Judaism 101

The Omer period (50 days between Pesach and Shavuot)  is the national period of mourning because of the loss of Torah learning which occurred when  24,000 students of   Rabbi Akiva passed away in an epidemic. We refrain from shaving, listening to music, having weddings, and some other activities as a sign that we have experienced a tremendous loss during this time.

The day preceding Israel’s Independence Day, was declared by the Israeli Knesset (parliament) to be a Yom Hazikaron “Memorial Day” for those who lost their lives in the struggle that led to the establishment of the State of Israel and for all military personnel who were killed while in active duty in Israel’s armed forces. The  siren is heard throughout the country twice, during which the entire nation observes a two-minutes “standstill” of all traffic and daily activities.

Yom Hazikaron laShoah ve-laG’vurah (יום הזיכרון לשואה ולגבורה; “Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day”), known colloquially in Israel and abroad as Yom HaShoah (יום השואה) and in English as Holocaust Remembrance Day, is observed as Israel’s day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust by Nazis, or while acting for the Jewish resistance in that period.  In Israel, it is a national memorial day.  At 10:00 a.m., an air raid siren sounds throughout the country and Israelis are expected to observe two minutes of solemn reflection. Almost everyone stops what they are doing, including motorists who stop their cars in the middle of the road, standing beside their vehicles in silence as the siren is sounded.

Kimcha d’pischa ( literally “Passover flour”)  also known as “Maot chitim” (literally “Wheat fund”) is a special Passover fund, originally intended to provide the poor with matzah. Nowadays these funds ensure all the necessary provisions for the holiday, including food, matzah, wine, festive clothing, etc. are provided to the needy. The collection of ma’ot chitim begins thirty days prior to the holiday.  Usually a local Orthodox Rabbi can point one to the local fund.

The “Jewish day” starts with the night. As it says in the Torah, “And there was evening and there was morning, …” (Gen. 1:5). That is why Shabbat and holidays start with the “preceding night” and end when the stars come out.

A religious marriage that is consecrated “according to the Law of Moses and Israel” is not dissolved by the decree of a judge in a civil court who acts in accordance with the secular laws of the State, but must be severed also “according to the Law of Moses and Israel”. Without a get, the marriage status of the couple remains in force.  Any marriage or relationship that might therefore be contracted has no validity and is regarded as an adulterous relationship.

All Jewish holidays except Purim revolve around an event where God publicly revealed himself to us – what we would call a ‘miracle’. Purim is different in that there are no open miracles in the story. It is merely a series of “random coincidences” that worked out. The lesson of Purim though, is that in reality there is an infinite being that is in control of every event and nothing happens without his guidance and supervision.

“Taanit Esther” or the Fast of Esther is a dawn-to-nightfall fast held on the day before the holiday of Purim. It commemorates the fasting of our ancestors in response to the dramatic chain of events that occurred during their exile in the Persian empire. These events are recorded in the Book of Esther, and the salvation that came about at that time is celebrated the next day on the holiday of Purim.

There are several differences between the way Sepharadim and Ashkenazim write the text on the parchment inside the Tefillin.   One difference between the two types of Tefillin is the shape and formation of the letters. Another important difference is where the empty spaces are set between the writings.

Every person is required to give charity according to his means. Even a poor man who is himself a recipient of tzedaka ( or who is himself sustained only on social welfare) is required to give tzedaka even if he can only give a little.  His little is was worthy as the greater sums given by the rich.  But if the poor man has barely enough to sustain himself, he is exempt from giving since sustaining himself takes precedence over sustaining anyone else.

A medium measure would be a tenth of what one has earned during the year. In our day when taxes must be paid to the government and these taxes are often withheld from one’s wages, Some surmise that one’s “income” is the amount that a person is left with after taxes.

A religious marriage that is consecrated “according to the Law of Moses and Israel” is not dissolved by the decree of a judge in a civil court who acts in accordance with the secular laws of the State, but must be severed also “according to the Law of Moses and Israel”. Without a get, the marriage status of the couple remains in force.  Any marriage or relationship that might therefore be contracted has no validity and is regarded as an adulterous relationship.

The “Jewish day” starts with the night. As it says in the Torah, “And there was evening and there was morning, …” (Gen. 1:5). That is why Shabbat and holidays start with the “preceding night” and end when the stars come out.

The 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat  is known as Tu B’Shvat, the new year for trees.  It is about 4 months later than  the festival of Sukkot  which commences the rainy season in Israel.  The new year for trees is different than the new year for humans because it takes four months for the rains to saturate the soil, nurture the trees and coax them into producing fruit.  It is customary to eat fruits,  particularly grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates, which are singled out by the Torah in its praise of the bounty of the Holy Land. .

Jewish men are commanded to lay the Tefillin on the weaker hand. Thus a right handed person lays his Tefillin on the left hand and a left handed person lays his Tefillin on the right hand. The reasoning behind this is to show that we cannot overcome our enemies without the grace  and assistance of G-d.

In the holy book “Song of Songs” the Jewish people are equated to a bride who is married to G-d. Jewish men therefore wrap the Tefillin straps seven times around their arms in commemoration of the seven blessings recited during the Jewish wedding ceremony. In addition, the winding of the straps around the fingers commemorates the wedding ring given by the husband to the bride.

Emuna is the firm knowledge that everything, even the tiniest and most seemingly insignificant event comes from G-d by way of perfect Divine Providence; that everything G-d does is for the very best;  and that G-d does everything for a specific purpose therefore one should try to understand the message within whatever G-d does.

Every person is required to give charity according to his means. Even a poor man who is himself a recipient of tzedaka ( or who is himself sustained only on social welfare) is required to give tzedaka even if he can only give a little.  His little is was worthy as the greater sums given by the rich.  But if the poor man has barely enough to sustain himself, he is exempt from giving since sustaining himself takes precedence over sustaining anyone else.

A medium measure would be a tenth of what one has earned during the year. In our day when taxes must be paid to the government and these taxes are often withheld from one’s wages, Some surmise that one’s “income” is the amount that a person is left with after taxes.

A religious marriage that is consecrated “according to the Law of Moses and Israel” is not dissolved by the decree of a judge in a civil court who acts in accordance with the secular laws of the State, but must be severed also “according to the Law of Moses and Israel”. Without a get, the marriage status of the couple remains in force.  Any marriage or relationship that might therefore be contracted has no validity and is regarded as an adulterous relationship.

The “Jewish day” starts with the night. As it says in the Torah, “And there was evening and there was morning, …” (Gen. 1:5). That is why Shabbat and holidays start with the “preceding night” and end when the stars come out.

The 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat  is known as Tu B’Shvat, the new year for trees.  It is about 4 months later than  the festival of Sukkot  which commences the rainy season in Israel.  The new year for trees is different than the new year for humans because it takes four months for the rains to saturate the soil, nurture the trees and coax them into producing fruit.  It is customary to eat fruits,  particularly grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates, which are singled out by the Torah in its praise of the bounty of the Holy Land. .

Jewish men are commanded to lay the Tefillin on the weaker hand. Thus a right handed person lays his Tefillin on the left hand and a left handed person lays his Tefillin on the right hand. The reasoning behind this is to show that we cannot overcome our enemies without the grace  and assistance of G-d.

In the holy book “Song of Songs” the Jewish people are equated to a bride who is married to G-d. Jewish men therefore wrap the Tefillin straps seven times around their arms in commemoration of the seven blessings recited during the Jewish wedding ceremony. In addition, the winding of the straps around the fingers commemorates the wedding ring given by the husband to the bride.

The Hebrew term for a Jewish divorce is “get”.  It’s procedure is strictly governed by Jewish Law.  Divorce documents – known as “gets” – must be given by the husband of his own free will to his wife, who must accept the divorce. Refusal by the husband to grant the divorce, or by the wife to accept it, prevents the dissolution of the marriage.

The Mitzvah of the menorah is to publicize the Chanukah miracle to people passing your home.  Therefore in Israel, people light their menorah outside their homes, protected from the wind by a glass box, for all to see.  Outside Israel, the custom is to light the menorah in the window facing the street where most people pass.

Since the original menorah was lit with fire, so too the best way to fulfill the mitzva of lighting the Chanukah lights is with real fire.  However if one is in a situation where oil or candles cannot be used (like airplane or hospital) then a battery-operated electric menorah is permitted.

It is  a tradition to eat fish for the Shabbat meal.  Since removing bones from fish is problematic, for it entails one of the activities prohibited on Shabbat, Jewish mothers invented Gefilte fish which is made of a mixture of different fish grounded together.  Most likely many people did not have the means to buy an entire fish, and had to get by with bits and pieces of different fish left over at the fish market .  Then they added some matzah meal and eggs as fillers to stretch the portions to feed the entire family.

