Halacha in a Nutshell is a series that does not aim to actually teach you halacha. The goal is to acquaint you with the general ideas of a halachic issue so that you can follow conversations without looking like a total n00b. Just in time for the US tax deadline! Tzedakah is normally translated as […]
Halacha in a Nutshell: Tzedakah Read Post »
A Jew can not “possess” or benefit from chametz during the 8 days of Passover (7 in Israel), which additionally includes erev Pesach (the day when Pesach begins at sunset). Any remaining chametz must be destroyed, sold, or nullified by a certain hour on the morning of erev Pesach. The hour depends on your location,
So What Exactly Are Chametz, Kitniyot, and Gebruchts? Read Post »
Sunrise to sunset on April 18 this year is the Fast of the Firstborn. This fast commemorates the saving of the Israelite firstborns from the final plague: death of the firstborn. All the firstborns of Egypt, the children of the garbage man to the baker to Pharaoh himself, died. Only certain firstborns are required to fast. There
The Fast of the Firstborn Read Post »
Using the Star K’s kosher-for-Pesach pet food list (locate the PDF under the food lists), I finally purchased my pet food for Pesach. For eight days and three upset pet tummies, I spent $70 on Science Diet food. The other brand (Blue Wilderness) would have been $100. I’m a little shocked, as you might imagine. One more reason
Shabbat Shalom! The Pets and Pesach Edition Read Post »
Halacha in a Nutshell is a series that does not aim to actually teach you halacha. The goal is to acquaint you with the general ideas of a halachic issue so that you can follow conversations without looking like a total n00b. For many people, an eruv is an essential “feature” of any orthodox community.
Halacha in a Nutshell: What Is an Eruv? Read Post »
Yesterday was Rosh Chodesh Nisan. So what is Rosh Chodesh? Rosh Chodesh is the first day of a new lunar month. Depending on the month and year, Rosh Chodesh can be either one or two days long. The term literally translates as “head of the month,” just as Rosh HaShanah is “head of the year.”
Chodesh tov! What’s Rosh Chodesh? Read Post »
Shiksa is a Yiddish word that means “non-Jewish female.” It’s especially used for an attractive woman who could be a “temptation” to Jewish men. The people who use this word in conversation very rarely know its real meaning: abomination. And the people who know the meaning and use it for that meaning probably aren’t the
Why You Should Never Call Someone (or Yourself) a Shiksa Read Post »
How are you doing with your Pesach cleaning? I finally got some done. The bedroom and walk-in closet are chametz-free! Maybe even clean!
Pesach Cleaning Accomplishment! Read Post »
Just a quick vocabulary lesson today! There are many ways to classify mitzvot, and one of the major ways is by source: from the Torah or from the rabbis. Mitzvot d’oraita (mitzvos d’oraisa) are mitzvot directly from the Torah, both the Written Law and the Oral Law. The theoretical punishment (when there was/will be a
Adventures in Semantics: D’Oraisa v. D’Rabbanan Read Post »
Last year during the High Holydays, I had to write out a timeline of the Holydays for my school in order to justify why I couldn’t attend certain classes because of a religious holiday. (Because of night classes, just putting down a date wasn’t sufficient because many days, I could attend day classes but not
Passover Timeline: When Do I Do What? Read Post »