Rabbi Yitzchak Kolakowski
31 answers
Rabbi Yitzchak Kolakowski is the spiritual leader of Congregation Kol Emes in Richmond, VA. He learned in Ohr Somayach in Yerushalayim and in Yeshivah Beis Medrash L’Talmud in Queens, NY.
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Orthodox Jews in Eastern Europe 1939
How many Orthodox Jews lived in Eastern Europe in 1939? Answer: I was not able to find details on how many were Orthodox, as that is a rather subjective term. However, according to historian Lucy Dawidowicz, there were over 7.5…
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Stories of the Righteous After Shabbos
Why is it customary to tell stories of the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of the Hasidic movement) after Shabbos ends? Answer: Thank you for your excellent question. For the most part, I have heard that it is customary to…
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Azazel
What is Azazel? Answer: Thank you for your excellent question. There are two opinions about the identity of Azazel. One is that it is simply the name of the cliff that the scapegoat sacrifice was tossed from on Yom Kippur.…
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Isaac and the Revival of the Dead
I read an article that referred to the revival of the Patriarch Isaac from the dead during the Akeida (The Binding of Isaac). The Torah states that the angel of G-d stopped Abraham before he touched Isaac and implored Abraham…
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Rabbi Leib Baal HaYisurim
I spent Shabbos in Tzefas, Israel (Safed). Friday we went to pray at the grave of the Baal HaYisurim. Where can I find more about this great person? I prayed there and my heart went to pieces. Answer: I found…
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Hasidic Life Today
I have recently been assigned to complete a project on Hasidic Judaism. I have several questions on the subject I would like to ask; the main queries being (1) what are the rules of membership, (2) what is the interaction…
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It’s Never Too Late
My mother was Jewish but not my father. My daughter has married a nice Jewish young man and she has embraced the Jewish faith. She tells me that I am Jewish by birth and that I should practice my faith.…
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Breaking a Bad Habit
How should a person stop a bad habit that is very difficult to stop? Answer: Thank you for your excellent question. You already have taken the first and most difficult step in beating any bad habit, and that is admitting…
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Hasidic Garb
Is there is difference in appearance between Hasidic and Orthodox Jews? The question came up at work about who wears the longer hair, curls around the ears, etc. Forgive the layman terminology but while I am Jewish I have been…