What does the Torah say about how to treat a widow or orphan?
A. The Torah says (Exodus 22: 21) “Do not mistreat widows and orphans.” This is Negative Mitzvah #256. Treating widows and orphans properly is a form of tzedakah, which, as explained, is the right response for the situation. Read More »
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Where does the Torah say masturbation is a sin?
Genesis 38: 7-10 “Now Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the eyes of the Lord… Now Onan knew that the progeny would not be his, and it came about, when he came to his [deceased] brother’s wife, he wasted [his semen] on the ground… Now what he did was evil in the eyes of the Lord… Read More »
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Is it true that the pig will be kosher after Moshiach comes?
Indeed the midrash1 maintains that the swine will be “purified” with the arrival of the Messianic Era. The problem with this notion is that a basic principle of the Jewish faith is the absolute immutability of the Torah and its mitzvahs. Read More »
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How is Rosh Hashanah celebrated?
Shofar The unique ‘call of the day’ for Rosh Hashanah is the Biblical commandment1 to hear the sound of the Shofar. The Shofar is sounded during the morning services on both days2 of Rosh Hashanah (so long as it is not Shabbat ). Read More »
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Why is a child circumcised on the eighth day of his life?
Mrs. Shulamit Tilles: Welcome. I’ll be with you in a moment…what’s on your mind? Read More »
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How long must I wait between eating meat and dairy, and vice versa?
After eating meat or fowl, one must wait six hours before consuming dairy products. The rabbis concluded that it takes a full six hours for meat to be completely digested, and for all traces of the meat to dislodge from between the teeth. Read More »
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Parashat Toldot
This parasha contains the story of how Isaac, when he was old, wished to bless his son Esau, and how his wife, Rebecca, tricked him into blessing Jacob instead. Read More »
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When are Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah?
Sukkot is a seven day holiday which begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei and concludes on the 21st. Outside of Israel the first two days are major holidays1 and the ensuing five days are Chol Hamoed. In Israel, the first day is a major holiday, and the next six days are Chol Hamoed. Read More »
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When is Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur is the 10th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. Read More »
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What should I do if I missed one of the daily prayers?
You can still pray until midday. If you miss midday, then pray the next prayer [Minchah, the afternoon prayer] twice–just the shmoneh esrai [the "Eighteen," a.k.a. the 'amidah', the central section of formal Jewish prayer]. Read More »
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What is the Jewish name equivalent of…?
English/secular names don’t have automatic or fixed Jewish equivalents. There are four methods people usually use to choose a Jewish name equivalent. Read More »
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When is Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah is the 1st and 2nd day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei.1 Read More »
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Exodus Chapter 1
Prelude to Slavery 1 Even though the Torah enumerated Jacob’s sons by name when they came into Egypt,1 it does so again here, when they die, in order to indicate how dear they were to God: These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt; Read More »
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What should I do if I missed the time of morning prayer?
You can still pray until midday. If you miss midday, then pray the next prayer [Minchah, the afternoon prayer] twice–just the shmoneh esrai [the "Eighteen," a.k.a. the 'amidah', the central section of formal Jewish prayer]. Read More »
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What is the order of the Tishah b’Av prayers?
The parochet (tapestry which covers the Ark) is removed—or at the very least it is moved to a side. According to Chabad custom, the cloth on the chazzan’s podium is also removed. Many return all these to their places before the Minchah service. Read More »
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Are locusts Kosher?
This is one of the issues where there is a difference in tradition between the Sephardic community and the Ashkenas community. The Sephardic tradition believes it has a long heritage of identifying which species are referred to in the Torah.1 There are four species mentioned in the Torah which, the Talmud says, means that there are eight species. Read More »
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Could you tell me the blessing said on grasshoppers?
There are several species of grasshopper which are kosher, and the blessing recited would be shehakol ni’hya bidvaro. Read More »
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Jacob, Our Father
Among the Three Patriarchs of our people, Jacob (Yaakov) takes a special place. He was the “favorite” of our Patriarch, our Sages say (Ber. Rabbah 76). When G-d named him “Israel,” after he wrestled successfully with the angel, “Israel” became the name of our Jewish people. More than Abraham and Isaac, Jacob is exclusively our father. Read More »
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What’s the connection between women and Rosh Chodesh?
Jewish women have a special connection to Rosh Chodesh and therefore refrain from extra work such as washing laundry and sewing on that day1 . Read More »
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How is Rosh Chodesh celebrated?
Rosh Chodesh, the first of the month, is a quasi-holiday in Jewish tradition. It is not as serious as other holidays, such as the Shabbat, Passover etc., when Jews refrain from working—but it is celebrated to some extent. Read More »
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