Yes.  Unlike Christmas and New Year’s day, thanksgiving has no direct connection to paganizm or Christianity. It is regarded simply as a day to thank God for our blessings.

If one feels very upset about a dream and cannot shake it off,  the Talmud recommends that they go to synagogue at a time when the Kohanim bless the people. When the part of the service where Kohanim cover themselves with a tallit and raise their hands to bless the people is reached, the person should say a special prayer mentioned in the Siddur for this purpose and annul his/her dream.

Three possible reasons are given as to why a soul may have been returned to this world and given another chance:

1) Past mistakes:  One needs to return to correct one’s mistakes in his past life

2) Lack of mitzvot: In addition to the mitzvot done in past life one may need more mitzvot to reach its ultimate perfection

3) To help others:  One has a role to help others reach their perfection

‘Gilgul Neshamot’ or reincarnation has been accepted and described in great details by many Jewish scholars, specially the Kabbalists. The idea is that after the soul has completed its journey through this world,  the person dies and is judged by G-d. One of the judgments that can be given to the soul is that it needs to reenter this world in another body in order to fix something it never managed to complete in its past life.

Simchat Torah literary means ‘The joy of Torah’. On this day we celebrate both the completion and the start of our annual cycle of reading through the entire Torah. We rejoice in being partners with God in the study and dissemination of his Torah. It is, therefore, customary that all of the Torah scrolls in the synagogue are taken out of the ark to be danced with.

The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Rabbah ( literary “great supplication”). Hoshana Rabbah is known as the last of the Days of Judgment which began on Rosh Hashana. The Zohar says that while the judgment for the new year is sealed on Yom Kippur, it is not “delivered” until the end of Sukkot (i.e., Hoshana Rabbah, the last day of Sukkot), during which time one can still alter their verdict and decree for the new year.

By abstaining from physical acts like eating, drinking,  showering, marital relations, etc we focus on the spiritual rather than the physical on Yom Kippur. Fasting removes us from the physicality of ourselves and this restraint makes us more humble when asking G-d for forgiveness. Another reason is that on Yom Kippur we emulate Angels who do not eat or drink, and constantly do Hashem’s will.

On the first day of Rosh Hashanah Jews go to a body of water to recite the Tashlich prayer, where we beseech G-d for mercy, atonement and a good new year. Tashlich comes from the Hebrew word meaning “to cast,” referring to the intent to cast away our sins via this Jewish custom common to both Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities. The goal of Tashlich is to cast both our sins and the Heavenly prosecutor (a.k.a. the Satan) into the Heavenly sea.

Yes.  Unlike Christmas and New Year’s day, thanksgiving has no direct connection to paganizm or Christianity. It is regarded simply as a day to thank God for our blessings.

The Soul is judged during the first twelve months after death. The Kaddish is in essence a prayer of praise for G-d.  According to the Talmud, parents are judged by the deeds of their children. If one’s children follow in G‑d’s ways, then the lives of the parents attain additional sanctity. Reciting Kaddish serves as a catalyst for personal spiritual growth, and adds sanctity to the life that the parent lived, while elevating the soul in its current state.   In this way, children, through their actions  in the world below, will directly benefit their parents in the world above.

A number of people in the Jewish history were very evil and we have the custom to never use those names again. This holds true for evil biblical personalities or even deceased family members who had sinful lifestyles.

Some parents  give their children multiple names in order to instill many different nuances in their characters and missions in life and to expand their role in life.

Tisha B’Av is the ninth day of the Jewish month of Av.  It is a national day of mourning and fasting for the destruction of first and second Holy Temples in Jerusalem and various other tragedies.  It is the saddest day in the Jewish Calendar.  The fast begins on the previous evening and runs for close to 25 hours.

The present custom among Sephardim is to name a child after a living grandparent or relative.  Ashkenazim name after a deceased grandparent or relative.

The Kabbalists describe how the essence of a soul can actually be found in one’s name.  According to Talmud, the chosen name may predispose a child to certain tendencies.  Therefore it is extremely important to find an appropriate name for a child.

A person’s Jewish name identifies him/her as part of the Jewish people.  It is a proud heritage and can become very meaningful to the child. Therefore it is of outmost importance that a Hebrew name be given to a child. The boys are given their Hebrew name at their circumcision while the girl receive it on the Torah reading in the synagogue .

The brit mila is not merely the removal of a piece of skin,  but a holy and sanctified ritual. The person doing it must consciously have the right intentions that he is doing it for the sake of a mitzvah.  For this reason it is very important that not a doctor,  but a mohel,  who is a highly trained specialist who understands the full spiritual impact of the brit and has it in mind,  perform  the procedure.

According to Kabbalah,  wine and blood represent G-d’s judgment, whereas water and milk symbolize his compassion. By purifying oneself during the days from Passover to Shavout, one merits drinking the milk of purity when he/she reaches the holiday of Shavout. Hence the custom to eat dairy products including cheesecake.   The above is one of many reasons given for eating dairy products on Shavuot.

The 28th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, also known as Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem day)  commemorates the unification of Jerusalem and the return of the ancient parts of the city with its Western Wall and the Temple Mount to Jewish sovereignty for the first time since70 C.E.

Beginning with the second night of Passover and every night thereafter there is a religious duty to count the days till Shavout. This is called counting the Omer.  Since the start of the counting coincides with the day on which a certain measurement (Omer) of barley was cut down and brought to the temple as an offering,  the entire period of the counting became known as the Sefirat HaOmer, the counting of the Omer.  It is also referred to as the period of Sefira (counting).

The Hebrew word “goyim” (single, goy) means nation or people. These days it has become a popular synonym for gentiles. Contrary to wide spread belief, it is not a derogatory term.  In fact in the Torah the Jewish nation is referred to as a goy kadosh.

Yom Hazikaron laShoah ve-laG’vurah (יום הזיכרון לשואה ולגבורה; “Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day”), known colloquially in Israel and abroad as Yom HaShoah (יום השואה) and in English as Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Day, is observed as Israel’s day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust by Nazis, or while acting for the Jewish resistance in that period.  In Israel, it is a national memorial day.  At 10:00 a.m., an air raid siren sounds throughout the country and Israelis are expected to observe two minutes of solemn reflection. Almost everyone stops what they are doing, including motorists who stop their cars in the middle of the road, standing beside their vehicles in silence as the siren is sounded.

Some women (or men) have the custom of baking the house or other key into the Challah, or   baking Challah in the shape of a key on the Shabbat following Passover. This Challah is known as a “Shlissel”  or “key” Challah.   The Shabbat after Pesach was the time of year when the Jews entered the Holy Land, the manna stopped falling from heaven, and they began to eat from the produce of the land and to earn their livelihood in a natural manner. The key-shaped Challah symbolizes the key to livelihood which is in G-d’s hand, and our prayers to Him to open the gates of livelihood (Sha’arei Parnasah) for us. (If you want to place a key in your Challah, first make sure to wash the key very well. Many keys contain lead so it is usually best to wrap the key in foil as well) .

The Haggadah concludes with additional songs which further recount the miracles that occurred on this night in Ancient Egypt as well as throughout history. The last song to be sung is Chad Gadya (“One Kid Goat”). This seemingly childish song about different animals and people who attempted to punish others for their crimes and were in turn punished themselves, was interpreted by the Vilna Gaon, the famous Talmudist,  as an allegory to the retribution God will levy over the enemies of the Jewish people at the end of days.

A Siyum is the hebrew word for the celebration marking the completion of a significant Jewish text. Talmud, sometimes referred to as Shas is comprised of  2,711 pages. There is a concept called Daf Yomi (page-a-day) in which Jews all over the world study the same page of Talmud each day and therefore complete learning the entire Talmud in a seven and a half year stretch.  Siyum HaShas  is akin to a graduation party at the end of this cycle.  Last Siyum HaShas was celebrated in Metlife Stadium with over 100,000 participants and was televised all over the world. (picture above) .

One feature of the Holiday of Purim is the commandment that each person must give gifts to a friends and charity to the poor. The primary benefit of these duties is the unity amongst the Jewish People that results from their performance. Part of the reason why there was a divine decree calling for the destruction of the nation in the times of the Purim story was that there was divisiveness and disunity in the Jewish camp. Hence, we attempt to rectify that mistake by performing act of kindness for our fellow Jews every year on the Holiday of Purim.

Fast of Purim, also called Taanit Esther (Fast of Esther)  which is held before Purim,  was not instituted to commemorate a tragedy.  Rather it is a day to reflect and realize that like the Purim miracle, whenever we are in need, G-d is there to help.

