holidays

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! Read Post »

Phrase of the Day: Hiddur Mitzvah

There is a mitzvah to make a mitzvah beautiful or otherwise enhance the mitzvah beyond the demands of the halacha through aesthetics. Generally, it refers to the beauty of a physical ritual object. The source for hiddur mitzvah is Exodus/Shmot 15:2 “This is my God, and I will glorify Him.” Many mitzvot require a physical

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Life Without Halloween

Apparently Monday is Halloween. I didn’t know that until today (Thursday). I knew it was coming, but I never bothered to look at the calendar. Halloween was my favorite holiday as a child. I was never thrilled by Thanksgiving or Christmas. I would even venture to say that I dislike them. As you should have

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“How Do I Know If You’re Sincere or Not?”

Someone made a great joke over the chagim! The person said that any rabbi should know I’m sincere as soon as I say, “I’ve observed two years of 3 day yontif fully. And I’m still here.” If this didn’t come up at your yontif meals (and heaven knows it did if you were with observant

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Tonight Begins Yom Tov…Yes, Again

Tonight Begins Yom Tov…Yes, Again Read Post »

Tonight Begins Sukkot

Tonight Begins Sukkot Read Post »

Update: Yom Kippur in a Nutshell

I need to issue a correction. I apologize, but I copied and pasted some information from my Tisha B’Av post and then edited it for Yom Kippur. Being me, I missed deleting that we sit on stools until midday like a mourner. That only applies on Tisha B’Av. On Yom Kippur, you will be sitting

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Yom Kippur in a Nutshell: Why We Fast & Reflect

This year, Yom Kippur is from sunset of Friday, October 7, 2011, until sunset of October 8. This is the only fast that overrides Shabbat’s mitzvah to make a festive meal. Normally, fasting is prohibited on Shabbat, and the fast is moved to Sunday. However, Yom Kippur is the “Shabbat of Shabbats,” so its fasting

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Dr. Strangesmell (Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the 3 Day Chag)

Dr. Strangesmell (Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the 3 Day Chag) Read Post »

Tonight Begins Rosh Hashanah

Tonight Begins Rosh Hashanah Read Post »

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