The Calendar and Holidays (incl. Sabbath)
- Chanukah
- Other Holidays and Fasts
- Passover
- Purim
- Rosh HaShanah
- Shavuos
- Sukkos
- The Jewish Calendar
- The Sabbath
- Yom Kippur
-
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.…
-
Chanukah Gelt
Why do we give money to children on Chanukah? Answer: It was customary to give coins to children to induce them to study (Maimonides’ Mishnah commentary on Sanhedrin Ch.10). Giving coins to children on Chanukah is therefore appropriate, because Chanukah…
-
How to Love G-d
Can you please guide me how we can love God? Of course I like Him but I want to know how should we work on living only for Him? Answer: What a thoughtful and insightful question! The fact that you…
-
Campaigning on the Sabbath
I have volunteered to assist with an election campaign when I can, but most of the events are on Saturday. Is it OK to be a campaign volunteer on the Sabbath? Answer: Besides the myriad laws of “work” on the…
-
Where the Jewish Calendar Begins
Can you please tell me what time period is being counted when we see that the new Hebrew year is 5769. I guess the question is where does the calendar start? What time in history? Answer: G-d’s calendar follows the…
-
Sabbath Restrictions …Why?
Observing Shabbat (Saturday, the Sabbath day) to me means spending time with the family. I do not think the amount of electricity I use on any day of the week will undermine my capabilities of providing good morals and creating…
-
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…
-
Thursday Haircut
Is it permitted to get a haircut on Thursdays? Answer: I believe that some of the commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 260) say that one should not have a haircut on Thursday; rather, the haircut should only be…
-
Keeping Business Open on the Sabbath
I have a non-Jewish business partner. For the last twenty-odd years he has accepted us not having the business open on the Sabbath or Jewish Holidays. But now, all of a sudden, he wants to be open 24 / 7. …