Talmud is sometimes referred to as Shas because the entire Talmud is divided into six sections.Talmud is sometimes referred to as Shas. Shas is an acronym of the two Hebrew words Shishah Sedarim,  meaning “six orders” or “six sections

The word Yerushalayim (Jerusalem in Hebrew) is made up of the two words of “Yireh” and “Shalem”. Yireh means “will see”.  Shalem means ” complete”.  Jerusalem is known as a place to find and experience a complete clarity.

Based on Kabbalistic tradition all prayers from around the world gravitate to the spot of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, from where they then ascend to the Heaven.   Therefore it is the closest place to the address for which they are intended.

The Haggadah concludes with additional songs which further recount the miracles that occurred on this night in Ancient Egypt as well as throughout history. The last song to be sung is Chad Gadya (“One Kid Goat”). This seemingly childish song about different animals and people who attempted to punish others for their crimes and were in turn punished themselves, was interpreted by the Vilna Gaon, the famous Talmudist,  as an allegory to the retribution God will levy over the enemies of the Jewish people at the end of days.

Some brides and grooms have the custom to fast on their wedding day because on that day all of one’s sins are erased and his/her repentance is accepted. Since the wedding day is such an important day in a person’s life,   they  do Teshuvah (repent for their misdeeds) and give excess charity on that day. The Sefardic custom is that the bride and groom do not fast on their wedding day.

Although King David wrote the Psalms down,  he did not author all of them.  Adam,  Abraham and Moses who lived before King David authored some of the Psalms.

Sefirot are ten filters through which God’s presence comes into this world. They are:

1) Keter (Crown)
2) Chochma (Wisdom)
3) Binah (Understanding)
4) Chesed (Kindness)
5) Gevurah (Strength)
6) Tiferet (Beauty)
7) Netzach (Eternity)
8) Hod (Splendor)
9) Yesod (Foundation)
10) Malchut (Kingship)

The five knots on each tassel on each corner of the garment represent the five books of the Torah. Then each one of the knots are tied twice creating ten knots on each corner. The ten knots are symbolic of the ten “Sefirot”  (filters)  through which God’s presence comes into this world.

The word Yerushalayim (Jerusalem in Hebrew) is made up of the two words of “Yireh” and “Shalem”. Yireh means “will see”.  Shalem means ” complete”.  Jerusalem is known as a place to find and experience a complete clarity.

Based on Kabbalistic tradition all prayers from around the world gravitate to the spot of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, from where they then ascend to the Heaven.   Therefore it is the closest place to the address for which they are intended.

The Haggadah concludes with additional songs which further recount the miracles that occurred on this night in Ancient Egypt as well as throughout history. The last song to be sung is Chad Gadya (“One Kid Goat”). This seemingly childish song about different animals and people who attempted to punish others for their crimes and were in turn punished themselves, was interpreted by the Vilna Gaon, the famous Talmudist,  as an allegory to the retribution God will levy over the enemies of the Jewish people at the end of days.

Some brides and grooms have the custom to fast on their wedding day because on that day all of one’s sins are erased and his/her repentance is accepted. Since the wedding day is such an important day in a person’s life,   they  do Teshuvah (repent for their misdeeds) and give excess charity on that day. The Sefardic custom is that the bride and groom do not fast on their wedding day.

Although King David wrote the Psalms down,  he did not author all of them.  Adam,  Abraham and Moses who lived before King David authored some of the Psalms.

This practice originates from the time of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The purpose is to create a focused environment to direct prayers to Hashem, and prevent the distraction that comes with men and women socializing.

A siddur intended specifically for use on one of the holidays, (Rosh Hashana,  Yom Kippur,  etc.) is called a Machzor which means a “cycle”.  The reason is that it contains prayers that are said only  cyclically.  Some of the prayers in Machzor are different from a regular siddur. 

The seventh day of Sukkot is called Hoshana Rabbah ( literary “great supplication”). Hoshana Rabbah is known as the last of the Days of Judgment which began on Rosh Hashana. The Zohar says that while the judgment for the new year is sealed on Yom Kippur, it is not “delivered” until the end of Sukkot (i.e., Hoshana Rabbah, the last day of Sukkot), during which time one can still alter their verdict and decree for the new year.

A commandment of the Sukkot holiday is the Mitzvah of ‘The four species’ with:

• Lulav, the branches of the palm tree before their leaves have been separated.
• Etrog,  the citron related to the lemon family.
• Hadassim, the myrtle with leaves that fully cover its branch.
• Aravot, a certain type of willow that grows by a brook.

On Sukkot we are commanded to take these four species and shake them.  The four species are the symbol for four different types of Jews. The Etrog, which has both a pleasant taste and a pleasant smell, corresponds to a Jew that has both wisdom and good deeds. The Lulav, which has a pleasant taste but no smell, signifies a Jew who possesses wisdom but lacks good deeds. The Hadassim, which has a pleasant smell but lacks taste, characterizes a Jew who has good deeds, but lacks wisdom. And finally, the Aravah, which has neither a pleasant smell nor a pleasant taste, epitomizes a Jew who has neither wisdom nor good deeds. On Sukkot we tie all four species together symbolizing the unity of the Jewish People. When we shake these four species together we focus on the fact that every Jew, regardless of their differences, plays a role in the national destiny of the nation and as a result is worthy of our love, care, and concern.

By abstaining from physical acts like eating, drinking,  showering, marital relations, etc we focus on the spiritual rather than the physical on Yom Kippur. Another reason is that on Yom Kippur we emulate Angels who do not eat or drink, and constantly do Hashem’s will.

Chayah (from the word “Chai” – life) is our life force.  Yechidah, the highest level of the soul (from the word  “Yachad” – oneness” ) is the uniqueness of our soul.  These levels of our soul are linked like a chain to Hashem and the spiritual world  outside of our body.

Neshama part of the soul is the source of our thoughts, understanding and intellect,  etc.  It is located in the blood.

Ruach, (literary means wind or spirit) controls our emotions such as happiness, anger, speech, etc.  Ruach  is located in the heart.

Nefesh part of the soul controls physical desires like sleeping,  eating and procreation, etc.  It is located in the blood.

There are five levels to a soul.  Starting from the lowest level of the soul they are  Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chayah, and Yechida.   Each layer has a different aspect and function.  Together they make up the human personality.

Closeness to a dead body causes spiritual impurity. By washing the hands in a ritualistic manner  Jews restore their spiritual balance. By custom,  hands are not dried  after this ritualistic washing as an indication that  the visitors are not drying their hands off the departed they are leaving behind.

There is an old Jewish custom  that earth from Israel is put in the coffin before burial.   One of the reasons is that the earth from Israel has the power to atone.

One Kabbalistic reason is that it parallels another law in the Torah known as Orlah, which prohibits us from benefitting from any fruit on a tree during its first three years of growth. The connection between trees and the wisdom of the Torah is marked from a verse in Proverbs which calls the Torah “A tree of life for those who grab hold to it.” The same way that we can pick the fruit of a tree after three years we cut a child’s hair to symbolize that he can now initiate himself in the wisdom of Torah.

There is a custom amongst certain communities that parents allow their little boys hair to grow until their third birthday. The parents then host a celebratory event, attended by family, friends, and rabbis, where the boy’s hair is cut for the first time. It is customary that all the people in attendance have a chance to cut off some hair as everyone celebrates together this momentous event. This ceremony is traditionally known as an Upsherin, which is derived from the Yiddish term upfsherin, which means ‘To cut off’.

Judaism forbids getting a tattoo and includes this prohibition as one of the 613 negative commandments. This prohibition applies to all tattoos besides those made for medical purposes, such as to guide a surgeon making an incision.  One reason for this prohibition is that idol worshippers used to tattoo themselves as a sign of commitment to their deity.  Jews believe that the covenant of circumcision is a unique sign in our bodies of our relationship with G‑d;  and making other signs in one’s body would weaken and cheapen this special sign.   Another reason is that the human body is G‑d’s creation, and it is therefore unbefitting to mutilate G‑d’s handiwork unless it is for health reasons.

There is a custom to leave a small stone on the gravesite as a sign that someone has visited the grave.   The reason for this custom is to declare that just as the stone is permanent and never dies,   so is the soul.   For this reason flowers are not placed on the grave because flowers do not last and therefore not a good representation of the soul’s permanence.

A custom of the Shavuot holiday is the practice to decorate the synagogue with flowers and greenery. This serves to remind us of the flowers and greenery that blossomed in the desert, the most unlikely place of all, on Mount Sinai at the time of the giving of the Torah. As well, Shavuot is the time when we are judged by God concerning the success of the fruit trees. By decorating the synagogue we pray to Him that He bless us with a prosperous year of fruit.

