There is a Mitzvah in the Torah unique to Yom Kippur: afflicting oneself. To fulfill this Mitzva properly one should keep in mind that the Yom Kippur restrictions are a fulfillment of this 25-hour long Mitzvah. This Mitzvah includes the following prohibitions: – On Yom Kippur one may not eat nor drink, even when Yom [...]
There’s a Mitzvah to by happy on Jewish Holidays and therefore one must eat two Yom Tov meals; one at night and one during the day. (Se’udat Shlishi – the 3rd meal – is only eaten on Shabbat and is not required on Yom Tov.) Each meal starts with Kiddush over wine and two Challot [...]
Add a reminder to your calendar to do “Eruv Tavshilin” – tomorrow; Wednesday -8 August One may not prepare from Yom Tov to Shabbat unless one does Eruv Tavshilin before Yom Tov. Since Rosh Hashana is on Thursday & Friday, every household needs to do Eruv Tavshilin on Wednesday. One takes piece of bread and a cooked [...]
Ktiva Vechatima Tova; wishing you a sweet new year At the Rosh Hashanah evening meal it’s customary to eat foods that symbolize a Good New Year. The bread from Motzi is dipped in honey and after eating it the Yehi Ratzon is said praying for a sweet new year. יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ שֶתְחַדֵש עָלֵינוּ שָנָה [...]
Ktiva Vechatima Tova; wishing you a year with lots of time to learn Torah The blast of the Shofar should remind us to awaken from our spiritual slumber and start taking our Torah study and Mitzvah observance seriously. Hearing the Shofar being blown on Rosh Hashanah is a Torah commandment! This crucial detail should not [...]
Ktiva Vechatima Tova; wishing you a year full of good news On Sukkot there’s a Mitzvah to shake the four species; a Lulav, 3 Haddasim, 2 Aravot and an Etrog. Each Haddas is a branch of a myrtle bush, and must be at least 3 Tefachim (24 cm – 10″) long. Myrtle leaves grow on [...]
One may not do any Melacha (work as defined by the Rabbis) on the first day of Sukkot. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always Verse: “And on first day… all work you shall not do” (Vayikra 23:36) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim’s Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 153 Danny Schoemann (for more visit Danny’ website)
Ktiva Vechatima Tova; wishing you a year with lots of time to learn Torah Since the Mitzvah of Sukkah is to move out of the house and into the Sukkah for the duration of Sukkot, one should really sleep in the Sukkah. People who are meticulous about their Mitzvah observance will not even take a [...]
It is forbidden to eat or drink on Yom Kippur. By Rabbinic decree it is also forbidden to wash, anoint, wear leather shoes and have marital relations on Yom Kippour. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always Verse: “for who ever does not fast… will be cut off” (Vayikra 23:29) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim’s Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition [...]
If one sees a donkey collapsed under it’s heavy load, it’s a Mitzvah to help the donkey-driver unload the animal. Even if the load was excessive, it’s a Mitzvah to help. Unloading the animal must be done without asking for remuneration. If – after reloading the donkey – it again collapses, it’s a Mitzvah to [...]
B”H As an exercise in the education of our city-born children, we recently tried a special project with them. Although I groan when I hear people listening to programs like Gardener’s Question Time, and although flowers and plants in our home tend to wither and die very quickly, we thought it would be edifying for [...]
One may not do any Melacha (work as defined by the Rabbis) on Yom Kippur. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always Verse: “..and all work you shall not do” (Vayikra 23:28) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim’s Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 151 Danny Schoemann (for more visit Danny’ website)
One may not do any Melacha (work as defined by the Rabbis) on the first day of Rosh HaShanah. Applies to everybody, everywhere, always Verse: “And on first day of the seventh month… all work you shall not do” (Vayikra 23:24) Source: The Chafetz-Chaim’s Sefer haMitzvot haKatzar; Prohibition 150 Danny Schoemann (for more visit Danny’ [...]
“HaShem watches over those who revere Him, those who hope for His kindness. For in Him our heart will rejoice, for we have placed our trust in His holy Name. May Your Kindness HaShem be upon us, as we have hoped for You.” Reverence of HaShem begets awareness of HaShem. In turn, the awareness of [...]
“Hillel said, ‘Do not say, I will reveal private information to a friend because no one will ever know what I said. – For ultimately it will become known.’” The quality of our interpersonal relationships rests primarily on the nature of our conversations. If we speak pleasantly and positively, our lives will be filled with [...]
