On Tisha B’Av, we read the Book of Eicha, but we don’t really read it, we sing it. We sing it with a mournful melody. Eicha is a book written by the prophet Jeremiah to lament the destruction of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Temple, the destruction of the entire Kingdom of Judah. The mournful […]

Tisha B’Av. Look at how we observe this day. Why Do We Mourn The Ancient Tragedy Of Tisha B’av? We sit on the ground, surrounded sometimes by candles. We sing elegies written centuries ago. We mourn the deaths of people we could never have known. We mourn the loss of a Temple we have never […]

So, I confess, I have always had a real problem with Tisha B’Av. I know that sounds terrible to say but here’s my issue, we all know the famous saying quoted from the Talmud: The temple was only destroyed because of sinat chinam, baseless hatred. Does Anyone Truly Feel Baseless Hatred? So if there is […]

This course examines the Biblical character Rachel through the eyes of Jeremiah in order to better understand relationships, empathy, the power of action, and effective mourning. See more at alephbeta.org

Shavuot, along with Passover and Sukkot, is one of the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals. It is celebrated on the 6th of Sivan in Israel, and the 6th and 7th of Sivan in the diaspora. The Bible describes Shavuot as an agricultural holiday: the festival of Reaping (Jeremiah 5:24, Deuteronomy 16:9-11, Isaiah 9:2). Seven weeks were counted from […]

Why do we read the book of Ruth on Shavuot and how do we understand the whole seduction story. Where is the story coming from? Learn the Book of Ruth with this video presentation by Rabbi David Fohrman like you never have before and discover why it’s read on Shavuot. See more on Aleph Beta.

How are the Ten Commandments spiritual? Explore the central principle of Judaism at the heard of the Ten Commandments.

How are the Ten Commandments spiritual? Explore the central principle of Judaism at the heard of the Ten Commandments.

  Previous video                                                                                               Next video The Ten Commandments’ prominence in Judaism and in Western Civilization has been trumpeted in movies, and throughout history. But what spiritual message do the Commandments teach us? The Commandments and their deceptively simple structure betray deep meaning and the underlying principle of Judaism. View the video here. Aleph Beta Academy: […]