Miscellaneous | Judaism

My Father, My Superman - Health & Wellness

I watched my father, encloaked not in a red cape but in a weathered, white tallit, a joyful Chassidic melody on his lips.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Judaism: Why Is the Contemporary Prayer Book So Long?

During the days of the First Temple, no formal prayer was needed.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Uncertainty, Unknowability, and Free Will in Kabbalah and Quantum Mechanics - Torah & Science

Developments in the physical and biological sciences over the last two millennia have, in the minds of many, challenged the belief systems of the major Western religions. Consequently, many Jews and others longing to understand the nature of reality and the meaning of human existence have been lured away from their faiths in a quest for more ‘objective’ truths.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Why the Jewish People Await Moshiach - Parshah

There’s a secret reason the Jewish people have always wanted Moshiach, and that reason is very relevant to your life, right here, and right now.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Must One Honor Abusive Parents?

There are many kinds and levels of abuse, and different people can cope with and tolerate different situations and relationships.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

How Did the Mission of the Twelve Spies Go So Wrong?

Moses felt that the Israelites had no reason to fear the inhabitants, as they had all seen the great miracles wrought against the much more powerful Egyptians.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Is Midrash for Real? - Part 1 in a series on the truth behind Talmudic tales

Torah, like any wisdom, has departments. You can’t study literature the same way you study biology, and you can’t critique poetry as you would journalism. So too, you can’t study one department of Torah the same as you study another.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

13 Facts About Learning Torah - Mitzvahs & Traditions

Torah study occupies a central place in Jewish life, but how much do we really know about this activity?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

9 Facts You Should Know About Mount Sinai - Shavuot

Mount Sinai is where G‑d Himself descended and struck a deal with His chosen people.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

10 Facts About Pesach Sheini Every Jew Needs to Know

If someone was unable to participate in the Passover offering at
the proper time, they would offer the sacrifice a month later.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Torah Study: Does It Matter Which Words Rashi Quotes?

See how a nuance in a simple one-line Rashi can be examined, unpacked, and understood in an entirely new light.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Is It Wrong to Like a Lot of Stuff? - Parshah

Is it OK to
enjoy a good shopping spree and to delight in yet another Amazon box at your
doorstep?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

How to Observe Judaism in Outer Space?

Space travel presents its own unique challenges to the Jewish astronaut: How can one procure kosher space food, as well as all the other necessities of Jewish life? How does one face Jerusalem when praying in orbit?

ONLY Chabad would address this. Hence, I love Chabad.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Torah: What to Tell Yourself When Things Go Wrong

In the meantime, it’s dark, confusing, and difficult. That’s only because the process of getting to a deeper place can give space for negative consequences. But just around the bend is a time, a space that is even deeper and greater, that it will make thi

Miscellaneous | Judaism

3D Kabbalah #5: The Art of Balance - 3D Kabbalah: How G-d Creates the World

God's names are expressions of one single Entity, reflecting Him and how He interacts with the reality He creates.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Judaism: Darkness is a lie. There is only light.

Darkness lurks ubiquitously, mockingly, as though it is the sober truth—that all is empty, for there is no meaning.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Judaism: Perseverance Vs. Perfection - Vayigash

The Joseph-Judah relationship and the points at which their paths converge continue throughout history. From the sale of Joseph onward, Judah and Joseph constantly interact with each other, and their relationship continues in various forms. Here, in Parsh

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Can I Use Vaccines Made From Fetal Tissue or Non-Kosher Animals? - Ethics & Morality

We will start off with the question of non-kosher ingredients and work our way to vaccine made with fetal tissue.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Did Abraham Really Invent Monotheism?

What About the Yeshivah of Shem and Eber?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Contemporary Voices: Do You Really Think G-d Speaks to Us?

“How can I know what
G‑d wants me to do?” a woman once asked the Rebbe.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Why Halloween Is Not Consistent With Jewish Values

Halloween's history and theology make it problematic for Jews on many levels.

It may spoil the fun, but: there is nothing about Halloween that is consistent with Jewish values.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Why Do Some Letters in the Torah Have ‘Crowns’?

