The Counting of the Omer by David Silverberg Parashat Emor
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Bread and Counting the Omer
MAY 2016 Bread and Counting the Omer In the Book of Deuteronomy, we read: [God] subjected you to the hardship of hunger and then gave you manna to eat. in order to teach you that man does not live on bread alone. (Deuteronomy 8:3). This passage draws a connection between the consumption of bread and the human spirit, as it seeks to remind us that there is more to eating than the mere cessation of hunger. Most of us can fully relate to this concept, and we articulate it on a regular basis when we say, “Oh my God! This is delicious.” Others, like me, could actually “live on bread alone” and be very content. All kidding aside, food and faith go hand in hand in Judaism, and bread in particular plays a very central role (pun intended). Bread not only fills the belly, it also enriches the human spirit. Every culture has bread. Every faith includes bread in ritual practices. In Judaism, bread holds a sacred place in every single meal we eat. Traditionally, there is a special blessing (the Motzi) that is recited ONLY when bread is going to be consumed. For any meal or snack that does not include bread, shorter blessings are recited before and after the meal. Bread is also associated with the study of Torah. Our sages saw each as being part of a daily diet for the body and mind when they taught, “Im ain kemach ain Torah – Without flour (dough) there is no Torah.” In other words, physical and spiritual nourishment are inextricably linked. -
Hospitality to Guests
HOSPITALITY TO GUESTS he Torah ascribes great importance to the mitzvah of hospitality to guests T(hachnasat orchim). One of the most detailed accounts of Avraham’s (Abraham’s) life in the Torah describes his dedication to the mitzvah of hospitality to strangers. It is as if the Torah is stressing that the characteristic which made Avraham so uniquely worthy to be the spiritual father of all mankind was how he exerted himself in this mitzvah. This class will discuss the importance of hospitality and explain how one who performs it emulates the qualities of God Himself. By looking closely at Avraham’s conduct, we will see the ideal way to perform this mitzvah – which includes greeting the guests, letting them wash and rest, making them feel comfortable, giving them food and drink, and escorting them on their way. Finally, we will examine the spiritual reward for this mitzvah. In this class, we will address the following questions: Why is hospitality to guests and strangers so central to Judaism? What is the basis and origin of the mitzvah of hospitality? What actions and attitudes are included within the mitzvah of hospitality? What are the spiritual and mystical impacts of this mitzvah? Class Outline: Section I. Why Hospitality is So Central to Jewish Life Section II. The Special Magnitude of the Mitzvah of Hospitality to Guests Section III. The Principles and Details of Hosting Guests Part A. Searching for Guests and Welcoming Them Part B. Providing Rest and Washing Facilities Part C. Personally Serving the Guests Part D. Serving Food Cheerfully and Sensitively Part E. -
Chol Hamoed Packet.Pdf
Table of Contents Introduction of Hilchos Chol HaMoed ....................................................................................... 2 Excursions and Trips on Chol HaMoed (Josh Blau) ................................................................. 3 Writing on Chol HaMoed............................................................................................................. 4 Haircuts and Shaving on Chol HaMoed (Dubbin Hanon)........................................................ 5 Cutting One’s Nails on Chol HaMoed (Ari Zucker).................................................................. 6 Photograpy on Chol HaMoed (Josh Blau).................................................................................. 7 Laundry on Chol HaMoed ........................................................................................................... 8 Physical Needs on Chol HaMoed................................................................................................. 8 Hired Workers on Chol HaMoed (Jonah Sieger) ...................................................................... 9 Shopping on Chol HaMoed (Shmuel Garber).......................................................................... 10 Issur Melacha on Erev Pesach (Robby Schrier) ...................................................................... 11 Preface With Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s kindness we succeeded in compiling an interesting and extensive collection of articles on the halachos of Chol Hamoed. In an effort to spread Torah and understand the complex -
O Say Can You See
