Prayer and Religious Articles
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Should a Rabbi Get Paid?
I am researching the historical question of when and how it came to be over time that rabbi would work for a living and taught the Torah for free (as I am led to understand)? Is this true and what…
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Skull Caps and Styles
Why do Jews wear a Yarmulka ( Skullcap)? Why do different people or different communities wear different Yarmulkas. Where else can I find information about this subject? I’d like to present this to my students. Answer: I’ll present some ideas…
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Women Rabbis
Can you tell me what traditional Jewish opinion on women Rabbis is? I know that certain branches of Judaism do not allow it. How come? Could you give me any scripture references from the Torah? Answer: We must understand that…
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Prayer That Breaks the Heavens
What kind of prayer breaks the heavens? Answer: I believe that the prayer that opens the Heavens, as it were, is the simple and sincere one that comes from your heart. It is true that G-d wants our prayers, and…
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Cantor’s Hat
What is the name of the hat the Cantor will wear with his Kittel? It is usually very tall. Thank you for your question. A professional Cantor told me that the official name is a mitre, but since that has…
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Coverered Eyes During the Shema Prayer
Why do we cover our eyes with our right hand while saying the Shema prayer ? Why not during the second line of “Baruch Shem Kavod…” ? Answer: Covering our eyes during the recitation of Shema is one of those…
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Always Be Thankful
How does one in good conscience give thanks for the good fortune and bounty of one’s life if they were gained historically through the pain suffering and misfortune of others? Answer: Thanks for asking this great question. We live on…
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Tikun Olam
What does Tikun Olam mean? Answer: Tikun Olam means to fix the world. It is used in the prayer of Aleinu in which we ask G-d to rid the world of idol worship and polytheism which is a source of…
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Prayer for the President
I’d like to know how I am to pray regarding the new President of the USA. What are your views on this? Answer: This is a very good question. In terms of what our prayers should be for the president…