Many of the letters are topped by
small spikes, called tagin or ketarim. Here is why.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

On the Essence of Shabbat Shuvah - High Holidays

There is an essential problem in the combination of Shabbat and teshuvah.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

14 Tips for an Amazing Yom Kippur at Home

Many of us will be celebrating Yom Kippur alone for the very first time. Here are our pro tips to making your at-home Yom Kippur meaningful and memorable

Miscellaneous | Judaism

How I Will Celebrate Rosh Hashanah Alone? - High Holidays

I’m an older woman, living
alone. I'll be observing the holidays at home, by myself.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Shofar Over the Internet During Elul? - Chabad

Due to the pandemic, I’m
currently unable to attend service. Can I fulfill this custom by listening to
the shofar over Zoom?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Seven Thoughts About Elul to Help Us Turn Inward and Forgive - High Holidays

Welcome to the month of turning inward, the month of forgiveness, the month of spiritual accounting, the month of deepening.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Judaism: What Does ‘Eye for an Eye’ Really Mean?

Does Torah want us to poke out the eye of an eye-poker?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Preparing for Tisha B’Av During a World Pandemic - A 25-hour period of fasting and reflection begins on Wednesday night,

Every year, Jews around the world don non-leather shoes, and make their way to synagogues and Chabad centers for evening services, followed by the mournful reading of Eichah (the book of Lamentations), the slim volume in which the prophet Jeremiah mourns the impending destruction

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Why a Mezuzah Is Not a Mezuzah

If not for the scrolls, there would be no reason for plain old doorposts...

Miscellaneous | Judaism

How Two-and-a-Half Tribes Ended Up East of the Jordan - Jewish History

Learn how Moses gave the land east of the Jordan to Reuben, Gad, and half of Manassah, on one condition.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Learn the Shabbat Law of the Week - Chabad Lubavitch

Official homepage for worldwide Chabad-Lubavitch movement that promotes Judaism and provides daily Torah lectures and Jewish insights. Chabad-Lubavitch is a philosophy, a movement, and an organization. Chabad is considered to be the most dynamic force in

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Rabbis Agree: Kneel Before No one Except God

In response to the situation, Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel, co-founder of the Land of Israel Network, quoted former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Shavuot in the Age of Corona

On Shavuot morning, 3,332 years ago, Heaven kissed Earth, and G‑d communicated the 10 Commandments upon Mount Sinai. Every year we relive that experience when we stay up all night and then read of this event from the Torah during Shavuot morning services.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

May I Order a Shabbat Delivery? - And what to do with packages that arrive - Shabbat

In general, if a Jew is forbidden to do a certain act on Shabbat, it is also rabbinically forbidden for him to ask a non-Jew to do so on his behalf (unless there are specific extenuating circumstances, such as illness, etc.).

Miscellaneous | Judaism

What Is Kabbalah? - The Soul of Judaism - Essentials

If this is a secret wisdom, why are we teaching it?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

11 Common Shabbat Myths and Misconceptions - Shabbat

Myths and misconceptions have developed around this holy day. Ready to take a good look at them and
set the record straight? Let’s go!

Miscellaneous | Judaism

4 Spirit Boosters for the Corona Fiscal Blues

I feel rather depressed. I’m not doing anything important and have not yet found another job. But most of all, I miss having a sense of purpose and identity.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Chabad: Coronavirus Resources & Inspiration - Insight & Commentary

No matter where we may live in this ever-shrinking world, almost everyone seems to be affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). As the days progress, the number of people impacted is increasing at an alarming rate with entire cities under quarantine.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

10 Things You Can Do for People in Quarantine

Even now there are many things that we can safely do to help others.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Judaism: Are You Really Planning to Bring Back those Animal Sacrifices?

I can see the experiential quality of it all: an ancient temple with heavenly music and mystical song; priests in flowing robes deep in meditation; mesmerizing, choreographed ritual. But why the barbecue?

Interesting question!

Miscellaneous | Judaism

21 Talmud Facts Every Jew Should Know

The bulk of the Talmudic texts contain analysis of Biblical verses and Torah law, but it’s interspersed with everything from medical advice to stories, from folk sayings to fabric dying tips.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Jewish History: Who Was Amram?

Amram, son of Kehot, led the Jewish people in
Egypt and fathered three of the greatest leaders in Jewish history.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Why Did Non-Kosher Animals Become Jewish Names?

This seems strange, since the sages place great significance on a
person’s name.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Judaism: The Truth about Moshiach - Moshiach 101

Why is Moshiach so integral to the Jewish belief system? It would certainly be nice to see an end to global suffering, but that is a universal ideal. Why is that a principle of the Jewish faith?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

(Why) Must a Bar Mitzvah Boy Read From the Torah?

