In this podcast episode Rabbi Singer discusses the weekly Torah portion of Terumah, which relates primarily to the building of the Tabernacle or Mishkan immediately following the revelation and giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. The insights and lessons in this episode are based on Jewish mysticism and provide practical advice as to how […]
It was told that in the shul of the great Chassidic Master, the Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin, they sang and danced on the night of Rosh Hashanah. When the Misnagdim, the anti-Chassidic proponents, heard of this they were taken aback. How could the so called great Rebbe allow dancing on the awesome Day of Judgment? […]
The High Holidays present us with a paradox. On the one hand, we stand before the heavenly court in judgment, unsure of our verdict, anxious about our fate for the coming year. On the other hand, we celebrate Rosh Hashanah and the day before Yom Kippur with joyous feasting in a festive atmosphere. How do […]
Chanukah and Purim differ drastically in their manner of observance and in the message that they convey. The Mitzvot of Purim revolve around the “physical” — we feast, drink, give gifts of food, and charity. The message is clear: they tried to destroy us, so we celebrate by highlighting our continued physical existence. There is […]
One of the most famous questions related to Chanukah is as follows: Since the Jews had sufficient oil to burn for one day, then the miracle is that that oil burned for an additional seven. Why do we celebrate the miracle for eight days? There are many answers to this questions. A few of them […]
There is a dispute in the Mishnah regarding the order of the Chanukah lighting. According to the school of Shamai we start by lighting eight lights on the first night and decrease by one light each night until we are left with one light on the eighth night. According to the school of Hillel we […]
It’s no coincidence that we read the Torah portions that relate the story of Joseph, around the time of Chanukah. Joseph is described by the Torah as being handsome and good looking. The wife of Potiphar went to great lengths to try and seduce him. The midrash tells us that he might, in his youth, […]
According to the Kabbalah, there are two types of miracles. One kind of miracle comes from “above”, with no participation from “below”. An example of this are all the miracles surrounding the exodus from Egypt. The Jews sat passively while God reaked havoc on Egypt. The second kind of miracle is started “below” and is […]
At a shabbat dinner, a couple of Chanukahs ago, someone related that one of her coworkers asked her what occured on the ninth day of Chanukah. Everyone at the table chuckled. I initially did too, but then I realized that there was a deep and important lesson to learn here. When we gaze at the […]
The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are called the Aseret Yi-May Teshuvah – Ten Days of Repentance, and the Shabbat that falls during those days is called Shabbat Shuva (Return). According to our tradition God is especially receptive to our prayers and pleas during these days. Rabbi Pinchas Teitz Z”L, a great Rabbi […]