תרפש תודלות שת פ " א ברה י ו ס י רפש ו נ ג - ארש ב י ת שרדמה O Say Can You See And it came to pass, when Yitzchak had become old and his eyes dimmed from seeing… (Bereishis 27:1) There is broad and extensive Halachic discussion of blindness. One of the important topics is the permissibility of Chilul Shabbos in order to prevent someone from losing his sight. In this essay, we will discuss a number of the considerations of the Poskim. Chaza”l considered diseases of the eyes and eye injuries extremely serious. The Gemara in Avoda Zara 28b discusses this in some detail: R’ Zutra bar Tuvia said in the name of Rav: One may apply ointment to an “Ayin sheMarda”1 on Shabbos. [Those in attendance] thought that this is only true if the herbs [from which the ointment is prepared] were already crushed on the previous day [and therefore there would only be an Issur d’Rabbanan of Refua], but to crush them on Shabbos or to carry them [to bring them to the patient] through a Reshus haRabim [which are Issurim d’Oraisa] would not be permissible. [The reason they thought this was that the person was only in danger of losing his eyesight, not his life – Rashi]. One of the Rabbis, R’ Yaakov was his name, said to them – The ruling of R’ Yehuda was explained to me: It is even permissible to crush the herbs on Shabbos or carry them in a Reshus haRabim [as it is considered a matter of Pikuach Nefesh]. -
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Sectorial Party Leader Or a Social Revolutionary? - National Israel News | Haaretz
10/8/13 Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Sectorial party leader or a social revolutionary? - National Israel News | Haaretz SUBSCRIBE TO HAARETZ DIGITAL EDITIONS TheMarker Café ISRAEL MINT עכבר העיר TheMarker הארץ Haaretz.com Jewish World News Hello Desire Pr ofile Log ou t Do you think I'm You hav e v iewed 1 of 10 articles. subscri be now sexy? Esquire does Search Haaretz.com Tuesday, October 08, 2013 Cheshvan 4, 5774 NEWS OPINION JEWISH WORLD BUSINESS TRAVEL CULTURE WEEKEND BLOGS ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS BROADCAST ISRAEL NEWS Rabbi Ovadia Y osef World Bank report Israel's brain drain Word of the Day Syria Like 83k Follow BREAKING NEWS 1:3219 PM Anbnoouut n10c eSmyerinatn osf t Nryo tboe cl rpohsyss oicvse pr rbizoer dlaeur rfeantcee d ienltaoy Iesdr,a nelo ( Hdeataarielstz g)iven (AP) More Breaking News Home New s National Analysis || Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Sectorial party leader or HAARETZ SELECT a social revolutionary? To see the greatness of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, one must look separately at Ovadia A and Ovadia B. By Yair Ettinger | Oct. 8, 2013 | 9:03 AM | 1 7 people recommend this. Be the first of your 1 Tw eet 3 Recommend Send friends. The Israel Air Force flyover at Auschwitz: A crass, superficial display Why the Americans could not hav e bombed the death camp until July 1 944, and why the 2003 fly ov er there was a mistake. A response to Ari Shav it. By Yehuda Bauer | Magazine On Twitter, nothing is sacred - not even Rabbi Ovadia Yosef By Allison Kaplan Sommer | Routine Emergencies Ary eh Deri, (L), a political kingmaker and head of Shas, holding the hand of the party 's spiritual leader, Rabbi Ov adia Yosef in 1 999. -
In Search of Memory: Towards an Understanding of the Baladhur by Rabbi Eliezer Brodt
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Hochschulschriftenserver - Universität Frankfurt am Main In Search of Memory: Towards An Understanding of the Baladhur By Rabbi Eliezer Brodt In a recent post at the Seforim blog, while reviewing R. Ovadiah Yosef's recent work, Chazon Ovadia, I wrote as follows: "R' Ovadiah Yosef is world famous for his unbelievable memory, resulting in a tremendous bekius. I once joked that he must have had someone develop a computer program and attach it to his brain to help him retain so much information and recall it at all times." To this, one anonymous commenter wrote as follows: "Actually, there is a (unconfirmed) shmu'a that R. Ovadya partook of the Jewish mythological memory-booster known as Balzar. It is mentioned in different sources as being very dangerous, but granted one survives, it leaves the one who ingested it with a superlative memory. (The Sefer Hakanah refers to this when it says: "chazor chazor, v'al titz'tarech l'balzar"). The Chida is said to have accidentaly ingested it as a child, and fortunately came away with only a few paralyzed fingers -- and a great memory. I recently heard a "ma'aseh nora" regarding someone who recently attempted to track this (grass?) down and how min hashamayim he was stopped. Very scary." I would like to thank this anonymous commentator for giving me a great excuse to discuss this interesting topic of baladhur, the topic of the post below, which will elaborate on the anonymous above. -
A King in Isolation in His Own Castle?