There is a prevalent custom for boys to read
the weekly Torah portion when they become a bar mitzvah. Here's why.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

8 Old and New Chanukah Traditions!

Looking to expand beyond the bare-bones basics? Here are 8 deeply meaningful traditions
for you and your family to personalize.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

16 Menorah Facts Every Jew Should Know!

The word menorah is Hebrew for “lamp,” and generally refers to the eight-branched candelabra that we light on the Jewish holiday of Chanukah.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Why Add a Light Each Night of Chanukah?

There are two general reasons given in the Talmud1 for why we add a candle each night:

Miscellaneous | Judaism

New Video App Shows Children a Better World - Chabad.org/Kids continues to raise the bar for Jewish children’s media

The new Chabad.org video app for children will deliver technologically advanced features while including the hundreds of videos from JewishKids.org, packaging them in a feature-rich experience with an improved look and feel.
The new Chabad.org video app for children will deliver technologically advanced features while including the hundreds of videos from JewishKids.org, packaging them in a feature-rich experience with an improved look and feel.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Why Is Eating Melaveh Malkah Important? - Shabbat

The sages in the Talmud tell us to “always set the table after Shabbat even to eat small amount of food." Here's why.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

25 Shabbat Facts Every Jew Should Know

Every week, for the 25 hours beginning just before sundown on Friday until after night has fallen on Saturday night, Jewish people celebrate Shabbat, a period of rest and spiritual rejuvenation.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

What Is Tikkun Olam? - What does Tikkun Olam mean, who came up with it, and how do I do it?

Tikkun Olam: In Jewish teachings, any activity that improves the world, bringing it closer to the harmonious state for which it was created.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

How (Not) to Fight Evil - Chapter 14 of Positivity Bias

How often do we wish we could be kinder and more loving? Who hasn’t wished that they could curb their impulses to satisfy momentary needs? Who doesn’t want their good deeds to outshine their selfish ones?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Yes, I Am a Chassidic Feminist - Celebrating Jewish Womanhood

A perspective on the curse of Eve.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Flying Rocks, Palm Fronds, And The Soul Of Sukkot

It’s 2019 and here we are, educated people, carrying around palm fronds and a citron while the rest of the world is busy being productive. What’s with the Jews and their stubborn insistence on living in a world of superstitions and anachronisms?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

7 Paradoxes About the Sukkah That Help Us Break Through Illusions

We depend on our touchstones: psychological security, a stable income, protection from crime. Clothing, food, warm shelter

Miscellaneous | Judaism

How Does Yom Kippur Work? - DIY Soul Repair - High Holidays

Only you can fix yourself. What does a particular day of the year have to offer?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

What Is Rosh Hashanah?

The Jewish New Year, anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, a day of judgment and coronation, and sounding of the shofar . . .

Miscellaneous | Judaism

9 Rosh Hashanah Myths and Misconceptions - High Holidays

Get ready to reexamine everything you ever assumed you knew about Rosh Hashanah

Miscellaneous | Judaism

A Psychotherapist’s Shema in Auschwitz - Vaetchanan

What is it about the Shema Yisroel prayer that has inspired so many through the most trying of times and has provided such meaning and purpose to help us survive even the most despairing circumstances?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

14 Facts About "Learning Rambam" - Jewish History

Rambam Is Studied Daily by Thousands of People Worldwide

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Rocket Science and a Broken Marriage - On getting past the guilt and flying even higher - Contemporary Voices

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Who Is a Good Jew? - Wisdom & Teachings

What are people made of? What really lies beneath the surface of the masks we wear and present to the world? Are we selfish animals at heart motivated by base desires, or are we aspiring souls seeking deeper meaning and connection with others?

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn’s Soviet Photo; or, Seeing the Rebbe Once He’s Gone - Chabad-Lubavitch News

A search for the story behind the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe’s lone Soviet portrait yields not one, but two photos

Miscellaneous | Judaism

What Did the Rebbe Say About the Moon Landing? - Chabad

Discover three powerful lessons we can learn from America’s historic Apollo 11 mission – the first crewed landing to the moon.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

A Rift Extending Across History - Chassidic Masters - Parshah

From the rivalry between Leah and Rachel, through the animosity between Joseph and his brothers, the clash between Saul and David, the split between Judah and Israel, to the dual nature of the messianic redemption—a rift and twinship that extends across h

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Why Is a Tallit So Often (Mostly) White? - Questions & Answers

The overwhelming majority of tallits have historically been white, often with stripes. There are a number of reasons for this.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Is It All About Getting Spiritually High? - Parsha Perks

Our natural human desire to get close to God sometimes leads us to pursue methods of religious ecstasy. Yet our human desire to be close to God may well be at odds with God’s divine desire to be close to us.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Why Does Judaism Forbid Tattoos?

