{{location.city}} {{location.region}} {{location.country}}
{{zmanim.engDateString}} / {{zmanim.hebDateString}} / {{zmanim.parsha_shabbos}}
~ {{formatTime(zmanim.sunrise)}} ~ {{formatTime(zmanim.sunset)}} Candles ~ Fri.{{formatTime(zmanim.candle_lighting_shabbos)}}

Life

Haftarah Helper: Fast Days (Ashkenazim)

Download PDF Fast Days (Ashkenazim): Isaiah 55:6–56:8 Ashkenazim read this Haftarah at Mincha on all fast days except for Yom Kippur.  (Sepharadim generally recite no Haftarah on these days.) This is done to encourage the giving of charity, which the Talmud deems the most important aspect of fast days: Tosafot on Megillah 21a-  s.v. “One

Taanit Esther and the Community

February 22, 2018, by

It’s always interesting to see how different people can read the same text so very differently, and it is often enlightening to read a text through another’s eyes. Years ago, I was teaching an adult education class designed for beginner students, from all backgrounds and streams of Judaism, to build skills in learning halachic texts.

Fast of Esther: Convergence

March 8, 2017, by

In both phase 1 and phase 2 of defeating Haman (fasting/praying and battling their enemies) there is an emphasis on gathering together. Taanit Esther commemorates both these events. The Maharal explains the emphasis on gathering.

Top 5 Ways to Make Your Fast Easier

August 8, 2016, by

Here are some quick tips to make your fast a bit more bearable: 1. The day before the fast begins, take frequent drinks of water. 2. Eat a balanced meal before the fast. Proteins and fats are absorbed more slowly than sugars and provide the necessary energy, but you should balance your meal with 55% complex carbohydrates,