This past Rosh HaShanah was not only the beginning of the year 5775 in the Hebrew calendar, it was the beginning of a Shmitta (Sabbatical) year. Chapter 25:3-5 in Leviticus teaches us the following about the Land of Israel: Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and […]
What does “Yarok” mean?
When the Children of Israel camped at the foot of Mount Sinai a miracle happened.
Paradise in the Galilee פרדס
The word “Pardes פרדס” in Hebrew means “Fruit Orchard” see Song of Songs 4:13 … that’s basically what the Garden of Eden was.
Kings & First Born “Rights”
Should the “Firstborn” Become King? Learn about the roles of Yehuda and Yoseph
Snow and Rainbows – What do they mean?
First Came the Snow – Then the Rainbow This week began with the prediction of a rare winter snowstorm in Israel. The mayor of Jerusalem called for the shutting down of roads leading into the capital to prevent cars from being stranded. Schools and kindergartens were closed. Which made the children in the mountainous areas […]
Fasting on New Years?!
10th of Tevet fell on January 1 – What does it mean? While the whole world celebrated on December 31 and January 1, observant Jews around the world and here in Israel fasted! There are actually four New Years in the Hebrew Calendar (subject for an article on its own). And January 1 is not […]
It’s a New Moonth! Tevet
Most people know we are in the middle of the eight-day festival of Chanukah, but tonight is also the beginning of the new month of Tevet. The hebrew calendar is unique in that we have a solar year (365 days), but a lunar month (approximately 29.5 days from new moon to new moon). The english […]
Naftali’s Blessing
As we mentioned earlier, Yavne’el is one of the biblical border towns of the tribe of Naftali mentioned in the Book of Joshua (Josh 19:32). On his deathbed, the Patriarch Jacob blessed his son Naftali to be an ‘אילה שלוחה’ – ‘a deer let loose’ (Gen 49:21). Our sages explain that this means the land designated […]
When 50 percent is 100 percent
The Jewish people are asked to contribute a “half-shekel” toward building the sanctuary in this week’s Torah portion Ki Tisa. There are a number of explanations of why a “half” shekel was mandated by God and not a full shekel. I’d like to suggest an answer based on an event that happened this past Shabbat. […]
10th of Tevet – Fasting over Jerusalem Today
Some thoughts on how to relate to the fast day of the 10th of Tevet which commemorates the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem at the time of the first temple.