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UPDATED: If You Think Only an Orthodox Conversion Is “Good Enough,” Then Don’t Get a Liberal One!

Who Are We Talking About: Please take the time to read a few paragraphs instead of having a knee-jerk reaction to the title. I’m not talking about the people you think I’m talking about. I’m not talking about people who are converting liberal but are open to the possibility of converting orthodox at a later […]

Shabbat-Friendly Foods for the Newbie

When you first begin observing Shabbat, the food issue can be the most daunting. How do I cook for Shabbos without cooking on Shabbos?? For a long time, I didn’t eat hot food on Shabbat. (That’s ok, but be prepared for karaite jokes!) If you’re not ready to tackle the crockpot, hot plate, or blech, […]

Elul: A Time of Anticipation

Tonight begins the two days of rosh chodesh Elul, the new month of Elul. (Don’t get confused. Tonight starts the last day of Av, and tomorrow night starts the first day of Elul. Both days are rosh chodesh Elul. That’s two-day rosh chodesh for you!) Elul is the last month of the Jewish calendar, as we […]

Phrase of the Day: Bentching Gomel

Bentching gomel is a special prayer that allows you to thank Hashem for delivering you from danger. (Imagine being at a football game…”Go, Mel!” It doesn’t rhyme with camel.)  You must have actually been in danger. Close to danger isn’t enough. You have defied death, so now you should thank Hashem in public during the Torah […]

UPDATED: Your Community Standards v. Travel

What happens when your community standards (which are either halacha or custom) are not the standards of a place you travel to? Let’s discuss some examples (this is not exhaustive): You live in the diaspora, so you celebrate an “extra” day of yom tov for 8 days of Pesach. You travel to Israel, where Pesach […]

What CAN I do on Shabbat? Shabbos-Friendly Activities

You’ve heard it before (and maybe you’ve even said it), “Shabbat is so restrictive. All you can do is go to synagogue.” And reenforcing that perception, a Google search looking for activities allowed on Shabbat only returns pages and pages of things you can’t do on Shabbat. For someone new to Shabbat, you’re left wading […]

My Narrow, Unsympathetic Point of View

Today, I’d like to take a minute to discuss something that I believe is important to clarify. From a comment: “There is a lot of pain involved with conversion for many people, but I’ve noticed time and again that you don’t seem to see this. Human feelings and embarrassment and dignity are a PART of halacha… I’ve read a […]

The Destruction of the Beis HaMikdash Continues Today

Starting tonight through Wednesday morning, we mourn the destruction of our Temples. As some basic Jewish education, what caused the destruction of the First and Second Temples? There’s the “easy” response:  The First was destroyed by the Babylonians. The Second by the Romans. However, the Sages in the Talmud have an additional explanation, in order […]

Rabbi Speaks Out Against Geirus l’Chumrahs

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 […]