The Calendar and Holidays (incl. Sabbath)
- Chanukah
- Other Holidays and Fasts
- Passover
- Purim
- Rosh HaShanah
- Shavuos
- Sukkos
- The Jewish Calendar
- The Sabbath
- Yom Kippur
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The Tragedy of Orpah
Could you discuss the qualities of Orpah in the Book of Ruth and why she chose to return to her own people. Was it practical? Was she from wealth? etc. What happened to her? Answer: To me, Orpah is one…
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Ruth and Moabites
In the Deuteronomy 23:4, it says that a Moabite cannot join the “community of G-d” — even to the 10th generation. Ruth was a Moabite, and was allowed to join. Her descendants, Kings David and Solomon were less than 10…
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Joy on the Holiday
I heard that it is a custom for men to buy their wives and daughters cloths or jewelery and I’m wondering if there is an exact source for that? Answer: The Talmud says in the Tractate of Pesachim, page 109a,…
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The Third Sabbath Meal
What should you eat for Seudah Shlishis (i.e. do you need to have to eat bread)? How long before the Sabbath ends should you eat? Often, I finish the Sabbath lunch a bit late in the day, and the last…
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Haircut After Lag Ba’Omer
What is the law of getting a haircut between the 34th day of the omer and Shavuos? Answer: There are different customs on that. If your custom is to observe the first 33 days as a mourning period, then you…
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Lag Ba’Omer and Kabbalah
What is the omer? What is lag ba’omer and how is it connected to kabbalah/mysticism? Answer: When we use the term omer, it usually refers to the commandment to count down the days from Passover until Shavuos — the anniversary…
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Women and Havdalah
Are women allowed to make havdalah if a man will be home in 5 minutes? When is a woman allowed to make havdalah for herself and other women? Answer: There is a difference of opinion regarding a woman’s obligation to…
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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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Conflicting Customs Based on Locale
I am an Orthodox, Ashkenazi Jew. However, I find it hard to understand why, in certain cases, if an Ashkenazi is forbidden to act one way, it would be permitted for a Sefardi? For example, a Sefardi who consumes kitniyot…