A common answer given for this question is that one of the prohibitions of the Torah is men wearing women’s clothing and vice versa. Since pants are generally worn by men, women are forbidden to wear them.

There is an old Jewish custom  that earth from Israel is put in the coffin before burial.   One of the reasons is that the earth from Israel has the power to atone. 

Although there is no obligation to sway when one prays, many people do so. On a basic level the reason – and for most people the only one – is that swaying helps a person keep their concentration. By moving back and forth a person can remain awake and fully aware of what they are doing without losing their attention and focus.  However, there are a couple of deeper answers that are given for this practice.

Shul is a Yiddish word for Synagogue which is derived from the German word “Schule” which means school. Synagogue is a Greek word meaning assembly.  In Israel a synagogue is referred to as a Beit Haknesset  which means house of Assembly.   Ashkenazim prefer to use the Yiddish word over the Greek,  otherwise there is no difference between a Shul and a Synagogue.

Judaism believes in the coming of the Mashiah at the time of the final redemption. The verse “Next Year in Jerusalem” is used by all Jews at the end of the Seder as a sign that we remember and are enthusiastic about the coming of the Mashiah and the final redemption.

Judaism believes that Eliyahu Hanavi (prophet Elijah)  will announce the coming of the Mashiah at the time of the final redemption.  Opening the door is a sign that we remember the final redemption. When we open the door for Elijah we show our enthusiasm for the final redemption and the coming of Mashiah.

It is said in the book of Proverbs: “Ner Hashem, nishmat adam –  Man’s soul is the candle of God”. The reason a candle is lit in remembrance of the deceased is that the flame (Ner in Hebrew) is symbolic of a soul.  A Yahrtzeit candle is lit on the evening of the anniversary.  In the Jewish calendar, days begin at sunset the day before. If the anniversary falls on Shabbat or on a holiday, the candle is lit before the Shabbat/holiday candles. The candle typically will burn for 24 hours.

Shushan Purim falls on Adar 15 and is the day on which Jews in Jerusalem celebrate Purim.  Purim is celebrated on the 14th of the Hebrew month of  Adar because the Jews in unwalled cities fought their enemies on Adar 13 and rested the following day. However, in Shushan, the capital city of the Persian Empire, the Jews were involved in defeating their enemies on Adar 13–14 and rested on the 15th.  In commemoration of this, it was decided that while the victory would be celebrated universally on Adar 14, for Jews living in Shushan and Jerusalem, the holiday would be held on Adar 15 because Jerusalem had been enclosed by a wall. Although Shushan was not walled, it was made an exception since the miracle occurred there.  Today, the only city that currently celebrates Shushan Purim is Jerusalem.

Mishloach manot ( literally means “sending of portions”)  are gifts of food or drink that are sent to family, friends and others on Purim day. The mitzvah of giving mishloach manot derives from the Book of Esther. The food packages are meant to ensure that everyone has enough food for the Purim feast held later in the day, and to increase love and friendship among Jews as a counter to Haman’s assertion that the Jewish people are characterized by strife and disunity.

There is a custom to have the bride stand to the right of the groom based on a verse in Tehillim (the book of Psalms) which states: ” Where the Queen stands to the right”. Since the groom is considered a king and the bride a queen on their wedding night, she stands to the right of him.

G-d  created  the  world  in  seven kabbalistic sefirot (circles, environments, atmospheres). A bride makes seven circles around her husband. He stands in the middle like the letter ו and she spins around him, creating their universe. It is her way of saying, “I will use the same seven sefirot Hashem used  to  create  the  world , to  create  the environment  you /we will dwell in.” The woman is the creator of the home and  its environment, and she brings the man into her, both physically and spiritually. She is the space creator.  We are told  “his wife is like his home” because  he dwells within her space; she really is his home.

One could attempt to pursue any of these three avenues of goodness and purpose independently of the commandments, but, any other approach will inevitably be confined by human limitations and subjectivity. In contrast, God’s commandments are divine wisdom. Together they comprise the only complete and flawless system custom made by God that objectively directs one towards perfection in all three avenues of purpose and goodness

There are three types of commandments in the Torah: Mitzvot between man and himself, Mitzvot between man and his neighbour, and Mitzvot between man and God. God issued three different types of commandments because God has three different agendas for every Jew; to improve yourself through the Mitzvot between man and himself, to develop yourself into a giver and improve the society around you through Mitzvot between man and his neighbour, and to establish a relationship with God through Mitzvot between man and God. Almost all people are invariably connected on some level to one of these goals. God knows how the world works and he knows how we work. The commandments are God’s tailor made instructions to guide us how to perfect ourselves, perfect our society and become as close to Him as possible.

The 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat is known as Tu B’Shvat, the new year for trees. It is about 4 months later than the festival of Sukkot which commences the rainy season in Israel. The new year for trees is different than the new year for humans because it takes four months for the rains to saturate the soil, nurture the trees and coax them into producing fruit. It is customary to eat fruits, particularly grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates, which are singled out by the Torah in its praise of the bounty of the Holy Land.

It is customary to look at one’s fingernails using the light of the fire during the Havdala service. The Kabbalists tell us that the reason for this practice is because before Adam and Eve sinned their entire skin was completely translucent resembling a nail like material. We therefore look at our fingernails to return to that place in time where one could see the soul inside the body of another. As we look at our fingernails we are cognizant of our obligation to return humanity to that sublime place where the deception of the body held no power over the light of the soul.

After we make a blessing over wine we take spices in our hands, known in Hebrew as Bisamim. We then proceed to make a blessing over them, after which we smell them. The reason for this practice is because on Shabbat, the Torah teaches us, we receive a second soul. This means that we are infused with an added dose of spiritual sensitivity that allows us to tap into the holiness of the day. Due to the fact that after Shabbat we lose this ‘second’ soul we assuage ourselves by smelling spices that are meant to uplift us as they enter our nostrils which is the place that God blew into Adam and gave him his soul.

There are six tasks – that we know through the Oral Law – which Messiah must accomplish:

1) Bring world peace, harmony, and lead all of humanity back to a full recognition of G-d and his Torah;
2) Gather the Jewish people to the Land of Israel;
3) Oversee the rebuilding of Jerusalem, including the Third Temple;
4) Restore the royal dynasty to the descendants of David;
5) Re-establish the Sanhedrin, the religious Supreme Court and legislature of the Jewish people as a necessary condition for the rebuilding of the Third Temple;
6) Restore the sacrificial system, the practices of the Sabbatical Year (Shemitah) and the Jubilee Year (Yovel).

Throughout history many leaders, such as Jesus and Shabtai Tzvi, have risen up proclaiming – either by themselves or by their followers – that they were the Messiah. Unfortunately even if they had the potential to be the Messiah, the fact that they didn’t accomplish these tasks in their lifetimes proved they were not the Messiah.

The tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, Asarah b’Tevet, is a fast day in Judaism. It is one of the minor fasts observed from before dawn to nightfall. The fasting commemorates the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonian King. This siege was the first step towards their eventual destruction of the city and the Temple along with it. Thousands of people died from hunger and ailments as a result of it. Due to this singular terrible tragedy of the holy city of Jerusalem being taken under captivity the Prophets deemed it worthy of a day of fasting.

There is a custom to eat foods fried in oil to commemorate the miracle that occurred with oil in Chanukah. One example of these foods is called ‘latkes’, which are made by grating potatoes and onion into a pancake shape and then frying them in oil. Additionally, deep fried jelly doughnuts, commonly known as Sufganiyot are eaten for this reason too.

The concluding moments of Shabbat are, in a certain sense, a time of sadness as the holiness of the day begins to wane until it eventually departs.  Therefore we make a blessing over a glass of wine – which represents joy – to engender within ourselves a sense of optimism for the coming week. In fact, there is a custom to overflow the glass representing the idea that the spirit of Shabbat will spill over into the rest of the week. The joy that wine symbolizes teaches us that although Shabbat is departing we can still continue to hold onto the energy that it gave us and allow that energy to infuse our lives with meaning in the coming week.

The two loaves of bread represent the Manna the Jewish people received in the desert. As the Manna descended to the ground every morning it was covered by a layer of dew. The covering of the bread therefore symbolizes this coating of dew and the gratitude we have to the Almighty for preparing our food in such a caring way.

