http://www.chabad.org/search/keyword.asp?kid=12757 Newest articles written by Eliezer Posner Copyright 2005, Chabad.org - Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center, all rights reserved. http://www.chabad.org/media/images/50/CtRx507451.gif 130 52 http://www.chabad.org Thu, 1 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST Thu, 1 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=584112 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=584112 The sukkah covering must provide enough cover so that when the sun is shining overhead there is more shade than sun in the sukkah... Thu, 1 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=838386 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=838386 Question: I know that the Torah prohibits the consumption of blood. Does this apply to my own blood as well? Answer: When the Torah tells us that we are allowed to eat the meat of kosher animals, we are warned that "…you shall not eat the blood…." Although human blood is not included in this Biblical prohibition, it is nevertheless forbidden. This is because human blood resembles animal blood; one who observes people eating human blood might believe it is permitted to consume animal blood. If you cut yourself while preparing food and a drop of blood accidentally falls into your dish, just get rid of the spot where the blood landed. If the blood got lost in the food and is unnoticeable, Halachah does not require you to throw out the dish, since there is no concern that an observer would think the food contains animal blood. On the same note, if you are eating an apple and notice that there a flecks of blood in the apple (presumably from a cut on your gum) you cannot eat that part of the Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=820540 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=820540 Question: Why don't Ashkenazi Jews name their children after a living parent or grandparent? I know Sefardi Jews do have this custom and do it often. What's with Ashkenazim? Answer: Perhaps there are more, but I have found two reasons for this custom: 1. Since it is a widespread custom to name children after deceased parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, naming after a living one could appear as though you're waiting for that person to die, G‑d forbid Brit Avot, 8:20, in the name of Noheig Katzon Yosef.. 2. Out of respect for our parents, we don't refer to them by their proper names. Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 240:2. Some say that when in the presence of a parent, you shouldn't use that parent's name even to refer to somebody else. ibid. For example, if your mother is named Sarah, you shouldn't refer to your friend who is also named Sarah by name in front of your mother. If we would name our children after our living parents—well, you can imagine the conundrum, and inevitable t Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=764344 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=764344 Question: In addition to the daily prayers, I find that reading Psalms helps me feel close to G‑d, and I want to start saying them every day. Is there a custom as to which Psalms I should say when? Response: Psalms is certainly a powerful book. The Midrash tells us that when King David compiled the Psalms, he had in mind himself, every Jew, and every circumstance. Shochar Tov 18. No matter who you are and what the situation, the words of the Psalms speak the words of your heart and are heard on high. The third Lubavitcher Rebbe, known as the Tzemach Tzedek, wrote that if we only knew the power of verses of Psalms and their effect in the spiritual realms, we would recite them constantly. Hayom Yom, Shvat 24. In the standard books of Psalms, the 150 chapters are grouped into seven portions, so that they can be completed every week, and into thirty portions, so that they can be completed every Jewish month. Some people recite Psalms according to the weekly cycle, while others follow the m Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=750053 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=750053 A couple can get married on the three days in between Yom Kippur and Sukkot. Holding a wedding on the day immediately before Sukkot is technically permitted, however Rabbi Abraham Gombiner (17th century Poland) writes that since the meal can easily encroach on the holiday festivities that night, it is not the custom to make a wedding on the day before Yom Tov, and this custom should not be changed. Magen Avraham to Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 546:3. Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz (1726-1791) explains that, according to Kabbalah, this is a very good time to get married. He also tells of a man for whom several marriages ended in divorce. Upon being advised to marry during this auspicious period, he did so and lived with his wife and family happily for the rest of his life. Imrei Pinchas 7:91. Please see Choosing a Date for a complete guide to choosing the right day for your wedding as well as a comprehensive date list. Yours truly, Rabbi Eliezer Posner Mon, 6 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=746659 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=746659 There are different customs as to how many times the shofar is blown on Rosh Hashanah. In most communities the shofar is blown 100 times... Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=743800 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=743800 Question: What blessings should I say before and after eating rice? Answer: There are different opinions as to which is the blessing to be recited before eating rice: Some halachic authorities say it is mezonot; others say it is ha'adamah; yet others contend one ought to say shehakol. Ideally, one should avoid this entire issue by only eating rice during a meal which includes bread. Since hamotzi was already said on the bread, there is no need to say individual blessings on the other foods eaten throughout the meal—rice included. Seder Birchat Hanehenin 1:9-10 Another way of avoiding this issue is to recite the blessing over and eat a food which is definitely mezonot, another which is definitely ha'adamah, and something else which is shehakol, and only then eat the rice. See Seder Birchat Hanehenin 7:13 If neither of these options is feasible, the Alter Rebbe rules that one should say shehakol on rice. Seder Birchat Hanehenin 1:10 According to all opinions, the after-blessing to be rec Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=736774 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=736774 Question: Why do some of the Hebrew letters have dots in them, and why do the same letters, in the same words, sometimes appear with dots and sometimes without? Answer: A prime example of this phenomenon is the name of the Egyptian king, Pharaoh, פרעה. In Hebrew, his name is usually pronounced as "Par-oh," but sometimes it's read as "Far-oh." To explain this, allow me to share with you some background information about Hebrew pronunciation: There are six Hebrew letters that have both "hard" and "soft" sounds (or, to use the technical terms, they are both plosive and fricative consonants). We put a dot, called a dagesh, in middle of these letters to let the reader know that in this instance the letter is "hard" (or plosive). There are other instances where dots are placed inside Hebrew letters: When the letter ו has a dot, it is pronounced "oo" as in "boot." Without a dot, it is pronounced "v", or among Yemenites as "w". A dot, called a dagesh chazak, can be put in any letter to indicat Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=718279 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=718279 Why are there two Talmuds? And why is the "Babylonian Talmud" concidered more authoritative than the "Jerusalem Talmud"? Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=715506 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=715506 Question: Why do the Cohanim cover themselves and their hands when they do the priestly blessing? Why do the people cover themselves in their talitot? Answer: The Cohanim are meant to concentrate on blessing the congregation, and the congregation should concentrate on receiving the blessing. So that the Cohanim shouldn't be distracted by looking at the people, and so that the people shouldn't be distracted by looking at the Cohanim, the Cohanim cover their faces and hands with a tallit. Source: Shulchan Aruch Harav 128:36 Rabbi Eliezer Posner Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST