Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob and Leah, was born in Charan (Mesopotamia) on the 14th of Kislev of the year 2193 from creation (1568 BCE). As Jacob's firstborn, he was initially entitled to the leadership of Israel and to a double portion in the Holy Land, but these privileges were taken from him (and given respectively to Judah and Joseph) because he sinned by "violating the bed of his father." Reuben unsuccessfully tried to prevent the persecution of Joseph by his brothers in 2216 (1545 BCE) and subsequently berated them for selling him into slavery (Genesis 37:21; 42:22). In 2238 he relocated to Egypt together with his father, brothers and their children, where he died on his 125th birthday in 2318 (1443 BCE).
Link: Reuben and Judah
Link: More on Reuben
On the 14th of Kislev, 1928, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, married Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneersohn (1901-1988), the middle daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-1950), the sixth Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. The wedding was held in Warsaw, Poland, at the Lubavitcher Yeshivah, Tomchei Temimim.
Upon Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak's passing in 1950, Rabbi Menachem Mendel succeeded his father-in-law as the Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch. On the 14th of Kislev of 1953, at a farbrengen (Chassidic gathering) marking his 25th wedding anniversary, the Rebbe said to his Chassidim: "This is the day that bound me to you, and you to me."
Links: Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneersohn; The Rebbe's Marriage; Jewish Wedding Ceremony
In tonight’s evening prayers, preceding Dec 5., 2025, we insert the request for rain, “v’tein tal umatar,” in the amidah. We continue adding this request into the weekday prayers until the holiday of Passover.
People think that Torah is about something: that it comes to explain our world, what has happened and what will happen, where each thing belongs and what to do with it.
In a way, this is true. But ultimately, Torah isn’t about anything—everything is about Torah.
G‑d emanated light, created a world and filled it with events, people and things, all so we would have means and metaphor to discuss His thoughts.