Prayer and Religious Articles
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Hallel
What is Hallel? Why do we say Hallel? When do we say Hallel? Hallel is a group of Psalms, written by King David about 2500 years ago. The primary theme is that G-d controls the ups and downs of life.…
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Blessing for New Blossoms
Can the blessing on blossom (said on sight of the first blossom of a fruit tree in Nissan) be said on sight of blossom on a branch which has been removed recently from the tree, or does the blossom need…
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Kaddish, a Brief History
When was the Kaddish written, and what was the circumstances that led to its being written? Kaddish was written by the Anshei K’nesses HaGedola, the Men of the Great Assembly, which was the first Sanhedrin (Supreme Torah Court) established by…
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Division of the Torah into Portions
I was wondering who created the division into Torah Portions? What was it based on? Was it done before or after the introduction of verses and chapters? Hi! I don’t know exactly when the portions were divided, but the Talmud…
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Handwritten Torah Scroll
Why is the Torah still hand-copied today the same way it was in ancient times? There are very many reasons, but the reason that comes before all the other reasons is because G-d commanded it to be so. “V’atah kisvu…
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Decorative Tallit
When making a Tallit, aside from not mixing linen and wool, must there be distinctive color fabric in the four corners? An Atarah (a sewn collar, often decorative)? I am not aware of a color requirement for the corners. There…
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Black Stripes on the Prayer Shawl
What is the significance of the black stripes on the Talis? When did these stripes find there way on the Talis? I’m sure you know that the mitzvah of Tzitzis in the Torah obligates one to tie four strings on…
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Meditation
How exactly do I meditate? What do I meditate about and why?There are different kinds of meditation and each one has a different purpose, so your latter questions are impossible to answer “in a nutshell”. I would start with the…