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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Rosh Hashana Greeting
What is the proper greeting for Rosh Hashanah? Answer: In the period of time leading up to Rosh Hashanah we typically wish each other that our being written and inscribed (i.e. in the Book of Life) be for the good.…
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High Holiday Charity
Is there a prescribed amount or a specific time of year that one should be donating to charity or those less fortunate than one’s self? Answer: Generally, one should donate at least 10% of one’s earnings to charity (assuming one…
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Working on Loving Others
I am a 15 year old boy learning in a Yeshiva. I have learned that these days leading up to Rosh Hashana are days of special closeness to G-d and that working to refine our behavior at this time is…
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When was Purim Instituted?
When was Purim instituted? Answer: Purim began at the time the Book of Esther was written, around 350 B.C.E.
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Shabbat: A Day of Rest or Stress?
Why in the laws of Shabbat (the Sabbath day) are there so many complicated things we can’t do it is supposed to be a day of rest? We have to be so careful to not break the Shabbat laws and…
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Sabbath of Creation – Why No “Evening” and “Morning”?
In Gen 2:1-3. There is no evening and morning as in the other six days. Would it be right to say the sabbath has no ending? Answer: Hi! That is a really interesting way to look at it. I guess…
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Life Worth Living
Coming up to Rosh HaShana it’s natural to reflect upon one’s life and its direction. Before addressing that, however, I’ve been plagued by an even more basic question: “What makes life worth living?”. Assuming I decide that life is worth…
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Keeping Two Days of a Holiday
Why do we keep many of the holidays for two days, when according to the Torah they are only one day? Answer: Before the time of Hillel II, when the months were still proclaimed by the Sanhedrin court on the…
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Stories of the Righteous After Shabbos
Why is it customary to tell stories of the Baal Shem Tov (the founder of the Hasidic movement) after Shabbos ends? Answer: Thank you for your excellent question. For the most part, I have heard that it is customary to…