What makes the Torah rejoice, then?
There is a good reason to celebrate the end of the cycle of Torah readings, but why delay it until a month after the end of the year?
At the Redemption, Moses will be asked by God to “take the cup of wine and say Grace.” But he will reply “I cannot say Grace."
The sentences were carried out on the 21st of Tishrei, Hoshanah Rabbah – the day the judgment of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is sealed.
Tomorrow is today's dream. We pray that our intentions be worthy of creation, that our dreams be worthy of actualization.
This Shabbat we read about the Sin of the Golden Calf and afterwards, the Second Tablets. What's the connection between that & the holiday?
Moshe blesses the tribes of Israel before his death, beginning his words with fiery imagery. Why?
Did Moshe Rabbeinu transcend death? In this week's parasha, Vezot Habracha, his death is described, but the Talmud says something else.
Good Shabbos, Eretz Yisrael!
The quality time the holidays and Shabbat afford us forTorah study lets us live an active life combined with Torah, without having to choose
A selection of articles and videos of interest from the Rabbi Sacks archive on the holiday of Sukkot:
The Manchester Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Yehudah Zev Segal and the Shem Mishmuel, Rebbe of Sochaczev (both zts"l) on Sukkot and joy.
In other climates, having to leave the house for a booth open to the elements may not be such a pleasant experience, but in Israel...
‘Every native in Israel shall dwell in Sukkot’(Emor 23;42), teaches that ‘all of Israel are deserving to sit in one Succah.’
Those who repent out of fear, transform deliberate sins into inadvertent sins.Those who repent out of love, transform them into merits.
The mitzva of simḥa requires that a man include his entire family in his enjoyment, and include the poor and despondent as well.
When buying a lulav, it is a good idea to have someone knowledgeable to help, but it is also important to be familiar with the rules below.
We might have our eyes open and be walking around, but if we aren’t contributing to the world around us, there’s no value to our lives.
Am Yisrael’s leadership upon entering the Land was in the hands of Yehoshua, but it remained rooted in the spiritual leadership of Moshe.
We cannot just lounge around feet up swiping our devices or listening to Torah as we travel to work
This week's Torah portion is actually a song, a poem. But it's also unlike the song the People of Israel sang at the splitting of the Sea.
Preparing for Yom Kippur.
The similarity in names is not coincidental.
Summary of the laws that pertain to the holiest and most solemn day of the Jewish year with additions in light of the covid pandemic.
The atonement promised to Israel on Yom Kippur expresses the special connection between God and Israel that does not depend on our actions.
The Yom Kippur confession has no mention of keeping kosher, observing Shabbat, neglecting davening, failing to put on tefillin.
The Tanya compacts four millennia of Jewish wisdom to answer the great personal and existential questions of life.
Nature itself, with all its wonders, unpredictability, and beauty is the greatest testimony regarding the covenant between God and Israel.
A central theme in the Rav’s weltanschauung is his emphasis on halakhic man’s creative gesture..
Rabbi Kook writes that the rebirth of the Jewish nation in Eretz Yisrael is the foundation for the ultimate t’shuva.
The Beit Din of America had to deal with the 9\11 tragedy on a personal level, collecting proofs to try to prevent wives from being agunot.
Sin is never as tantalizing after the fact as it is before the fact.
Why does the Torah say "Moshe went" without telling us where to?
The Torah is a song. Everyone can relate to music..Every Jew will hear the music of Torah.
When Hashem created the world, He embedded clues for how to start, continue and finish a project-clues that we can use in the New Year.
Dvar Torah from Rel. Zionist yeshiva students: In Messianic times, the choice will not be between good or evil, but between good and better.
Considered a minor fast day, the third day of Tishrei is in reality a powerful day that harbors the possibility for tikkun and Redemption.
Why do we need two sets of shofar blasts?
In halachic ruling, rabbi says it is permissible to use rapid home antigen COVID tests during the Sabbath and holidays.
Rosh Hashannah is the day Man and Woman were given names.It was the day that all the creations of Hashem were given a name as well.
A primer for observing the year's New Year holiday Monday - Wednesday. May it be the harbinger of good things for Israel and the world..
We are all נִצָּבִים, standing erect, steady and unmovable, each of us in our own position of authority, over ourselves or also over others.
Commandments that seemi superficial can express a deeper foundation of unconditional commitment to the covenant with God Op-ed.
In Rosh Hashanah, our Sages say, our main Mitzvah is: תמליכוני עליכם: Crown Me, Hashem, over you’.Why should G-d want man to crown Him?
We all feel that it is not only those who are present that are commemorating the holiday, but also those who are no longer with us,
