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 HaChodesh: The Mitzva to Re-JEW-venate .: Viewed: 2830 times :.
Why was Rosh Chodesh the first mitzva given to Israel as a nation while still in Egypt? Why is Parshat HaChodesh so important that it precedes the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai?
The Zohar, in explaining the importance of the new moon and our celebration of its renewal each month, states: "The Jewish nation is com- pared to the moon. Just as the moon wanes and seems to disappear into...
Published: May 24, 2011 |
Chanuka: Ongoing Miracle of Israel's Eternity .: Viewed: 2814 times :.
By lighting the Chanuka Menorah, each and every Jewish home becomes a virtual Bet Hamikdash. We are transformed into virtual Kohanim for the eight days of Chanuka. Thus, the miracle of Chanuka continues forever.
Chanuka is the symbol of the Divine spark in the human soul, as Shlomo Hamelech says in Mishlei, נר ה ' נשמת אדם ," the...
Published: May 24, 2011 |
Flags of our Fathers .: Viewed: 2813 times :.
Throughout their travels in the desert, the Israelites were commanded to set up their tents around tribal flags: "The Israelites shall encamp with each person near the banner carrying his paternal family's insignia. They shall encamp at a distance around the Ohel Moed (Bamidbar 2:2). What is the significance of these banners? The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabba 2:3) says that the inspiration for the...
Published: June 1, 2011 |
Yom Kippur: An Out of Body Experience .: Viewed: 2808 times :.
Yom Kippur is the most solemn day of the Jewish year and it is also the strangest day, because it seems to negate all that makes us human. For this one day we step out of ourselves and become something else, something other wordly. We are no longer part of this world as we know it. Denying our bodies food, drink, sex and any possible physical pleasure, we act as if the normal impulses that...
Published: May 24, 2011 |
Climbing the Soul Ladder! .: Viewed: 2760 times :.
The Zohar says that Eliyahu Hanavi was the Reincarnated soul of Pinchas, the grandson of Aharon, the High Priest. Pinchas was the hero whose act of Zealotry saved the Jewish People from destruction by a deadly plague (Bamidbar 25). Is Reincarnation mentioned in TANACH (The Bible)?
The Ramban and other Kabbalists state that the Book of Ruth teaches the doctrine of Reincarnation (Gilgul...
Published: July 2, 2014 |
Shir Hashirim: Passionately in Love with the One Above! .: Viewed: 2755 times :.
We have a custom to chant Shir Hashirim (The Song of Songs) on the Shabbat during Pesach. Many reasons have been offered to explain why. One is that Pesach takes place in the month of spring (Chodesh Haaviv), and Shir Hashirim is a song about spring and renewal. “Behold the winter has passed; the rains are over and gone; the blossoms have appeared in the land, and the time of pruning has...
Published: May 24, 2011 |
Did Joseph and his Brother's invent the Jewish Getto? .: Viewed: 2749 times :.
Goshen in Egypt was the first “ghetto” in Jewish history. Historians say that every place and every time, it was the Jews who created the ghettos, as a way to keep apart from the people among whom they lived and so that they could live in a Jewish atmosphere among themselves. The non-Jews only erected the walls and gates to the ghettos, in order to prevent the Jews from leaving...
Published: December 23, 2012 |
Israel's Eternal Survival .: Viewed: 2737 times :.
Since Abraham was being thrown into the fiery furnace, the attempts to exterminate the Jewish People have never ceased. In every generation, they rose up against us to destroy us. Their plot was never carried out, however, because G-d saved us from their hands. Yet it was not just external enemies who rose up against Israel. Our survival is threatened by self destructive Jews, as well, as it...
Published: December 22, 2004 |
SHMITAT KESAFIM – PRUZBUL – It's Greek to me .: Viewed: 2737 times :.
The Shemita year cancels all financial debts. If someone owes you money, and he comes to repay it to you after the Shemita year, you are supposed to say that the debt is canceled. If the borrower still would like to return the money, you are permitted to accept it, and this is considered a meritorious act on the part of the borrower. This is stated by the Rambam in Hilchos Shemita V'Yovel...
Published: August 20, 2014 |
The Kabbalistic Secret Of Sefiras Ha-Omer .: Viewed: 2706 times :.
When did Judaism begin? The beginning was in two stages: A) the Exodus from Egypt - 'Yetzias Mitzraim', for which we celebrate Pesach; followed 50 days later by B) the Giving of the Torah - Matan Torah (Revelation at Sinai), for which we celebrate 'Shevuos'; together forming the foundation and establishment of the Jewish people as a nation (see Ex. 19:56; Deut. 26:16-19). This was best...
Published: May 11, 2005 |
Shir Hashirim: Madly in Love with the One Above .: Viewed: 2702 times :.
We have a custom to recite Shir Hashirim (The Song of Songs) on the Shabbat during Pesach. Many reasons have been offered to explain why. One is that Pesach takes place in the month of spring (Chodesh Haaviv), and Shir Hashirim is a song about spring and renewal. “Behold the winter has passed; the rains are over and gone; the blossoms have appeared in the land, and the time of pruning...
Published: March 20, 2012 |
Human Cloning & Halacha .: Viewed: 2699 times :.
Human cloning is making headlines around the world, as something of a new phenomenon. But actually there was a human clone 5762 years ago. As we read in Genesis 2:21-22, “G-d cast a deep sleep on man and while he slept, G-d took one of his ribs and closed up the wound with flesh. And G-d cloned the rib that he had taken from man into a woman.” While the cloning of Adam to create...
Published: May 24, 2011 |
The Menorah's Eternal Message .: Viewed: 2682 times :.
What is the Chanukak menorah's message for us in our personal lives? The Mishna (Avot Ch. 4) teaches, "There are three crowns: The crown of Torah, the crown of kehuna (priesthood) and the crown of monarchy." Corresponding to these three, with which Israel were crowned, there were three crowns on the Temple vessels. The crown of Torah corresponds to the gold crown, which was set on the Ark of...
Published: December 21, 2005 |
Chanukah – Symbol of the G-dly, Eternal Soul .: Viewed: 2648 times :.
The Festival of Chanukah celebrates two miracles – the miraculous military victory over the Syrian Greeks and the supernatural phenomenon of one small cruse of oil supply for one day providing light for eight days. The miracle of the light, however, is the main focus and central theme of this Festival.
Thus, according to Halacha, when we light the candles in celebration of...
Published: November 29, 2012 |
Did G-d Reject Our Prayers? .: Viewed: 2645 times :.
The night before the murdered bodies of our precious and holy teenagers were found, nearly 100,000 Jews gathered in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv to pray for the youths' safe return. Secular celebrities sang songs from the Psalms, and the huge crowd joined in. Afterwards Iris Yifrach, the mother of Eyal, addressed her missing son, "The whole nation is uniting. Everybody is worried about you. I turn...
Published: July 11, 2014 |
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