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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Umbrella in the Sukkah
Is it OK to open an umbrella inside the Sukkah? I know that covering the Sukkah with something plastic/weather resistant changes invalidates the Sukkah. But what about opening an umbrella or covering oneself with a plastic sheet within the walls?…
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The Tekiah Gedolah Shofar Blast
I have read that the sequence of the trumpet sounds on the Feast of Trumpets was first made about 300 CE in Rosh Hashanah 34. It does give a certain sequence of the shofar sounds, but the tekiah Gedolah is not…
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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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Egypt Was Good For Us
If G-d intended for the Jewish people to be strangers in a foreign land, Jacob’s decision to leave Israel was not out of his own free choice. So why do we thank G-d so much for taking us out of…
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The Sages Eternal Decrees
When the Sages ruled not to take medicine on Shabbat, because you may come to grind it, although this is done in some circles, most of the time people do not grind their own medicine. Why would a ruling like…
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Hatarat Nedarim – Annulment of Vows
What is Hatarat Nedarim? Why is it prayed so many times? What is the importance of this prayer, what do we learn from it? What happens with the promises that we are sure we did but not accomplished? Answer: Hatarat…
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High Holiday Opportunity
Regarding Yom Kippur, why is there a necessity in Judaism to designate a particular day for atonement when one could atone any minute of the day as he or she chooses? Isn’t G-d listening all the time? Why designate a…
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Seven-Armed Menorah
When is the seven-armed Menorah used? Answer: The Menorah that G-d commanded Moses to construct for the Tabernacle had 7 arms. This was used in Temple as well. The menorah that we use to commemorate the Chanukah miracle has 8 arms to commemorate…
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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…