Shavuos approaches, and as with every Yom Tov food is an integral part of the day. The most well-known food related Minhag on Shavuos is eating Milchigs. However, there are a number of various customs relating to when is best to indulge in the cheese … Continue reading
Category Archives: Seasonal
A Bar Mitzva Bachur Counting Sefira-Chaim Elya’s Bar Mitzva Drasha
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Can a boy who becomes Bar Mitzva in the middle of Sefiras HaOmer continue counting the Omer with a Beracha? Tosafos in Menachos 66a quotes the Bahag that if someone missed counting a day of Sefiras HaOmer altogether, he can no longer … Continue reading
Listening to the Megilla-Why People Buy their Own
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Occasionally, due to graggers, sliding chairs or a sneeze, one may miss hearing a word or more of the Megilla. If this is not rectified immediately, it invalidate the entire reading, as the Megila must be heard in order and … Continue reading
The Minhag of Machatzis HaShekel
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The general Minhag is to give a commemoration of the Machtzis HaShekel at Mincha time on Ta’anis Esther. It is customary to give three coins, each one of which has a face value of “one-half”, it whichever currency is used in that location. This … Continue reading
Tu b’Shvat
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This Shabbos will BE”H be the 15th day of Shevat. The primary significance of its being the Rosh HaShana for trees is Halachic. The date which determines whether produce is from a tree’s third year and is forbidden or fourth year … Continue reading
Asara b’Teves
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Tomorrow is the Fast of Asara b’Teves. This Ta’anis is different than the others in certain aspects. The other three fasts, 17th of Tammuz, 9th of Av and Tzom Gedalia all commemorate events that revolve around the destruction of the Second Beis HaMikdash. … Continue reading
Chanuka and Learning Torah
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In the Al HaNissim insertion to Shmona Esrei and Birkas HaMazon, we mention that the Greeks attempted to cause us to forget the Torah. How can a person cause someone else to forget? Could they induce amnesia, and how? If this attempt to make … Continue reading
The Beracha on Doughnuts and Sufganiyot
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The traditional Sufganiya, and all doughnuts, present an interesting conundrum in Hilchos Berachos for G-d fearing Jews. The Shulchan Aruch in Orach Chaim 168:13 states that any boiled or deep-fried dough is automatically Mezonos and not HaMotzi. However, he subsequently quotes a … Continue reading
A Practical Guide to Selecting the Arba Minim
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I see many individuals who are completely lost when shopping for their Arba Minim. To aid and facilitate your purchase of the Lulav and Esrog etc, I am posting general guidelines. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask … Continue reading
Simanim of Rosh HaShana
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After mentioning a number of methods one can employ on the night of Rosh HaShana to determine if one is destined to survive the year, Abaye declares in the Gemara Kerisus 6a “Now that we have determined that Simana Milsa (symbolism is significant), … Continue reading