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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Menorah vs. Chanukiyah
What is the difference between a Menorah and a Chanukiyah ? Answer: Chanukiyah is a new term that is only about 40 years old. It was coined to distinguish between the nine-branched candelabra that is used on Chanukah and the…
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Chanukah Candles
What do the candles of chanukah stand for? Whats do the colors stand for and how many colors are there? Answer: Thank you for your question. The candles of Chanukah represent the building of one’s spirituality over time. If you…
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Was the Chanuka War With the Greeks?
Why do Rabbis always speak about a war between the Jews and the “Greeks”? The historical record shows amicable relations between Jews and Greeks, until the dissolution of that empire. Even assuming historical accuracy of Talmudic accounts we were at…
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Establishing Chanukah as a Holiday
Why do Rabbis insist that there was a”miracle”. Judah declared an 8 day celebration to begin on 25th of Kislev and to last 8 days. He decreed that it was to be celebrated annually in honor of the victory. Josephus…
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Leaving Good Cooking Into the Sabbath
Is it permissible to put raw meat in the oven just prior to the Sabbath on an automatic setting that turns the oven off automatically and then eat the meat Friday night? Also, is it permissible to begin cooking a…
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A Prayer for the Sukka
Is there a special prayer I must say when I build my Sukka? Answer: No. The first night of Sukkos (and, outside of Israel, the second night) you say the ‘Shehecheyanu’ blessing during Kiddush (follow the instructions in your Machzor,…
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Babylonian Exile
I am a little confused as to when the Babylonian exile began and ended. Did the seventy years prophesised by Jeremiah begin whith the destruction of the Temple? What were the years of the exile (from when to when)? When…
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What Happened to Orpah?
What happened to Orpah after she departed from Naomi and Ruth? Answer: The Talmud (Sotah 42b) says that she suffered such a spiritual let-down after leaving her mother-in-law that she was intimate with many men and from there became pregnant…
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Shavuot, Simchat Torah & the Torah Reading Cycle
Since Shavuout celebrates the giving of the Law, why isn’t the cycle of Torah celebrated at Shavuot, rather than at Simchat Torah (the special holiday at the culmination of the Succot holiday)? Answer:Â Thank you for your question. It is an…