Other Holidays and Fasts
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“Avinu Malkeinu” – “Our Father, Our King”
I’ve decided to speak on the topic of the “Avinu Malkeinu” (“Our Father, Our King) prayer. Can you tell me some things about it? Answer: I’ll try to give you a few of the highlights of the Avinu Malkeinu prayer.…
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Jeremiah’s Sadness
I was reading in class about Jeremiah and it says that he was always really sad. What was his burden? What was wrong? Answer: Jeremiah, of all the prophets, was the one who had to witness the actual destruction of…
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Sefiras Haomer
When are you allowed to start listening to music, and where can I find these laws? Answer: According to those who are following the “first days” (the first 33 days), that allowance began with Lag B’Omer. According to those who…
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Rabbi Akiva’s Students
[See this article for the background of this issue – Ed.] Question: How come Rabbi Akiva’s students all died from not having respect for each other if they were the students of the man who exemplified that? Answer: That could…
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Bow and Arrow on Lag B’omer
 Question:What is the significance of the bow and arrow on lag b’omer Answer: The bow and arrow were to commemorate a special victory of the Bar-Kochba revolt against Rome (132-135 BCE) that occurred on Lag BaOmer after several unsuccessful campaigns…
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Purim and the Ninth of Av
Why is it that on the 9th of Av there are no commandments of giving gifts to the poor and sending food to others as there are on Purim? Surely this helps to create and increase more love for our…
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Shaving During the Omer
Can a person shave his beard in the days of the omer? Answer: Thank you for your question. The custom is for a person to conduct himself as if he were in semi-mourning during a portion of the counting of…
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The Tenth of Teves
What event does the Fast of the Tenth of Teves commemorate? It commemorates the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian emporer (2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 52:4; Ezekiel 24:1-2).
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Omer Mourning Period
What is the Omer mourning period? The “Omer” period is the national mourning period between Passover and Shavuot which commemortaes the death of 24,000 Torah Scholars who were the students of Rabbi Akiva just around the Beginning of the Common…