Another reason given is that Jewish law dictates an order in which we are supposed to make blessings over foods. Normally, we are supposed to say the blessing over bread first, before the blessing over wine, since bread is the most basic food staple; whereas wine, although highly regarded, is not essential for one’s daily sustenance and is therefore blessed only after the bread. On Shabbat however, Kiddush, which is said over a glass of wine, is recited first, due to its special connection with Shabbat. Since we are temporarily skipping over the bread which normally comes first, we cover the bread out of a sign of respect to the bread. When we cover the bread we are meant to focus on internalizing an awareness of how careful we must be with the sensitivities and needs of our fellow human beings.

These personalities were essentially the first Jews to grow up in exile – a foreign environment. The fact that they remained steadfastly loyal to their Jewish identity and moral ideals while submerged in a foreign corruptive culture is testimony to the unbelievable moral and spiritual fortitude that they had. Parents thus ask that God give their children the same strength to withstand the temptations of the modern world that can pull a Jew away from his heritage and that He allow their children to remain loyal, even in the Diaspora, to their Jewish principles.

There are certain times in the year where due to the intrinsic holiness of the day people are more spirituality attuned and hence have a greater power to confer blessings upon one another. One of the most auspicious times for such blessings is Friday night as there is a tremendous flow and surge of divine beneficence and blessing in the world as a result of the intense power of Shabbat. This reality is most palpable on Friday night when the holiness of Shabbat begins to enter each family’s home. It has, therefore, become the widespread custom for Jewish parents around the world to bless their children with a universally used text. When blessing their children parents should have in mind that their children and grandchildren grow up to live lives filled with the beauty of Torah, that they eventually arrive at their wedding day, and that their lives are filled with good deeds.

The Torah relates that after the Jewish people received the commandment to keep Shabbat, on every Friday they collected twice the normal amount of their standard daily portion of Manna (the miraculous food which fell from heaven and sustained the Jewish People during their 40 year wander through the desert) . The extra portion was for the following day which was Shabbat. It is therefore customary to use two loaves of bread at every Shabbat meal, as a remembrance of the double portion of bread that fell for our ancestors in the desert. The two loaves symbolize that although we don’t work for our livelihood during Shabbat thus losing a day of labour, God still ensures that we do not incur any loss as a result of our Shabbat observance, just as he cared for us during our time in the desert.

On Sukkot we take the four species (branch of palm tree, citron, myrtle & willow), bind them together and shake them.  This bundle is compared to the four essential body parts of a person. The Lulav which is straight like a spine represents the spine of a person. The Haddasim which are round like the eye corresponds to the eye of a human being. The Aravah which is elongated resembles lips and they therefore embody a person’s mouth. Finally, the Etrog, which is ovular, resembles the heart of a man. When taken together these four species comprise the essential limbs of a person and they direct us to channel our entire body towards divine service.

The holiday of Sukkot, which lasts eight days in the Diaspora and seven days in Israel, is commonly referred to as Zman Simchateinu – The time of our Joy. The joy inherent in the holiday is the satisfaction that is derived through the appreciation of the blessings that the Almighty bestows upon us all year long. Additionally, Sukkot is seen as the culmination of the High Holidays as the holiday occurs just five days after Yom Kippur. The joy that we experience on this festival results from the knowledge that we have emerged from those intense days with a positive judgment which is based on our confidence that we utilized that time to repent from our previous mistakes and grow in our behavior to higher levels.

One of the interesting laws of Yom Kippur is that the only types of shoes that are forbidden to be worn are those made of leather material, any other material is permissible. During the year we wear leather shoes to express our dominance over the animal kingdom as we place their hides on our feet – the lowest part of our body. Leather shoes reinforce our understanding that the human being is the pinnacle of creation and that as a result he has moral obligations that animals do not have. On Yom Kippur, however, instead of focusing on our supremacy we must focus on the fact that the ultimate supreme being of our universe is God. We remove our leather shoes to remind us that although we are above the animal kingdom we are still under the ruler ship of the Almighty and hence we must abide by his rules. It is for this reason that it was forbidden for one to enter the grounds of the Temple with their shoes on. When people came to that place they had to recognize that ultimately the Almighty is in control, and that although we are on the highest level of the food chain there will always be an Authority that is above us.

After the destruction of the first Temple the majority of the Jews living in Israel were exiled to Babylonia. However, a few remained and Gedalya, a Righteous Jew was appointed over them to serve as their governor. Gedalya was assassinated by a fellow Jew. With his assassination came gruesome attacks upon the remaining Jews in Israel causing thousands of Jews to die. Eventually all of the Jews were exiled to Babylon as the final remnant of a Jewish presence in Israel was extinguished. As a result of this terrible event the day that Gedalya was assassinated, which is also the day immediately following the holiday of Rosh Hashanah, was established as a national fast day.

Tradition teaches that our fate is written on Rosh Hashanah and is sealed on Yom Kippur. The month of Elul starts a month before Rosh Hashana. Until Rosh Hashana, when saying goodbye or signing letters Jews say ”K’tiva v’ chatima tova”, meaning “may you be inscribed and sealed (in the Book of Life for a good year)”. Between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, we change that to “G’mar chatima tova”, meaning “May you have a good final signing (in the Book of Life)” .

Sephardim have the custom to begin Selichot the day after Rosh Chodesh Elul till Yom Kippur. We have a tradition that after the sin of the golden calf, Moses went up the mountain on the first day of this month (Elul) to pray on the Jewish People’s behalf and receive the second set of tablets. He returned 40 days later on Yom Kippur. These 40 days were days of mercy and favor. On Yom Kippur Hashem forgave the Jews for their sins. These days were therefore established as days of forgiveness and atonement.

The Torah relates the prohibition of meat and milk regarding cooking a kid in its mother’s milk. The Oral law teaches us that this includes the meat of all kosher domesticated animals being cooked and eaten with the milk of any kosher animal. However, meat of fowl cooked with milk is not forbidden by Torah law. The sages understood that if people were to be allowed to eat fowl with milk that over time they could easily become confused and might accidently end up cooking and eating actual meat with milk. They therefore decreed that as a rabbinic precaution it is forbidden to cook or eat any form of fowl with milk. By doing so they created a fence  to protect people from even the slightest possibility of transgressing this prohibition

Tisha B’ Av is seen as the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. Every year Jews from around the world gather on this day to mourn the destruction of the two Temple’s and all of the various other tragedies that have befallen us throughout Jewish history on this day. It’s fast begins on the previous evening and runs for close to 25 hours. On this day we are also forbidden to wash ourselves, anoint ourselves, engage in conjugal relations, wear leather shoes, and to sit on chairs until midday. Although the ninth of Av is a day of mourning it is also seen as a semi festival. This is because the Almighty comes to the aid of his people in their darkest moment. The sages teach us that the Messiah is actually born on this day. In other words, through the darkness comes the light, for on this day, although we have experienced destruction, through the grace of God, we will eventually experience redemption.

The purpose of a fast day is not the abstention from eating; that is merely a means to awaken us to the true meaning of the day. On a fast day we must involve ourselves in deep introspection to try and discover the reason as to why such terrible hardships occurred to our ancestors on these specific days and why those misfortunes continue to befall us today. It is a time of soul-searching where one must be honest enough with themselves to see their flaws with total transparency and do the necessary work to try and fix them. Additionally, it is a time to utilize the power of prayer by connecting with God on a deeper level than you are normally accustomed to. By extending ourselves to come closer to God we rectify the mistakes that caused the catastrophes of these solemn days in the first place. Therefore by fasting one goes through real behavioral change, which transforms him/her into different people. Fasting is simply a means, albeit a crucial one, to an end.

A Bar and Bat-Mitzvah represents a person’s ‘coming of age’ and their entry as a full member into the Jewish People. According to Jewish law when a boy reaches the age of 13 and a girl the age of 12 they become obligated to keep the commandments of the Torah. They are now at a level of maturity where they really understand that they have a role in Judaism’s and the Jewish People’s mission, and that they are ready to undertake their part. By being a part of this people there is also the message that the individual is unique, and has been put into this world for a special mission. The fact that 13 and 12 are the ages that people become obligated in the commandments is known to us by tradition. The Sages have maintained this tradition throughout the ages going all the way back to Moses who received this information from God on Mount Sinai.

In a Jewish wedding ceremony the groom places a ring on the bride’s right forefinger and proclaims, “Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the Law of Moses and Israel.”  The mystics say that a vein in this finger runs directly to the heart, thus, the ring joins the groom’s heart to that of the bride’s. The ring is plain metal with no stones, indicating a marriage based on spiritual values, not material ones. The ring is also a solid and unbroken circle with no end, signifying the eternal connection that is being forged.

We know that there is an infinite God who is controlling everything that happens in this world, whether it’s the movement of the clouds or the cycles of the season. There has to be a certain mechanism or energy, though, which is used to bring about these changes. We could call that energy, ‘Karma’, or ‘The hand of God’, but Judaism describes it as ‘Angels’. Angels are simply this force that God uses to conduct his supervision of the world. They are the ‘Hands’ He uses to control the world.

