Shabbat and Holidays
Learn about the holiest day in the Jewish calendar—its prayers, fasting, and power of teshuvah (repentance).
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 […]
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 […]
