Parshah Halachah

The essence of prayer is kavanah—focus and concentration. In order to achieve proper kavanah, it is important to pray in the proper place and with as few distractions as possible. This article focuses on the appropriate location for prayer, as well as the immersion in a mikvah.

The proper date and time, the laws of a Shabbat brit, a list of honorees, and a to-do preparatory list.

Our Sages go as far as to say that if not for this mitzvah, G‑d would not have created the heavens and earth; it is the greatest of the positive mitzvot; and considered the equivalent to all of the mitzvot of the Torah combined!

The Torah commands every man to ensure his animals are fed—and in the proper time. Actually, we are commanded to feed our animals before we eat ourselves. "And I will give grass in your field for your livestock" — and only thereafter — "and you will eat and be sated."

The first mitzvah in the Torah is "to be fruitful and multiply." As the verse in Genesis states: "And G‑d said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth...'" This mitzvah is considered a "great mitzvah" and in some cases even overrides certain other laws.

The arrangement whereby one person supports the other who learns Torah and the reward is shared between the two of them has come to be known as a "Yissachar-Zevulun" partnership.

The blessings that express our wish to connect our souls and the entire world with the essential holiness of the Torah.

The 613th mitzvah of the Torah is the obligation for every Jew to write a Torah scroll. In the words of the verse: ""And now, write for yourselves this song, and teach it to the Children of Israel..."

The return of the Jews to Egypt would be an affront to G‑d, who specifically saved us from slavery there and removed us from there...

Cross-dressing can lead to promiscuous behavior. Wearing the clothes of a woman would enable a man to mingle inappropriately among women, and vice versa...

The prohibition of cutting down fruit trees is stricter than the prohibition of destroying other objects of value. Since man is compared to a fruit tree, it is particularly harmful to destroy a tree, for the act unleashes negative spiritual energies.

Giving loans is considered a greater mitzvah than the mitzvah of giving charity because it is less embarrassing for a needy person to take a loan than to receive charity.

When one recites the Shema, he should do so tremulously, with concentration, reverence and awe, as people are wont to do when reading a new communication issued by the king.

Our Sages tell us that the creation of the entire world is considered a worthwhile endeavor just for the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven that we enact during the daily recital of Shema.

By forbidding Jews from eating food cooked by non-Jews, our sages intended to create a social barrier between Jews and non-Jews in order to prevent intermarriage.

The Torah considers one responsible for safeguarding one's own as well as others' health and wellbeing. Presented here is a partial collection of laws pertaining to guarding the life and health of oneself and others.

When the sages instituted the daily prayers, they included a prayer for each of the regular communal sacrifices. They also instituted the Musaf prayer to be recited on any day when the musaf sacrifice was to be offered.

While we must recognize that every illness is a message from G‑d and take appropriate spiritual action, at the same time we may, and must, use medicines that have healing powers.

The final paragraph of the Mishnah states: "Great is peace, for G‑d found no other vessel for [His] blessings other than peace." Meaning that G‑d only sends His blessings to a family, community, country, etc., if it is in a state of peace.

Our Sages say that one who fulfills this mitzvah properly merits to have a wife and children. He is also protected from sin, and in that merit, he is assured that he will see the face of the divine presence...