Three Days of Darkness: The Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth...
Ptolemy ordered the sages to translate the Torah into Greek. The day it was translated is considered by a Chazal to be a dark day. Why? Chazal say some fast on...
Dec 17, 2018
By Rabbi Dr. Yitzchak Breitowitz
Analyzing the Words of Birchat HaChodesh
Download the Mekorot Recorded at OU Israel’s L’Ayla Rosh Chodesh Women’s Event
Dec 12, 2018
By Zemira Ozarowski
Why Fast for Events of the Past: A Halacha-Based...
When commemorating loss, we use the halachic system of aveilut, mourning. Fasting is not part of that system, yet when it comes to the four days associated with the loss of...
Dec 11, 2018
By Rabbi Alan Haber
Chodesh Tevet: A Trilogy of Tragedy
Besides the siege of Yerushalayim, two other events occurred in Tevet – the translation of the Torah into Greek and the death of Ezra HaSofer. Why do we fast for Ezra...
Dec 11, 2018
By Shprintzee Rappaport
The Deeper Messages of Asara B’Tevet
There is no break between Vayigash and Vayechi, Rashi describes it as a closed Parsha, because of the “closure” (emotional/spiritual) Bnei Yisrael felt when Yaakov died. Why describe the feeling as...
Dec 11, 2018
By Shira Smiles
The Mysterious and Miraculous Chanukah Practices of the Maharshal
The Maharshal’s would buy a silver menorah every year and he would wait to use it until the second night of Chanukah. The explanation of the Pri Megadim plus the miracle...
Dec 10, 2018
By Rabbi Daniel Glatstein
The Miracle of the Oil or the Military Victory?...
The Gemara makes no mention of the military victory over the Syrian Greeks, it only mentions that they found one flask of oil and it lasted eight days. Al HaNisim only...
Dec 9, 2018
By Rabbi Daniel Glatstein
Chanukah and Chinuch: The Power of the Beginning
Pnei Yehoshua: Hashem only performs miracles when necessary. If so, why was there a need for the miracle of the oil – if there was only impure oil they could have...
Dec 6, 2018
By Rabbi Daniel Glatstein
Mizmor Shir Chanukat Habayit L’David: The Jewel of Rav...
After Shacharit, we say Tehillim 30. The header is מזמור שיר חנוכת הבית לדוד. What does the header (the inauguration of the Bet HaMikdash) have to do with the rest of...
Dec 5, 2018
By Rabbi Daniel Glatstein
The Inner Dimension of Chanukah: The Bas Ayin and...
The Bat Ayin (the Avritcher Rebbe) writes that the purpose of Chanukah is to fix the תוהו (the nothingness before creation) with light, similar to the אור of the first day...
Dec 5, 2018
By Rabbi Aaron Goldscheider
Discover More
- Asarah B'Tevet
- Birchat HaChama
- Chanukah
- Elul
- Fast of Esther
- Fast of Shiva Asar B'Tammuz
- Fast of Tisha B'Av
- Four Shabbatot
- Hoshanah Rabbah
- Lag BaOmer
- Months
- Passover
- Pesach Sheini
- Purim
- Rosh Hashanah
- Sefirat HaOmer
- Shabbat
- Shavuot
- Shemini Atzeret
- Shushan Purim
- Simchat Torah
- Sukkot
- The Three Weeks
- Tu B'Av
- Tu B'Shevat
- Tzom Gedaliah
- Yom HaAtzmaut
- Yom HaShoah
- Yom Hazikaron
- Yom Kippur
- Yom Yerushalayim
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