Jewish Blogs

Send Obama a Message

The Obama administration considers Israel a sponsor of terror —at least according to Dick Morris, the disgraced ex-advisor to Bill Clinton, and a host of self-styled “conservative” media. The news was shocking—well, maybe not to the clever folks who knew all along that the president is a secret Muslim, but certainly to the rest of us.What turned out to be ...

Selling shiurim with sex works

A few weeks back someone posted the following ad for a shiur on Facebook and now I would love to attend this shiur, though I’m sure one of you learned folks will give me the answer, I found it interesting that frum folks were started to use talmudic sex to market their wares – then again, everyone knows that whenever ...

Selichot: Keys To Forgiveness Part II #16

The Gemara refers to Selichot as seder tefilla, namely an order of prayer which parallels Shemone Esrei. Shemone Esrai consists of praise, requests, and thanks. In a similar vein, Selichot begin with praise, move on to requests and the thirteen attributes of mercy, and end with thanking Hashem for his beneficence.Judaism views man as an incongruous being. On the one hand, he can rise to unbelievable heights, greater than angels. ...

Selected Pirkei Avos From Chapter 5

4. “Our forefather Abraham was tested with ten trials and withstood all of them. This shows the love our forefather Abraham had [for G-d].”9. “Seven things apply to an uncultured person (Heb. ‘golem’), and seven to a wise person.A wise person does not speak before one who is greater than he in wisdom or years;he does not interrupt his fellow;he ...

Sefirat Haomer-The Inner Count

Usefartem lachem mi’macharat hashabbat miyom heviachem et omer hatnufa sheva shabbatot temimot tehiyena, ad mimcharat h’shabbat hash’viit… “And you shall count from the day after Shabbat from the day of the waving of the Omer sacrifice, seven full weeks it shall be until the day after the seventh week…” Why is the phrase “Mi’macharat haShabbat” repeated? Why do we first ...

Sefirat Haomer Part II-Joyful Anticipation

Sanctity is achieved through immersion in Torah. Rav Pinchus Koritzer writes that the or haganuz (the hidden light) that Hashem concealed during creation, is hidden in the thirty six sections of the Shas. Learning Torah purifies our soul. In fact the Ramchal notes that if a rasha would learn Torah, he would repent, because the Torah awakens us, overtakes the evil inside of us, ...

Sefirat Haomer-Part II-Joyful Anticipation

The period of sefirat haomer leading up to Shavuot is an opportune time for self-rectification. The Zohar writes that we must purify our hearts to receive the Torah. In Sifsei Chaim, Rav Friedlander notes that success in Torah is not so much dependent on the ability of the mind, but rather on the heart. We ask Hashem, “Hu yiftach libeinu..” ...

Sefirat Haomer Part I: The Special Event of Kabbalat Hatorah

The days of sefirat haomer are days of spiritual preparation for the holiday of Shavuot.The Netivot Shalom notes that the order of the moadim: Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot, are a way for a person to come closer to Hashem. It starts with Pesach and peaks at Shemini Atzeret. Pesach and the period of sefirah represent the engagement of a couple. In Mitzrayim, Hashem chose klal Yisrael as a nation. Shavuot corresponds ...

Sefirat Haomer Liberation of the Mind

There are two terms for work in Hebrew, avodah and melacha. The Ramban explains that melachais purposeful work which produces a finished product, while avodah is labor that has no defined objective. The term eved, a slave, is a derivative of avodah. An eved is one who works with no goal or accomplishments to show for his efforts. His agenda is that of his master’s. When Hashem redeemed the Jews ...

Sefiras Haomer is the perfect time to be extra frum

Just because we just finished Pesach and it’s chumra madness doesn’t mean you can’t one up all of your neighbors with chumros. If not for sefiras ha-omer all of the machmir police would have to wait until the three weeks to out-frum their neighbors. How frum can you get during the omer? I just found out that Acapella Music is ...

Secular Music

Question:I grew up listening to secular music (rock, among other genres) and I still enjoy it. I can’t stand most of the modern Jewish music available. Do I need to deprive myself of listening to what I like?Answer:I understand what you mean about modern Jewish music, but there’s a lot more out there than you think. I don’t think being ...

Secrets of the Alter Kockers

What do a bunch of old Jews know about living forever?That’s what Jesse Green asks the four siblings of the Kahn family, all of who sailed passed their 100th birthdays. His New York Magazine article is a fascinating, heart-tugging read that focuses on these centenarians and the scientists who are studying several hundred Ashkenazim to see if their DNA can reveal the ...