Sukkos
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Why not begin the Torah on Rosh Hashana?
If Rosh Hashana is the beginning of the year and the time of Adam’s birth why do we not start the cycle of reading the Torah until Simchat Torah? Shouldn’t Simchat Torah and Rosh Hashana technically occur simultaneously? Answer: Thanks for…
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Secret of the Seven Rounds
Why do we march with the Torah on the Simchas Torah holiday seven times and why does the bride walk around the groom seven times? Answer: Good question! In general, we find many patterns of seven in the Torah. The…
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What is a Sukkah?
What is a sukkah? Answer: A sukkah is a booth roofed with tree branches, plant stems or leaves. The Torah requires us to live in a sukkah on the seven days (outside Israel: eight days) of the holiday of Sukkos,…
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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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Simchas Torah vs. Shavuot
Why isn’t Simchas Torah celebrated right after Shavuot? Answer: I guess the reason Shavuos and Simchas Torah are far apart in time is that they are so different from one another. Shavuos is the culmination of Pesach. Rav Shamshon Rafael…
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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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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: Thank you for your question. It is an…
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Joy on the Holiday
I heard that it is a custom for men to buy their wives and daughters cloths or jewelery and I’m wondering if there is an exact source for that? Answer: The Talmud says in the Tractate of Pesachim, page 109a,…