This little piece of halacha seems like it should be obvious, but maybe that’s just me. Don’t daven or say a bracha around a foul smell. As a practical matter in shul, this usually relates to passing gas. If you really need to do that, go outside for a minute. Halachically, everyone around you should […]
When Hebrew Letters Are Actually Numbers
Something that confused me for a long time was that Hebrew letters are also numbers. Worse, the words for numbers have both feminine and masculine forms. But today, we’re going to focus on Hebrew numerals. Think of Roman numerals (I, V, and X) and Arabic numbers (1, 2, and 3). I find the Hebrew system […]
UPDATED: Why Out of Town Girls Move to New York City
I apologize for the wind and the talkers. It’s a loud day in NYC. But here is a live taste of the Maccabeats from their performance today at the Yeshiva University Homecoming. And now why those girls SHOULD be moving to NYC…the Y-Studs. If you go to their website, you can get a free song! […]
What Is the Proper Role of a Congregational Rabbi?
I’m curious what you think a congregational rabbi’s role should be with the individuals who attend his synagogue. Below is a list of possible roles to jumpstart your thought process: Spiritual Leader Organizer Counselor (but what kind of counseling/how serious?) Role Model Teacher of children Teacher of adults Person who oversees lifecycle events Host Friend? […]
Word of the Day: Shuckle
If you don’t know the word shuckle, you probably still know what it is! In fact, if you have been davening with an orthodox congregation for at least a few months, you probably already do it. Shuckling is a swaying and/or rocking movement Jews tend to do while praying. It apparently comes from the Yiddish […]
Priority-Setting and Jewish Life
I’m having soapbox Friday early this week. I’ve seen a lot of discussion lately about the price of kosher food and students becoming kosher. To be honest, the price argument eludes me. I don’t get it. If you think that G-d has commanded you to only eat meat in a certain way, then you would find […]
Conversion Special Cases: Young Conversion Candidates
What if you’re considering converting to Judaism in your teens or early 20s? You face special problems during conversion. Sorry. But on the bright side, there are common problems that you will hopefully never deal with! In other words, all conversions have “problems” and frustrations. Unfortunately, when you’re under 18 (or even under 22), you […]
Adventures in Shidduchim
There is a new shidduch question on the market, and amazingly, it’s even less relevant than your tablecloth. Sidenote: Tablecloths are often joked about. It refers to shadchanim who ask what color tablecloth you use on Shabbat. It has to be white. The real machlokes is whether the white tablecloth should have a plastic cover or not. […]
What If You Live Outside a Jewish Community – Temporary Solutions
This post is intended for people living outside easy driving distance of an orthodox community. We’re not talking about “living outside the community” as in “living 5 miles from the eruv and shul.” I’m going to share how I would approach living in an area without any Jewish resources. As always, each situation is different […]
Orthodox Inside Jokes: Mixed Dancing Makes Babies
If you really want to pass as orthodox, you have to be able to appropriately use “mixed dancing” in a conversation to evoke the most humor possible. You may think you can be orthodox without this skill, but that simply is not true. But in all seriousness, people have thought I was frum-from-birth based solely […]
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