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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When we stop blowing the Shofar
What day this year do you stop blowing the shofar – in the morning before Rosh Hashanah? Do you also blow the shofar between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur every morning? I understand that you do not below the shofar…
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Three Stages of Repentance
What does the Rambam say about the three stages of repentence? From the Rambam’s Laws of Repentance:”And what is the [discussed] repentance; The sinner should take leave of his sin, remove it from his thoughts, and decide in his heart…
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Repentance for Repeat Offenders
How do we understand the concept of Teshuva (repentance)? How can we stand before G-d and beg for forgiveness, and then one year later we stand again asking for forgiveness for the exact same things we asked the previous year?…
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Rosh Hashana Gifts
Are gifts exchanged during this time? Not ritually, but it’s a nice time to send a food basket to someone who might not otherwise enjoy the holiday, especially a widow or impoverished person. Rabbi Seinfeld Thank you for your response.…
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Salt on Challah
On Friday Night why is there a tradition to sprinkle salt on the challahs and is there a preferred procedure for doing this? The Talmud (Brachos 55a) states that in place of the Bronze Altar, which stood in the Temple…
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The Best Time for Prayer
Do the Jewish people believe there is a season, particularly a month of great answers to prayer? I am interested if there is a certain month one can expect answers to big prayers. If so, is the month of AV…
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What is an Eruv?
What is the point of an “Eruv”? and what is it’s historical signifance. The background information behind the “inventionâ€? of the eruv, and its pertinent laws is beyond the scope of this response. However, I will try to give a…
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Challah Customs
Why do we dip Challah (traditional in salt or sprinkle it on after making the blessing? Why is the knife drawn across the challa before the blessing is made? The Talmud (Brachos 55a) states that in place of the Bronze…