Rosh HaShanah
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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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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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Stubborness and Making Amends
I have a personal problem with a close relative that cannot be resolved. The other party is very stubborn, and now is the time for making amends. What should I do? As a friend recently said to me about divorce,…
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The Book of Life
I was asked by someone if the Book of Life is mentioned in the bible. I’m not sure if it is mentioned in the Torah or the New Testament, or if it is mentioned in the Psalms. Can you help…
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Using a Shofar to Play Music
Is it permitted to use a shofar to play music? The Talmud (Rosh Ha-Shanah 33b) says that a person who blows the shofar just to make music does not fulfill the obligation (of hearing the shofar on Rosh Ha-Shanah). This…
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The Jewish New Year
When is the Jewish New Year? In the Jewish calendar there are several "new years", some of them only of agricultural significance. The two main New Years are the one in the Spring, which the Torah calls "the first of…