This year, Tisha B’Av is sunset of August 8, 2011, until sunset of August 9. Tisha B’Av is a 25 hour fast day (sunset to sunset), but there are other prohibitions on Tisha B’Av that also apply to Yom Kippur: No washing No bathing No shaving No wearing cosmetics No brushing your teeth. Eww. No […]
Tisha B’Av in a Nutshell Read Post »
There have been requests for more “personal” stories about my conversion process. Well, today is your lucky day! If you don’t actually care about who I am and how I got here, feel free to stop reading here and check back for a new post later today! Knowing me, this is about to get long-winded.
Chumrahs: Making This Convert Crazy Since 2004 Read Post »
Question: What is the status of the ‘extra’ conversion immersion [tevila leHumra] demanded by some Orthodox rabbis? You may know this as geirus l’chumrah. A geirus l’chumrah is when a convert (already converted) is required to undergo a “new” conversion because of doubt about a prior conversion. Sometimes this is necessary. That’s why it exists. You
Rabbi Speaks Out Against Geirus l’Chumrahs Read Post »
There are various times during the year when orthodox Jews don’t listen to music. Most of the time, it’s a practical matter. For instance, on Shabbat and yontif, my iPod is quiet simply because I don’t manipulate electricity. Other times, it’s a matter of custom (which some hold to be so pervasive as to qualify
A World Without Music Read Post »
If you’re a pet owner, you have probably already discovered that you’re a bit of an oddball in the Jewish community. Especially if you own a dog. (Much less a big dog…or two big dogs like your author.) Because of the lack of pets in the community, it is key to find a rabbi knowledgeable
How to Walk a Dog on Shabbat Read Post »
Today, I want to share a particularly poignant thought from the Pirkei Avot Treasury. As background, Pirkei Avot is a collection of ethical teachings from the rabbis of the Mishnah. Its uniqueness is that it is the only tractate of the Misnah that does not discuss halacha (at least not overtly); it focuses purely upon
The Power of Pirkei Avot Read Post »
There are some Hebrew and Yiddish words you just might never master like a FFB (frum from birth). That’s ok. If you get close enough, people will understand what you mean. But as a practical matter, I avoid saying the words I have difficulty with simply so I don’t look like a n00b. Chutzpah Tzedakah
Words You Might Never Pronounce Correctly Read Post »
I had the pleasure to hear a shiur this week about a subject I had just put on the “to blog about” list just last week! “Why is Tehillim the first resort when something happens?” As you may or may not have figured out, when something goes wrong, the first thing Jews do is organize
Why Is Tehillim Our First Line of Defense? Read Post »
Tomorrow night is Rosh Chodesh Av, the first day of the month of Av. It also begins the period known as the Nine Days, a time of great sadness for the Jewish people. Ashkenazim have been observing mourning practices since the 17th of Tammuz, but starting tomorrow, their mourning practices intensify and Sephardim begin observing
The Nine Days in a Nutshell Read Post »
This is truly an eternal debate, and everyone has an opinion. Mostly, they focus on the negative opinion: which do they hate? Personally, I hate early Shabbos, but not for the reasons you would think. First, what are early and late Shabbos? Early Shabbos is in the winter, when Shabbos begins early on Friday afternoon.
Debate: Early Shabbat v. Late Shabbat Read Post »