Whenever we talk about Angels we tend to get very confused, because we’re used to a western, Christian concept of Angels which sees them as little cute flying babies with independent power. But, Judaism says exactly the opposite. Angels aren’t physical beings that have wings or a halo floating over their head. They certainly don’t have free-will or the ability to ever go against God’s will. Angels are nothing more than a spiritual extension of God himself. They are the power that causes a tree to grow and the rain to fall from the sky. They are an aspect of God’s influence and revelation  in the world. 

Shavuot is the holiday that commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. On this day, we feel as if we ourselves stood at Mount Sinai and heard G-d speak to us directly. We show G-d that his Torah is precious to us, that we see it as our lifeline, and that we are willing to make all of the sacrifices necessary which will allow us to uphold it.

It is customary that people stay up for the entire first night of Shavuot learning Torah, thereby showing G-d that we are eager to receive it once again.

Many people have the custom to eat dairy products on Shavuot. One reason, among many others, is that the Torah is often compared to the sweet and pleasant taste of milk.

An aspect of the Omer period (50 days between Pesach and Shavuot) is the national period of mourning that the entire community observes. The reason for this mourning is because in the first century of the Common Era 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva – the leading sage of his time – passed away in an epidemic because the students did not give proper respect for one another’s knowledge. These students were meant to be the transmitters of Torah to the next generation, but because of their slight insensitivity a huge wealth of Torah knowledge was lost. It is this loss of Torah that we mourn for during this period. We refrain from shaving, listening to music, having weddings, and other activities as a sign that we have experienced a tremendous loss during this time. As well, by refraining from these actions we remind ourselves that we must be particularly sensitive during these 50 days to learn from everyone and to always give the Torah the proper respect that it deserves.

The most fundamental idea in Judaism is that the purpose of life is to get pleasure, and that the greatest pleasure one can possibly experience is having a relationship with God. Like any other relationship the most basic building block of love  and connection is communication. Prayer is our way of communicating with the Almighty and on a basic level it gives us a remarkable opportunity to connect, nurture and develop our special relationship with him. By praying to God we allow him to become a part of our lives, during both the good times and the bad times.

In the early 20^th century Albert Einstein revolutionized our view of time proving that it was relative. This means that how time passes depends on how you are observing it and where you are in the universe. The seconds that pass on our watch while we are on Earth, pass much slower if we are standing on Jupiter, and much quicker if we are positioned on Mercury.  When the Torah says that the world is 5775 years old that is looking at time from God’s perspective. From his perspective of time, only 5775 years have passed. When we look at time from our small vantage point on Earth it seems that the world is 15 billion years old. Those 5775 years from God’s viewpoint translate to 15 billion years when we look at time from our standpoint. These are not two different numbers they are just two different ways of expressing the same sum of time.

A classic idea associated with Chametz – leavened bread – is the ego that is represented by the height of the bread. The same way that Chametz is inflated, our drive for self-aggrandizement is overstated and destroys our true nature. Passover is a holiday where we focus on humility which is represented by Matzah with its low and flat nature. To appreciate the significance of the events of that time along with God’s intimate involvement we must move beyond our self absorption to appreciate that which is beyond us. Although this is a difficult task, on Passover, which is the beginning of our formation as a nation, this is absolutely imperative. To facilitate this process the Torah commands us to remove all Chametz from our homes – the epitome of egocentricity, and instead eat Matzah – the embodiment of humility.

The moment of separating challah is a special moment for praying for family and loved ones. The Mitzvah of Challah reminds women of their essence and role as Jewish women. It is a concept of taking the physical represented by bread and raising it up to a holy spiritual level. Just like women knead, shape and create their Challah, they knead, shape and create their families and thereby create all of civilization. Through the mitzvah of Challah we connect to Hashem and when we do this we open the pathways of blessings. Each ingredient in the Challah brings its own unique blessing to the home.

A problem that people are often bothered by is the fact that women wear wigs which are not only attractive and ostensibly immodest but frequently come to be confused for a woman’s own hair. People see this as hypocritical as it seems to run counter to the whole point of covering ones head in the first place. What must be understood is that a woman can be “attractive” but should not be “attracting”. A Jewish woman is never meant to look unattractive. The same way that a women can put on makeup to beautify herself and that is not considered immodest, there is nothing wrong with wearing an attractive wig that properly covers ones hair enabling a woman to properly fulfill this Mitzvah (commandments). When a woman places a foreign object on her head, no matter how attractive it is, it is foreign, nonetheless, and it serves to constantly remind a woman to focus on her status as a married women and the inner beauty inside of her. Of course wigs that are clearly seductive are not what the Torah or the rabbis ever had in mind. So although an “attracting” wig technically fulfills the requirements of a ‘head covering’, it certainly is not within the spirit of the law.

Another point worthy of mention is the fact that hair covering is arguably one of the most difficult Mitzvah’s for a woman to keep. A basic tenet of Judaism is our obligation to love our fellow as ourselves and support each other in any way we can. That being the case none of us has the right to judge others for the covering that’s used. We tend to forget that we come in on chapter three of another person’s life and we have no idea what the first two chapters were like. What may look ‘immodest’ to some may actually be amazingly modest for another. Judgement and evaluation is God’s department; our task is to be of assistance to others in any way we can that shows our love and not our disapproval of one another.

Throughout the world both culturally and historically when we want to create an identity for ourselves we often use our head – which houses our mind, the seat of our humaneness – as the place for that identification. For example, when we graduate school there is a special four cornered hat we wear that clearly articulates our new status as a graduate student. Similarly, in the army every soldier dons a different hat depending on his rank. Likewise, kings and queens wear crowns expressing their supreme position and authority. By covering her hair a woman reveals her new dimension of one that has had ‘a coming of age’. She creates a very cogent reminder, moment to moment, that she is a married woman. She conveys her new standing to both others and herself that she has a newfound sense of dignity that she must safeguard preciously. Especially in our times when the barriers to the genders interacting freely have been removed and the opportunities to do so abound, both socially and in the workplace, there can never be too many reminders that we are committed to the exclusive covenant of our marriage.

Since people, and especially women, are primarily defined by the relationships that they have it is crucial that a women has a constant reminder of her new status as a married women. She has to have a mark of identification showing that she has experienced something new in her life and that her self-image has been irreversibly altered by that experience.

The same way that the crown of a queen shows her power and uniqueness a woman’s covered head illustrates her new spiritual maturity and majesty. Furthermore, the more responsibility one has the higher their status is. When a woman marries, she now becomes responsible for creating a home, a family, working for the community, etc. This change of status is fully expressed by the covering on her head.

Maimonides, one of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars says that God created the dazzling wonders of the universe for one reason only: that we may see them, contemplate their significance, and appreciate the greatness of the One who created them. The whole point is for us to look up at these “wondrous creations” and say: “look at the brilliance of God.” We’re meant to be filled with tremendous love and awe of God, and to feel extreme appreciation for how much He cares about us and how He only wants the best for us.

Unfortunately, it’s very easy to take the marvels of the universe for granted. Take, for example, the sun. When we look at the sun we usually don’t realize the magnitude of the sun’s heat. The surface temperature of the sun is twenty thousand degrees Celsius. Can we conceptualize how hot that is? Let’s think of it this way—if we took a pin-head of material from the sun and placed it a hundred miles away from us, that tiny speck would burn us to a crisp. But God in His infinite wisdom placed the sun at just the right distance from the Earth: not too close to fry us, and not too far that we freeze. God has designed the world to make it perfectly habitable for us—something we seldom think about, let alone appreciate.

Judaism is unfortunately accused, at times, of being a sexist religion. This conclusion is occasionally drawn from the fact that God is mostly referred to, throughout the Torah, specifically as “He” rather than “She” or the neutral “It.”  God isn’t a physical being nor does He have any gender. In fact, the Torah explicitly states that both male and female are created in the image of God, thereby debunking any notion that Judaism views maleness as superior to femaleness.

To understand why the Torah refers to God  in the masculine we must understand  traditional Jewish marriage because the way God relates to the world parallels the way a husband relates to his wife. In Judaism, male and female are generally regarded as having different—yet equal—roles in life and certainly in marriage. Judaism asserts that in the context of marriage the husband is meant to serve as the provider and the wife as the receiver, whose mission is to channel her husband’s energy in the most ideal way. The best example of this providing–receiving relationship is the creation of a child; the husband provides the seed, something that has only potential, and the wife receives the seed, actualizing this potential by carrying the fetus and giving birth to a child. Specifically  referring to the context of Jewish marital obligations,  the husband plays the role of “provider”—as he’s obligated to give his wife clothing, shelter, food, and to satisfy her needs—and the woman plays the role of “receiver.” From this paradigm, the Jewish sages explain that on a spiritual level, specifically in the marital context, providing is “masculine energy,” and receiving is “feminine energy.”

