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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Driving to synagogue on Shabbat
I grew up secular but in the last several years have been trying to live my life in synch. with the teachings of the Torah as much as possible. The one thing that has bothered me more than anything, even…
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Cleaning for Passover
We want to do Passover this year now that we are into our new home. What do I need to do to prepare. I know I have to do a “spring Cleaning” on the whole house… what is involved? Thank…
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Candlelighting
what is the prayer a woman recites while lighting the shabbot candles? To find out the Shabbat candle lighting prayer, please see this website. It has Hebrew, English and English transliteration.
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Lots
Can you explain to me the Jewish custom of “casting lots?” I have heard it explained as anything from voting, to rolling dice. I have also found that it may have something to do with an allotment of smooth stones.…
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Special Haftorahs
Why do we have special haftarahs at this time of the year, like Parsha Parah? The Chafetz Chaim sums it up best in Mishna Berura 685:1: “Our sages decreed reading four special parshas a year from Rosh Chodesh Adar until…
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Sabbath for your workers
Why is it said that Shabat is a day of relaxation and NO WORK for the benefit of the animals and the servants of the household. Why are the animals and the servants so important to be mentioned in such…
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Working on the Sabbath
Dear Rabbi, In today’s life, most jobs require working on weekend. A job such as policeman, doctors, nurses, pharmacists (medical field), soldiers, is almost a necessities to work over weekend. What should we do. I, myself, flatly refused to work…
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Sharing Wine and Bread on Shabbat
Is there a religious significance to the sharing of bread and wine at the Shabbat Meal? We make a special set of blessings on wine, called Kiddush, at the Shabbat table as well as a blessing on the bread. Kiddush…
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New Moons
Dear Rabbi, I need to know the answer to two questions : 1. Is The New moon a Day of Rest refraining from work? 2. Is there any possible future fulfillment of a Sabbath Rest on the New Moon? As…