בס“ד Parshat Tazria-Metzora 1 Iyar, 5780/April 25, 2020 Vol. 11 Num. 29 (#450) This issue of Toronto Torah is sponsored by Esther and Craig Guttmann and Family מנחם מנדל בן שמואל ז“ל in honour of the yahrtzeit of Max Guttmann and by Ricky and Dianna Zauderer and Family לע“נ אליעזר בן יונה ז“ל in memory of our dear father and grandfather, Alfred Zauderer z”l A King in Isolation in His Own Castle? Rabbi Baruch Weintraub Both of the Torah portions we read Obviously, these two explanations are from his administrative roles, he is not this Shabbat deal extensively with the very different in the image they depict of a king anymore; if it is the latter, then a phenomenon of tzaraat (not to be Uziah’s last days. One conveys a picture king can exist in separation from his confused with leprosy or “Hansen’s of almost light-hearted retirement, civil service, even as the only man on a Disease”). However, while in the Torah probably cushioned with all the luxuries planet. we read about the struggle of an a king can expect. The second, average citizen with tzaraat, later in meanwhile, gives an eerie feeling of a One could further suggest that not all Tanach we find another angle on this living death, that he had lost everything kings are equal in regard to this problem, which may shed some new that counted as life, apart from its most question – maybe there is a difference light on the subject. physical aspect. between a king who as a scion of David, entitled to the throne by Divine promise, The story of King Uziah (a.k.a. -
Significant Times and Dates
Significant Times and Dates Festivals The Jewish Calendar Jewish holidays or festivals (yamim tovim) are holidays observed by Jews throughout the Hebrew calendar and include religious, cultural, and national aspects. Some are derived from Biblical mitzvot (commandments), others from rabbinic mandates, while others commemorate Jewish history and the history of the State of Israel. All Jewish holidays begin the evening before the date specified. This is because a Jewish day begins and ends at sunset, rather than at midnight. (It is inferred from the story of creation in Genesis, where it says, “And there was evening, and there was morning, one day”.) Jewish holidays occur on the same dates every year in the Hebrew calendar, but the dates vary in the Gregorian calendar. This is because the Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar (based on the cycles of both the moon and sun), whereas the Gregorian calendar is only a solar calendar. The Jewish calendar is primarily lunar, with each month beginning on the new moon. There are approximately 12.4 lunar months in every solar year, so a 12- month lunar calendar loses about 11 days every year. To prevent the “drifting” of months and holy days, Hillel II, in the fourth century, established a fixed calendar based on mathematical and astronomical calculations. This calendar, still in use today, realigned the lunar calendar with the solar years. Holidays of biblical and rabbinic (Talmudic) origin include Q The Sabbath Q Rosh Chodesh—The New Month Q Rosh Hashanah—The Jewish New Year Q Aseret Yemei Teshuva—Ten -
NISSAN Rosh Chodesh Is on Sunday
84 NISSAN The Molad: Friday afternoon, 4:36. The moon may be sanctified until Shabbos, the 15th, 10:58 a.m.1 The spring equinox: Friday, the 7th, 12:00 a.m. Rosh Chodesh is on Shabbos Parshas Tazria, Parshas HaChodesh. The laws regarding Shabbos Rosh Chodesh are explained in the section on Shabbos Parshas Mikeitz. In the Morning Service, we recite half-Hallel, then a full Kaddish, the Song of the Day, Barchi nafshi, and then the Mourner’s Kaddish. Three Torah scrolls are taken out. Six men are given aliyos for the weekly reading from the first scroll. A seventh aliyah is read from the second scroll, from which we read the passages describing the Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh Mussaf offerings (Bamidbar 28:9-15), and a half-Kaddish is recited. The Maftir, a passage from Parshas Bo (Sh’mos 12:1-20) which describes the command to bring the Paschal sacrifice, is read from the third scroll. The Haftorah is Koh amar... olas tamid (Y’chezkel 45:18-46:15), and we then add the first and last verses of the Haftorah Koh amar Hashem hashomayim kis’ee (Y’shayahu 66:1, 23- 24, and 23 again). Throughout the entire month of Nissan, we do not recite Tachanun, Av harachamim, or Tzidkas’cha. The only persons who may fast during this month are ones who had a disturbing dream, a groom and bride on the day of their wedding, and the firstborn on the day preceding Pesach. For the first twelve days of the month, we follow the custom of reciting the Torah passages describing the sacrifices which the Nesi’im (tribal leaders) offered on these dates at the time the Sanctuary was dedicated in the desert. -
