Lifecycle Minutes

The physical development of the embryo mirrors its spiritual counterpart. The expecting mother's spiritual choices have lifelong effects on the developing new life...

The day you were born was the day you became your very own person—no longer just a watermelon in your mommy's tummy. That's why it's a day to ponder: What have I accomplished by being here?

The Kabbalists say that when parents name a child, they experience a minor prophecy—because, somehow, that child’s destiny is wrapped up in the name’s combination of Hebrew letters . . .

The Jew is bound with a covenant engraved deep beneath his conscious self, even on his very flesh: a timeless bond G‑d established with his father Abraham.

Ever since the Golden Calf debacle, all male Israelite firstborn must redeem themselves in a pidyon haben ceremony from a descendant of Aaron, a.k.a a kohen.

At the age of three, children’s education takes a leap—they are now ready to produce and share their unique gifts. For a Jewish boy, this transition is traditionally marked with a haircutting ceremony.

According to biblical law, a child is not obligated to observe mitzvot until reaching adulthood. Nevertheless, there’s a mitzvah of rabbinic origin for parents to train their children to do mitzvot and to avoid doing things that the Torah forbids.

A child is a child. Perhaps bright and knowledgeable—yet still lacking the maturity that distinguishes the adult from the child. Around the age of 12 for a girl, 13 for a boy, that sense begins to kick in.

The natural compulsion to marry expresses a deep soul-ambition: its desire to reconnect with its other half. Body and soul reach completion when they are reunited with their other half.

A Jewish wedding is a tapestry woven from many threads: biblical, historical, mystical and legal. Threads forming a chain of Jewish continuity which goes back more than 3,800 years . . .

When a child brings more light and holiness into this world, the parent's soul climbs higher. Reciting kaddish is a one such powerful tool of light...