This prohibition applies to all tattoos besides those made for medical purposes . . .

Miscellaneous | Judaism

The Ark of the Covenant Explained

A golden box containing the tablets with the Ten Commandments, the ark stood in the Holy of Holies, the Temple’s innermost sanctum.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Shirley Chisholm, The Rebbe and a Vision to Feed America's Hungry Children

U.S. Rep. Shirley Chisholm (D-N.Y.), the first African-American woman elected to Congress, helped expand federal food supplement programs at the urging of the Rebbe.

This is a truly incredible story that I had never heard.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Everything You Need To Know About Yom Kippur

For nearly 26 hours Jews everywhere “afflict their souls” and spend the day in synagogue, praying for forgiveness.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Sitting Next To Your Spouse In An Orthodox Synagogue

On separate seating in the synagogue

This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Judaism.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

17 Rosh Hashanah Facts Every Jew Should Know - High Holidays

Brush up on basic facts, traditions, and more associated with the Jewish New Year.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Yes, Judaism Is Pro-Life | Daily Wire

On Thursday, Avraham Bronstein, rabbi of the Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, New York, penned an op-ed for Ha’aretz, Israel’s most left-wing newspa

Ben Shapiro is an absolute hero for using his platform to write an excellent piece correcting the left wing myths about Judaism and abortion. Anyone even mildly familiar with normative Judaism, meaning traditional Torah Judaism, knows that abortion is prohibited. Period. The only exception is when the life of the mother is in danger. That does not mean that the US should adopt the same stance simply because Judaism says so, but it is time for people in positions of leadership to stop lying about this aspect (and all aspects) of Judaism simply because they would like to have it match their politics.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: The Consolations of Mortality

Before any of the deaths are mentioned we read about the strange ritual of the red heifer, which purified people who had been in contact with death – the archetypal source of impurity. That ritual, often deemed incomprehensible, is in fact deeply symbol

"Hence the life-changing idea of Chukkat: we are dust of the earth but there is within us the breath of G‑d. We fail, but we can still achieve greatness. We die, but the best part of us lives on.

The Hasidic master R. Simcha Bunim of Peshischke said we should each have two pockets. In one should be a note saying: “I am but dust and ashes.” In the other should be a note saying: “For my sake was the world created.”16 Life lives in the tension between our physical smallness and our spiritual greatness, the brevity of life and the eternity of the faith by which we live. Defeat, despair and a sense of tragedy are always premature. Life is short, but when we lift our eyes to heaven, we walk tall."

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Faith and Friendship - Covenant & Conversation - Parshah

After all that had happened – the miracles, the exodus, the division of the sea, food from heaven, water from a rock, the revelation at Sinai and the covenant that went with it – the people, yet again, were complaining about the food. And not because

"Judaism has foundational beliefs, to be sure, but it is fundamentally about something else altogether. For us, faith is the redemption of solitude. It is about relationships – between us and G‑d, us and our family, us and our neighbors, us and our people, us and humankind. Judaism is not about the lonely soul. It is about the bonds that bind us to one another and to the Author of all. It is, in the highest sense, about friendship."

Miscellaneous | Judaism

May I Join a Protest on Shabbat? - Questions & Answers

While an action may be halachically permitted, it may not be in keeping with the spirit of Shabbat and is therefore avoided.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Why Do We Dress Up on Purim? - On wearing costumes on the holiday of Purim

Some reasons behind the age-old custom to dress up on Purim.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

8 Things to Enjoy This Chanukah

Chanukah is coming, and we want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very happy and inspiring eight-day Festival of Lights!

Miscellaneous | Judaism

Chabad’s Massive Growth Is Pragmatic, Yet ‘Defies Logic’ | Jewish & Israel News Algemeiner.com

JNS.org – How do you go about feeding a crowd of 5,600 hungry rabbis and other guests, many of whom have...

Chabad has, arguably, saved the American Jewish community by itself. No single organization has done more.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

If the Haggadah Is Right, We’ve Got Education All Wrong - Crucial lessons to take from the Haggadah for the whole year

From a child's answers, you might know something about what the child knows. From a child's question, you know who the child is.

Miscellaneous | Judaism

“Tell Them It’s Never Too Late”

The rabbinical students hesitated before knocking. The name on the doorbell read David O’Malley-Keyes. Not a very Jewish sounding name. But you never know.

It is never too late to embrace your Jewishness. This is a very inspiring story.