Based on this concept the sages draw a similar parallel to our relationship with God which we’re meant to see, on some level, as a marriage. Since God’s constantly providing to us by sustaining our existence at every moment, He’s referred to in the masculine—the energy that symbolizes the role of the provider in marriage. He’s the “husband” in the relationship, while we’re seen as the “wife,” because we’re constantly receiving God’s goodness. Since God behaves with a masculine energy by providing us with our every need—much like a husband is obligated to do the same for his wife—the Torah refers to Him in the masculine form.

Judaism says that men and women are not only different biologically but also spiritually. It discusses three aspects or planes of wisdom that exist in the world and points out that of the three, men and women equally posses one and in the other two each gender has an advantage over the other which they are meant to cultivate as a source for spiritual growth.

The first aspect of wisdom that they share equally is called Chochmah – wisdom. This refers to purely factual information and the ability to retain that data. The next aspect – which women have a greater capacity to use as their primary mode of intellect – is referred to as Binah – insight. Women can look at the thoughts and emotions of other people and draw very accurate conclusions about who they are and how they think. The third aspect – which men are more suited towards – is known as Daat – knowledge. Daat generally refers to the ability to analyze data, statistics, facts, and details. The best translation of this term would be ‘analytical reasoning’.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and one will find women that have more Daat than the average man, and one will find men that have more Binah than the average woman. In general, though, we find that these distinctions are true for most people.

The mantra of the Jewish People has always been the Shema. The Shema represents the paramount commandment to accept daily upon oneself the yoke of heaven. By saying the Shema we remind ourselves of the axioms by which we are meant to live our lives. By declaring that God is One, Unique, and Indivisible, we subordinate every facet of our personalities, possessions – our very lives – to His will. Furthermore, the Shema characterizes every Jew’s basic obligation to love the Almighty with his whole being. We remind ourselves that God is our father in heaven who loves us unconditionally and that we must reciprocate that love in return.  

Looking back to a past event, we all agree that our knowledge of what happened then does not limit the participants to act a certain way. Knowing that A married B in year 2000 does not interfere with A’s free will to choose to marry B at that time . However because human beings cannot know the future, we think that if we would know that A will marry B in year 2020 , it means that A has only one fixed option in 2020. In other words our foreknowledge of A’s actions make it logically impossible for A to have complete freedom of choice in the future.

Part of the reason we perceive there to be a contradiction between God’s knowledge of the future and our free will, is because we mistakenly equate God’s infinite “mind” with our finite minds. As finite beings we’re limited by time and can only experience the world in terms of past, present, and future. G-d exists outside of time and therefore is beyond time. He isn’t subject to the rules which govern time. His knowledge of all events—which for us are past, present, and future—occurs simultaneously. Therefore, there’s no contradiction in God having foreknowledge and people having free will because foreknowledge is only relevant in the context of time. From God’s perspective there is no such thing as foreknowledge because for Him there is no “before” and no “after”. Therefore the same way that G-d can look back to our past events without affecting our choices, he can view our future choices in retrospect. His knowledge of our past, present or future choices is not a contradiction or impediment to our free will.

There is a custom to play a game called dreidel. A dreidel is a four headed spinning top that has four Hebrew letters written on each side. These letters comprise an acronym which stands for the phrase – Nes Gadol Hayah Sham – ‘A great miracle happened there’, referring to the miracle of Hanukkah that occurred during the Temple times. The reason the game is played is because when the Greeks imposed their harsh decrees on the nation, one of the things they banned was Torah study. Since Torah study is the pulse of the nation,  people would study it in hiding and when the Greeks would come they would pull out their dreidels and pretend that all they were doing was playing this game. We therefore play the dreidel to commemorate that historical event and to remember the tremendous sacrifice people made as they were willing to study Torah and continue their heritage no matter what the cost.

Why do we light the “Menorah” on Hanukkah? 

We light the Menorah to express gratitude to the Almighty for the miracle of saving us from the enemy of the Jewish People, and to display our confidence that He will always carry us through our exiles, ensuring the survival of the nation.

The Torah tells us: “You shall not round off the edge of your scalp”. According to the Oral Law ‘the edge of your scalp’ refers to the sideburns area, i.e. the edges of one’s head. One transgresses this law by completely removing two hairs from any spot in the sideburn area. Technically one is allowed to trim this area as long as they don’t shave it down to the scalp. Many people in fact do this as they receive a regular haircut on this area while ensuring that it is not shaved off. However there are many Jews, primarily in the Hassidic Orthodox circles, that never cut this area of their head. As a result, they have exceedingly long sideburns, which in Hebrew are called Peyot, which comes from the word Peah – meaning corner – as it is a reference to this area on the head. The primary reason why many Jews do not shave this area of the head at all is because they see it as a way of “glorifying and enhancing this commandment”. Although God allows us to trim this area they are stringent in the manner thereby showing that they go above and beyond the letter of the law.

The idea of “glorifying and enhancing a commandment” originates from the verse: “This is my God and I will glorify Him”.  The Sages understand this verse to mean that we glorify God by beautifying his commandments. A common example of this would be that people spend extra money to purchase a beautiful silver kiddush cup to beautify the commandment of kiddush instead of using a disposable cup.  Similarly, Hassidic Jews allow their sideburns to grow thereby glorifying and enhancing this commandment.

It must be stressed that growing one’s Peyot out is by no means required by Jewish law. It should only be done if one feels that it is a way for them to personally enhance this commandment. In addition, there are Kabbalistic reasons to grow Peyot.

Can men light the Shabbat candles?

Lighting Shabbat candles is an obligation upon everyone – men and women alike. Women light on behalf of their families and fulfill their household’s obligation  as they generally take charge of the domestic affairs. If the wife is unable to light, then the husband lights.  Single women and single men light candles on their own if their mothers do not light on their behalf.

Why do we use at least two candles?

It is customary that women light at least two candles representing the husband and wife and the fact that together they are partners in ‘lighting’ up this world.  It is a symbol of Shalom Bayit (peace in the home).  Another reason is that it represents the two terms God uses regarding Shabbat – Zachor and Shamor – remember and guard. Some add one candle for each child, as each child is an additional blessing and source of light to the family and the world.

The tradition of leaving notes started nearly 300 years ago when a rabbi sent his students with a prayer in writing because he was unable to make the journey to the Kotel. This tradition has even been adopted by members of many non-Jewish faiths around the world in order to communicate with G-d. Twice a year a certain team sweeps the wall with wooden sticks in order to reach up high and collect hundreds of thousands of notes. Without reading the notes they are buried in the Jewish cemetery in Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives. According to Jewish tradition it is more honorable to bury these notes than to burn or dispose of them in the trash. Based on Jewish law, sacred books and ritual objects containing the name of God that are time-worn or have become un-usable cannot be destroyed. Therefore these items are usually stored in a place called Genizah ( Hebrew for “storage” ) and then buried. Most synagogues have such repository called Genizah for the public to dispose of damaged or worn-out sacred books and siddurs .

Among other criteria, any animal or fowl that as a result of a birth defect, disease, or inflicted wound, suffers from a mortally defective organ or limb that would cause the animal to die within twelve months, is not kosher, and is considered a Treifah (best translation is mortal injury).

One of the primary areas of concerns for these defects is the lungs of an animal. After an animal is slaughtered a competent ritual inspector must check the lungs for any defects that would render the animal a Treifah. The lungs are examined for the presence of any adhesions that, because they could be a terminal wound, would render the animal a Treifah. A lung that is found free of these adhesions is called Chalak which means smooth. In the Yiddish language the word used for smooth is Glatt. The term Glatt Kosher therefore means that the animals lungs were checked and were found to be free of these adhesions and are completely smooth – Glatt.  Not all forms of adhesions are deemed terminal defects. If an animal has adhesions that are of the type that do not render the animal a Treifah, the animal would be considered Kosher but not Glatt.
Today, the term Glatt is usually used to describe a more punctilious standard of kashrut and does not necessarily relate to the lungs of an animal at all.

Mezuza is a symbol of our identity and faith in the God of Israel. We are obligated to affix to our doorposts a scroll of parchment which has this paragraph written on it.

“Hear, O Israel: Hashem is our God, Hashem is the One and Only. You shall love Hashem, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your resources. And these matters that I command you today shall be upon your heart…And write them on the doorposts of your house and upon your gates.”

