Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz I heard that we are supposed to taste the Shabbat food before Shabbat. What is the reason for this, and does the Rabbi […]
Shabbat and Holidays
Learn about the holiest day in the Jewish calendar—its prayers, fasting, and power of teshuvah (repentance).
Sukkot is referred to in our prayers as our time of happiness. Why is this specifically our time of happiness? The Yalkut Shimoni (Emor, 654) writes that this is an […]
Who are we Fooling? Yom Kippur, the most awesome day of the year, arouses great trepidation. How do we approach this great day, a day of teshuvah (repentance) and forgiveness? […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz Is it important in Judaism to forgive those who have hurt us? And what about someone who doesn’t ask me for forgiveness, or […]
A Frightening Judgement Look around you on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur as the powerful, frightening piyut (liturgical poem) of Unetaneh Tokef is sung during the Mussaf prayer. This awe-inspiring section depicts […]
First we need the big picture. Then we probe individually. Rosh Hashana is the forest. Yom Kippur is each tree. How do our actions differ, From the goals Hashem (God) […]
Botched Plans “Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine,” has new meaning to me. We, Baruch Hashem (thank God), had a simcha (happy occasion) […]
I know, I know. The month of Elul should inspire awe and fear. I have heard stories of people in previous generations who would tremble when Rosh Chodesh Elul (the approach […]
Advice from an Ant The Midrash (Parshat Shoftim 5:2) quotes a pasuk from Mishlei (6:6-8), “Go to the ant, you lazy one, observe its ways and become wise…. It prepares […]
