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 […]
One of the greatest gifts given to the Jewish People by God is the ability to repent – Teshuvah. Part of the Teshuvah process is crying out to God in supplication and repentance. How does one cry out to God? The traditional form of communication with God is through prayer. The Sages composed the traditional […]
The Jewish fast days serve two purposes: 1. To remind us of a tragic time in our history 2. To give us the opportunity to reflect and repent Today is the fast of Asarah BiTevet, which commemorates the beginning of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem during the First Temple period. Although that event may not […]
The Talmud tells us that the two happiest days in the Jewish calendar are Yom Kippur and the fifteenth of Av (Tu B’Av) because on those days the single woman of Jerusalem would go out into the vineyards wearing borrowed (so as not to embarrass the poorer girls) white dresses and call out to the […]
At the Seder we read about the four sons and learn how to relate to each of them. When the wise son asks us to explain the laws and customs of Passover, we respond by teaching him the laws beginning with the regulations relating to the Afikomen. Out of all the fundamental laws relating to […]
The Kabbalah categorizes miracles as those that are completely initiated from the heavenly realm, and those that are initiated or “pulled down” by actions in the physical world. The splitting of the Sea of Reeds during the Exodus was purely a heavenly initiative since, according to the Midrash, the Jews were no more deserving of […]
Simchat Torah is quickly approaching and soon the UWS will be filled with thousands of singles seeking their soulmates. After participating in this mating ritual for nearly fifteen years, I can say with confidence that Simchat Torah on the UWS is an amazing opportunity to further your search for that special person. There are scores […]