The scrolls are to be taken from the skin of a calf similar to a Torah scroll and they must be written by a certified scribe using special ink. Mezuzas must be checked  to determine that they have not become invalid due to letters being broken or discoloured.

Why is the Hebrew letter Shin written on the outside of the protective Mezuza case?

This letter stands for Sha-dai, which is one of the names of God. Our Sages have pointed out that this name of God is an acronym for the phrase – “Shomer Dirat Yisrael” – “The guardian of the doors of Israel”; a fitting description for the message the Mezuza is conveying.

Why do Jews kiss the Mezuza  when they enter a room?

The custom to kiss the Mezuza is an affirmation of our conviction in the unity of God, our belief of his presence everywhere including the room, and that he is the one who guides our every step and is ultimately in control of our lives.

Covering ones head is a tradition dating back thousands of years to create a constant reminder that God’s presence and authority exists above and beyond us at all times. The more traditional name used for Kippah is the word Yarmulke, which is actually a contraction of two Hebrew words – ‘Yarēh’ and ‘Malkah’, which means ‘Fear’ and ‘King’. In other words, the point of wearing a head covering is to extract a fear for God – the ultimate King – from within us.
Historically, the wearing of a Kippah was not mandatory in Jewish law, but was rather a custom adopted by select pious individuals. Over time, though, the practice became universal amongst all Jewish men. An important point in Jewish law is that if a non-biblical custom is adopted by the entire nation it becomes binding on everyone to keep; essentially, the once optional custom attains the status of Jewish law. Therefore, nowadays, it is obligatory according to Jewish law for an adult male to wear a head covering when walking more than four cubic feet. It should be noted, that any head covering fulfils the obligation; the Kippah has simply become the norm, partially because it is comfortable to wear all the time.

Why don’t women wear a Kippah?

Since wearing a Kippah is a custom/practice that the women never adopted, it never became obligatory upon the women. The wearing of a Kippah is contingent on the development of a custom and is neither a biblical nor rabbinic law, then, logically, it can only become obligatory on the group of people who initiated the adoption of its practice in the first place.

Traditionally,  people had a uniform style of Kippah as they all had the same approach to Judaism. Nowadays, there are vast arrays of dogmas, views, and philosophies from the extreme left to the extreme right that can define ones approach to Judaism. As a result, different styles of Kippot have been made to reflect these different streams of Judaism. People will usually wear a Kippah that they feel best reflects which outlook or affiliation they have towards Judaism. Of course, the style of one’s Kippah should never determine their value as a person. To identify someone’s value with their Kippah is clearly antithetical to Judaism on every level. All styles are valid approaches according to Jewish law, as it is not the type of head covering that one uses that matters, rather, what is important is that one’s head is covered.

The Torah is God’s guidebook for life. Torah literally means ‘Instructions’. Just as manufacturers include instruction manuals on how to use/operate their  products, Torah is the Almighty’s “manufacturer’s instruction manual” for life. It guides us through life successfully and helps us reach our full potential. It describes what we need to do in order to get the most pleasure out of life. This includes pleasure on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. The Torah is the manual that outlines how to create a deep relationship with God, others, and ourselves.

Simchat Torah literary means ‘The joy of Torah’. On this day we celebrate both the completion and the start of our annual cycle of reading through the entire Torah. We rejoice in being partners with God in the study and dissemination of his Torah. It is, therefore, customary that all of the Torah scrolls in the synagogue are taken out of the ark to be danced with.

Rosh Hashanah  marks one of the holiest days of the year as it is a celebration of the anniversary of the creation of the first human being, Adam. The term Rosh Hashanah means ‘The head of the year’. The world, with the creation of Adam, is considered to have begun on this day.

The central theme of this holiday is judgement. On this day God judges all of mankind to determine based on their present choices what their coming year is going to look like. We therefore spend a large portion of the day involved in intense prayers to show the Almighty our willingness to change and grow in order to justify our existence for the coming year.

Although we would think that the appropriate mood for this solemn day would be one of melancholy, Rosh Hashanah is actually seen as a time of joy. We know that the one judging us on this day is our Father in Heaven who loves us unconditionally and we can therefore walk around with confidence that He will judge us favourably.

Every holiday has its own unique commandment (Mitzva) that shows the message of the festival. For example, on Passover we eat Matzah and on Yom Kippur we fast. The primary Mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the Shofar.

The Shofar is meant to be a wakeup call to life, much like an alarm clock. When we hear its sound we are meant to jolt ourselves into action, to change from our previous habits, amend our past mistakes, while looking to improve in the future.  It is for this reason that there is a custom to blow the Shofar every morning during the entire month preceding Rosh Hashanah. During these days we must begin the process of taking an accounting of our actions and accepting upon ourselves the responsibility to change. We therefore blow the Shofar during this month to wake us up to our obligations.

Every holiday has its own unique commandment (Mitzva) that shows the message of the festival. For example, on Passover we eat Matzah and on Yom Kippur we fast. The primary Mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the Shofar.

The Shofar is meant to be a wakeup call to life, much like an alarm clock. When we hear its sound we are meant to jolt ourselves into action, to change from our previous habits, amend our past mistakes, while looking to improve in the future.  It is for this reason that there is a custom to blow the Shofar every morning during the entire month preceding Rosh Hashanah. During these days we must begin the process of taking an accounting of our actions and accepting upon ourselves the responsibility to change. We therefore blow the Shofar during this month to wake us up to our obligations.

The purpose of the Jewish holidays is to create an opportunity for growth that exists within the observance of each holiday that is present at no other time during the year.

When contrasting Yom Kippur with Rosh Hashanahwe notice that the focus of Rosh Hashanah is very much future oriented. We plan our goals for the coming year and ask God to provide us with a positive judgment that will enable us to accomplish those goals. Once we have created a positive direction for where we want to go we then need to look at our past, repent, and make amends for all of our past mistakes. This is why Yom Kippur occurs after Rosh Hashanah; once we have set goals for the future we then clean ourselves out from all of the negative baggage that we have accumulated over the course of the past year. Yom Kippur, then, is seen as a time of joy as we are released  from our past errors and habits. Of course, there is a remarkable seriousness to the day as well due to the awareness of the tremendous opportunity that is being presented to us – that for one day a year we are able ‘turn the clock back”.  After the prayer services have concluded the mood amongst the congregants changes from solemnity to joy as the community is confident that they experienced a proper repentance and, consequently, the affects of their past negative choices have been wiped away.

1. Stop making the mistake
2. Regret what was done
3. Verbally confess the mistake to God
4. Undertake to never make the same mistake again

Sukkot  means ‘booths’ as this is the defining feature of the holiday.  On Sukkot we leave our homes and live in a makeshift hut.  The idea is that we cannot place our faith in the protective illusion that our permanent home represents, but that the   real protection comes from God’s divine providence.

Another commandment of this holiday is the Mitzvahof ‘The four species’ with:

• Lulav, the branches of the palm tree before their leaves have been separated.
• Etrog,  the citron related to the lemon family.
• Hadassim, the myrtle with leaves that fully cover its branch.
• Aravot, a certain type of willow that grows by a brook.

On Sukkot we are commanded to take these four species and shake them.  The four species are the symbol for four different types of Jews. The Etrog, which has both a pleasant taste and a pleasant smell, corresponds to a Jew that has both wisdom and good deeds. The Lulav, which has a pleasant taste but no smell, signifies a Jew who possesses wisdom but lacks good deeds. The Hadassim, which has a pleasant smell but lacks taste, characterizes a Jew who has good deeds, but lacks wisdom. And finally, the Aravah, which has neither a pleasant smell nor a pleasant taste, epitomizes a Jew who has neither wisdom nor good deeds. On Sukkot we tie all four species together symbolizing the unity of the Jewish People. When we shake these four species together we focus on the fact that every Jew, regardless of their differences, plays a role in the national destiny of the nation and as a result is worthy of our love, care, and concern.

Jews overslept the morning they were  to receive the Torah on Mt. Sinai.  We demonstrate our resolve to rectify the tendency to give in to our desires by staying awake and learning Torah all night. We also show G-d that we value the Torah that was given to us and are eager to receive it once again.

It is traditional to light bonfires on Lag b’Omer eve. These commemorate the immense light that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai introduced into the world via his mystical teachings and Torah.  Another reason is that the bonfire is like a huge candle which is lit for the anniversary of  his passing.

The 28th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, also known as Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem day)  commemorates the unification of Jerusalem and the return of the ancient parts of the city with its Western Wall and the Temple Mount to Jewish sovereignty for the first time since70 C.E.