Holidays

The Rosh Hashana Source Book

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Rosh Hashanah The Torah (Deuteronomy 29:1) calls Rosh Hashanah “יום תרועה” a day of “teruah.” The exact meaning of the word “teruah” is a mystery, and a bit of detective work was necessary to define it. The first step was…

The Power of the High Holidays Part I

Elul 5781

The Month of Elul Rosh Hashanah, which falls on the 1st day of the month of Tishrei (this year, Monday night, September 6th), marks the beginning of the new year 5782. This counts the years since the world’s creation, which happened on…

The Power of the Parsha: Tisha B’av

How many slices are there in a pie of pizza?
Parshat Devarim – Tisha B’Av

What would you say if I told you that the US agricultural system is dependent on millions of unpaid slave laborers that almost no one knows about? What if I told you that they are crammed into the back of…

Tisha B’Av 5781

Tisha B’ Av תשפ"א Last Shabbat, July 10, was Rosh Chodesh Av, the first day of the month of Av. The Code of Jewish Law (551:1) teaches us: א) משנכנס אב ממעטין בשמחה; ובר ישראל דאית ליה דינא בהדי כותי, לישתמיט…

Please don’t hate me for being a genius!
Parshat Bamidbar 5781

I still remember the first day I woke up brilliant. It was a cool autumn morning, with a light layer of frost coating the front lawn and the windshield of my car. Instead of thinking, “I’m going to need a…