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Category Archives: Holidays
Three Weeks, Two Musings, One Shiur
Yesterday I was privileged to deliver a Shiur on the Three Weeks period, which begins this Tuesday. Click here for the Mareh Mekomot. To these I will append the following philosophical insight which I also shared yesterday, based on the … Continue reading
Posted in Halacha, Three Weeks and Tisha B'Av
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Frum … or Krum?? – Hiding Bread Before Bedikat Chametz
And now, once again, it is time for our all-too-infrequent consideration of trends and whispers in the Jewish community as seen through the rarified light of actual Halachic analysis. Is it Frum, or is it Krum? As always, there can … Continue reading
Posted in Communal Matters, Frum ... Or Krum??, Pesach
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Parshat Shoftim: The Punishment of Not Being Punished
Parshat Shoftim includes a dire warning for those idol-worshiping nations with whom the Jews are unable to establish a peace treaty: דברים פרק כ (יג) … וּנְתָנָהּ ה’ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ וְהִכִּיתָ אֶת כָּל זְכוּרָהּ לְפִי חָרֶב: (יד) רַק הַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף … Continue reading
Posted in Parshat Hashavua, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur
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Sources and Notes: Yom Tov Sheini
I gave a Shiur over Shavuot on Yom Tov Sheini as it relates to Sefirat Ha’Omer and Shavuot. Here are the sources. A few notes based on the sources: 1) Sources 18 and 19 provide a fascinating back-and-forth between the … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays, Pesach, Shavuot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, Succot
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Spring Leaning: Halachot of Leaning at the Seder
Yesterday I gave a Shabbat Hagadol Derasha on the Halachot of leaning at the Seder. Here are the sources. I want to highlight here a few points based on the sources, with gratitude to those in attendance whose comments and … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays, Pesach
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I happened to have the privilege this past Shabbat of learning with some friends at my nearest local out-of-town Center-Right Modern Orthodox Shul. As I do when I “happen to learn with friends,” I prepared plenty of sources ahead of … Continue reading
Purim: Peeling Back the Mask, With a Little Help From Our Friends
A dichotomy: Purim is a time in which we are acutely aware of the poor. The Mitzvah of Matanot La’evyonim reminds us perhaps more poignantly than at any other time of year that the poor need consideration, attention, and respect. … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays, Pesach, Purim
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Hoda’ah and the Meaning of Thanksgiving
I just posted about the Halachic propriety of Thanksgiving, but perhaps a Hashkafic take is in order as well. I’ve been learning Shemoneh Esrei with my Sixth Graders, and just the other day we got to the final three Berachot, … Continue reading
Posted in Classroom Experiences, Holidays, Tefillah, Thanksgiving
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Frum … Or Krum??? – Thanksgiving
Time once again for our not-at-all-weekly segment exploring issues of relative importance to the Jewish community and whether perceptions and attitudes stack up to the rigors of Halachic analysis (Frum) or kneel at the knees of wisdom and reason (Krum). … Continue reading
Posted in Communal Matters, Frum ... Or Krum??, Halacha, Holidays, Thanksgiving
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Weekly Feature: Frum … Or Krum?? – A Cappella Music During the Three Weeks
And now it’s time for our somewhat-weekly exploration of trends and whims in the Jewish community and how they stack up to the rigors of intellectual Halachic analysis. This Week’s Entry: An email I received last week from a Jewish … Continue reading
Parsha Perspicacities 