Months 334 articles

Teshuvah (Return, or Repentance) is a generous gift from G-d, which allows us to erase our improper actions through a four-step process (see below). The Torah tells us that no matter...

“Midrashim” about “Teshuvah,” Repentance “Midrashim” are stories and ideas from sections of the Talmud not dealing directly with aspects of Jewish Law. The stories are either true stories about famous or...

“Sin” or “Chet” in Hebrew, means “failure in our relationship with HaShem (G-d).” Our goal should be to continually move closer to G-d, But “chet” is behavior which causes us to...

Elul and Rosh Chodesh Elul – In Relation to Other Months of the Year 1 Nisan 2 Iyar 3 Sivan 4 Tammuz 5 Av – 30 days 6 Elul – 29...

Who Should Lead The Selichot Prayers? It is very important that suitable individuals be chosen to lead the Selichot as well as the Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur Prayers, and to blow...

Brief Explanation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy (based on ArtScroll Siddur) The enumeration and explanation of the Attributes follows the generally accepted opinion of Rabbeinu Tam, as found in Rosh...

The Principal Ingredient of All Selichot Prayers (based on ArtScroll Siddur) The principal ingredient of all the Selichot Prayers is the “List” of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy of G-d, “Hashem, Hashem,...

(based on a “Tomer Devorah” class by Rabbi Yaacov Haber) There are three Hebrew synonyms: “Selichah,” “Mechilah,” and “Kapparah,” all related to the idea of “forgiveness.” What does each mean? “Selichah,”...

What are Selichot? Selichot are special prayers for forgiveness. When are they said? They are usually said on fast days, which are occasions when the Jewish People needs special forgiveness for...

Although we are all familiar with the Rosh HaShanah, the “Head of the Year,” which occurs in the Fall, there are actually four Rosh HaShanah’s which define, to an extent, the...