Bereshit What we refer to as the Sukkot holiday in general terms actually comprises two separate holidays: The first seven days are Sukkot when we eat in the Sukkah and shake the lulav on all days except Shabbat. Following Sukkot…
Parshat Be'halotcha This week’s Torah reading begins with the instructions to Aharon the High Priest on how to light the menorah in the Tabernacle. The instructions are, that when lighting the wicks of the menorah, the three wicks on the…
Parshat Balak The name of this week’s Torah portion is Balak. Balak is the name of the king of Moab who became petrified of the Jewish nation, after seeing how they decimated the two most powerful kings, Sichon the king…
Parshat Acharei Mot- Kedoshim This Shabbat, two Parshiot, אחרי מות --Acharei Mot and קדושים --Kedoshim, will be read. The second portion, קדושים - Kedoshim, begins with a seemingly impossible command. (Leviticus 19:1-2) ספר ויקרא פרק יט א) וַיְדַבֵּר יְדֹוָד אֶל…
Parshat Zachor The month of Adar has begun, and we are commanded to increase our happiness! As stated in the Talmud: תלמוד בבלי מסכת תענית דף כט/א אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל בר שילת משמיה דרב משנכנס אדר מרבין…
Parshas Shlach The last paragraph of this weeks Torah portion, contains the commandment to put tzitzit on any four-cornered garment that we wear. We fulfill this mitzvah by wearing a Talit when we pray shacharit the morning prayer, and by…
The Month of Elul Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the month of Tishrei, marks the beginning of the new year, 5778. It is the counting of years from the creation of the world, which happened on the first of…
Chanukah When the holy temples stood, a Cohen would daily, at sundown, light the Menorah as part of the temple service, the flames burning throughout the night until the next morning. Only the very first pressed drop of oil from…