The 5 Towns Jewish Times
See Page 33 $1.00 WWW.5TJT.COM VOL. 9 NO. 32 28 IYAR 5769 rcsnc ,arp MAY 22, 2009 INSIDE FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK KULANU’S VERY KOOL EVENT MindBiz BY LARRY GORDON Esther Mann, LMSW 31 Live And Learn Backing Beis Din Hannah Reich Berman 33 World Of Real Estate These are challenging and tions for subjects to focus on Anessa V. Cohen 34 difficult times that we are and stories to cover. Many are navigating our way through. I self-serving or promoting this Praying With Feeling suppose that only the few or that cause. Some, however, Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow 44 realists among us have come strike a chord, with clear rele- P h to grips with the adage—and vance and application to the o t o s City Of Unity B now the reality—that nothing state of the overall Jewish y I r Larry Domnitch 60 a T stays the same forever. community and the times we h o m a s As a publication that is read are currently enduring. C r e a t i far and wide, both on paper Over the last few weeks I’ve o n s and on the Internet, in the held discussions with a few Last Sunday in Cedarhurst Park, the Kulanu Fair was enjoyed by thousands course of any given week we of children and adults alike. This annual Kulanu Torah Academy benefit field a wide array of sugges- Continued on Page 10 featured rides, entertainment, and great food. See Page 75 A TIME FOR CHANGE HEARD IN THE BAGEL STORE On 90 And 60 A Shavuos Perspective us, as well, to prepare at least 30 days before the upcoming Mesivta Ateres Yaakov BY RABBI ARYEH Z. -
THE BENJAMIN and ROSE BERGER TORAH TO-GO® Established by Rabbi Hyman and Ann Arbesfeld • July 2018 • Av 5778
Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • YU Center for the Jewish Future THE BENJAMIN AND ROSE BERGER TORAH TO-GO® Established by Rabbi Hyman and Ann Arbesfeld • July 2018 • Av 5778 Tisha B’av Dedicated by Rabbi Doniel Z. Kramer in memory of his parents, Rabbi Meyer and Rose Kramer of Philadelphia PA הרב מאיר בן הרב חיים מנחם ז"ל ורייזל בת יהודה לייב ע"ה Emunah in Spiritual Challenges in Difficult Times Times of Persecution Perspectives and insights Looking at the history of on dealing with tragedy and Jewish suffering from the growing from challenges. Crusades to the Holocaust. We thank the following synagogues which have pledged to be Pillars of the Torah To-Go® project Beth David Synagogue Congregation Ohab Zedek Young Israel of West Hartford, CT New York, NY Century City Los Angeles, CA Beth Jacob Congregation Congregation Beverly Hills, CA Shaarei Tefillah Young Israel of Newton Centre, MA New Hyde Park Bnai Israel – Ohev Zedek New Hyde Park, NY Philadelphia, PA Green Road Synagogue Beachwood, OH Young Israel of Congregation Scarsdale Ahavas Achim The Jewish Center Scarsdale, NY Highland Park, NJ New York, NY Young Israel of Congregation Benai Asher Jewish Center of Toco Hills The Sephardic Synagogue Brighton Beach Atlanta, GA of Long Beach Brooklyn, NY Long Beach, NY Young Israel of Koenig Family Foundation Congregation Brooklyn, NY West Hartford Beth Sholom West Hartford, CT Young Israel of Providence, RI Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst Cedarhurst, NY West Hempstead West Hempstead, NY Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President, Yeshiva -
Unit: Our Relationship to the Land: Meaning of the Omer Lesson
Unit: Our Relationship to the Land: Meaning of the Omer Lesson One: Everything Comes From The Land Let’s begin this Study: As we consider the period of Sefirat HaOmer/ Counting the Omer, we will examine the connection between the Jewish holidays at both יציאת מצרים /the time of our leaving of Egypt , פסח /ends of this period. Peasch begins this “counting of the barley” which continues for seven weeks and Shavuot/ completes this קבלת התורה /the observance of our receiving of the Torah , שבועות period of time. In thinking of these celebrations in this manner, we talk about their historical meanings. Additionally, we must also be mindful of the agricultural and land-linked meanings of these holidays and the time in which they come. The lessons embedded in their very being and the cycle of which they are a part are as critical to us as G-d’s protection and instruction through Torah, of which this cycle is a part, actually leading up to our celebration of this defining aspect of our identity. To begin this lesson, your teacher will ask you: What is the Counting of the Omer/ Sefirat HaOmer and what does it mean to us as Jews? What exactly is it that we are counting during this period of time? What lessons can we learn about the land and its meaning in our lives from this season and its heightened consciousness about our land and its resources? Write your thoughts here: __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________