Duchening – The Basics
By Neil I have duchened more times than I care to remember, and I must confess that sometimes it becomes a bit of a rote exercise. So I thought…
Tzizit – The Basics
By Neil Tztzit and me.. Each year after the Yomim Noraim, I try and think of something I can do to improve my level of observance both outside and…
Naomi, Ruth and Surrogate Motherhood
by Rabbi Wayland A. ‘A baby was born to Naomi’, although clearly the baby was born to Ruth. a. Two approaches that appear in classical sources say that Naomi adopted…
Av Harachami
by David Also known as the “Requiem for Martyrs”, it is said only on the Shabbats preceding Shavuoth & TishaB’Av. It was composed soon after the First Crusade in about…
Builders and Shavuot
By Ray This is based on a Chabad article, Chumash and Shulchan Aruch and my thoughts So what do Builders have to do with Shavuot? The last time I spoke…
Students to Soldiers
By Alan Tractate Succah, Chapter 3, Mishna 4 MISHNA: R. Yishmael says: Three myrtle boughs, two willows, one palm branch, and one citron are needed. If two out of the…
Mishnah Shiur Covering Chapter One Bava Metzia
By John a) Two persons competing for ownership of a chattel considered to be “ownerless” – each claiming that he picked it up first. Which one is entitled? b) …
Parasha Naso
by Rabbi Wayland I’ve got 3 minutes, or 180 seconds, which is just enough time to tell you about the 176 verses in Parshat Naso – the longest sedra in the Torah.…
Obligation to Learn Torah
by Neil For this section of the shiur, I am indebted to Harav Aharon Lichtenstein and Rav Reuven Ziegler Torah study is a basic mitzvah. Although its source is found…
Jewish Prayers for the Government
By David In the opening scene of “Fiddler on the Roof” the cast breaks into song singing “Tradition” on the streets of Anatevka. The Rabbi’s son asks “Is there a…