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Why the (Four-Headed) Shin on Tefillin? Although the ultimate reasons behind these laws aren’t necessarily knowable, commentaries offer a number of possible explanations for both the regular and the four-headed shin.
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Why Count the Omer Standing Up? Although this teaching is not in the Talmud, it is quoted as having originated in the Mishnaic era.
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Who Authored the Passover Haggadah? The Haggadah evolved over time, starting from the Second Temple period until it reached its present form.
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Why Doesn’t the Chabad Haggadah Have the Post-Seder Songs? Why No Chad Gadya or Echad Mi Yodea?
Many have the custom to sing various post-Seder songs at the conclusion of the Passover Seder.
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Why Is the Law Like Beit Hillel? And why will it change when Moshiach comes?
Iif one of the fundamentals of the Jewish faith is that the
Torah does not change, then how can we say that the halachah will change?
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Was Queen Esther Really Green? What exactly does it mean that Queen Esther was green?
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Why Did Queen Esther Host Two Parties? Here are seven reasons why Queen Esther hosted two parties for King Achashverosh and Haman.
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Is Hillel's Teaching the Same as the Golden Rule? Hillel’s unique formulation expresses a deeper level of the mitzvah of loving your fellow as yourself.
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Why No Tefillin at Night or on Shabbat? Tefillin are worn daily by Jewish men and boys aged 13 and older, except for on Shabbat and Torah holidays.
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Why Are Stillborns' Graves Unmarked? The Zohar explains that proper burial in the ground is conducive to the resurrection process and a reflection of belief in the resurrection of the dead.
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Why Do Some Point at the Uplifted Torah? What are the origins and reasons behind this custom?
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Why Feed the Birds (Before) Shabbat Shirah? How did the custom of feeding the birds, or eating buckweat come to be? Is it allowed?
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What to Do with Mezuzahs Found on Doors? And why are they there in the first place?
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Why Did G-d Smite the Firstborn? Our job is to find the divine sparks hidden within each person, each object and each event, and let that shine.
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Why Mother’s Name for Prayers and Father’s Name for Aliyah? You may have noticed that when we call someone by his or her Hebrew name, there are two variations. Why?
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How Was Jacob Embalmed? Is It Against Torah? "Joseph commanded ... to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel."
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On the Order of Stacking Seforim (Sacred Books) And why it matters
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Why Candles (Not Oil) for Synagogue Menorah? Rabbi Moses Sofer, known as the Chatam Sofer (1762–1839), writes that in most synagogues that he visited, they lit with beeswax. Was this ideal?
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Why Aren’t Shellfish Kosher? Shellfish do not have kosher signs. But what if they did?
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Can Glass Be Koshered? Does It Need to Be? The question of whether glassware can be koshered, year-round and especially for Passover, is the subject of debate among the early halachic authorities.
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Why Do Torah Scrolls Have Silver Crowns? The crown serves as a reminder to strengthen our commitment to fulfilling the mitzvahs of the Torah.
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Why Are Jews Buried in White Linen Shrouds? Breaking an Ancient Social Stigma
This
dates back two millennia to the times of Rabban Gamliel the Elder in the early
1st century.
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Why Are Mourners Served Bagels and Eggs? The custom of giving round foods is learned from Jacob, who cooked a pot of lentils.
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A Mezuzah For a Car or Mobile Home? Some choose to place mezuzot in their cars, such as mezuzah pendants that hang from the rearview mirror. Is this problematic?
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Where Did the 70 Nations Come From? The concept is found in various passages of the Talmud and Midrash.
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Why No Work on Chol Hamoed? The Talmud lists a number of
sources in the Torah.
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Can I Tie Down the Sechach? Some sechach blew off during Sukkot. I was wondering if I can just tie it down with string. When I asked (and looked on the Internet), I got mixed replies.
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Seudah Hamafseket Why Eat Two Meals Before Yom Kippur?
Before the Yom Kippur fast, we eat a festive meal. Many also eat a festive meal earlier in the day. Why?
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How Did Brisket Become a Rosh Hashanah Tradition? From Ezra to the present: On eating meat on Rosh Hashanah
Where does this tradition come from, and does it have any true significance?
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Why Do Some Tear Challah and Others Cut It? While most slice their bread, there are indeed some who rip on Shabbat, and some do so just on Fridays. Here's why
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Rabbi, Is There a Blessing for the Czar? How about the president?
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Why Does Torah Mandate Loan Amnesty Every Seven Years? Wouldn’t this commandment make people hesitant to lend, knowing that the debtor could just run out the clock?
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Ketiv Vs. Keri: Why Is the Torah Not Always Pronounced as Written? At times, it is only
a slight variance, but at others, it can be a completely different word.
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Why Do We Cover Our Eyes for Shema? It is crucial to have the proper intention when reciting the first verse of Shema, even more so than during other parts of prayer.
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What Is the Significance of King David’s Harp? As a lad David played for Saul, and at the end of his life, he is described as the
“sweet singer of Israel.”
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Who Was Apostomus, Who Burned a Torah Scroll? The Mishnah tells us that he burned a Torah scroll on 17 Tammuz. Who was he, and why was this so significant?
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Is the Snake-on-a-Rod Medical Sign Kosher? Some of us think it is of Jewish origin, while others believe
it comes from the Greeks.
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Must One Honor Abusive Parents? There are many kinds and levels of abuse, and different people can cope with and tolerate different situations and relationships.
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Why Eat Fish on Shabbat? Eleven Answers to One Question
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The Seven Eras of Torah Scholarship How did we get from the revelation at Sinai to the halachah we have today?
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Why Do We Say Yizkor When We Do? Yizkor is recited four times a year: on the last day of Passover, on the second day of
Shavuot, on Shemini Atzeret and Yom Kippur.
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What Happened to the Bar Kochba-Lag BaOmer Connection? Your Lag BaOmer section has no mention of the wars Bar Kochba waged against the Romans! Why?
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Does Judaism Allow Genetic Engineering and Designer Babies? The miracle of modern technology leads to all sorts of ethical, moral and halachic dilemmas.
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Jerusalem Stone: What Is It, and Why Is It Used? I saw that a Jewish organization will be built with “Jerusalem stone.” What exactly is it and is there a custom to specifically use Jerusalem stone?
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Are Bottom Feeders Kosher Fish? There is a commonly held belief that where a fish lives determines whether it is kosher. Is this the case?
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A Mitzvah to Eat Matzah Every Day of Passover? The Torah tells us, “For seven days, you shall eat unleavened bread . . .” Do we take that at face value?
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Why 18 Minutes for Matzah? From when do we count and why we count at all
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How Traditional Are Matzo Balls? The unusual history of the kneidel
Known in Yiddish as a
kneidel, the matzo ball has become a staple in many
Ashkenazic Jewish homes. Here's why.
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Why Do Some Put Earth From Israel in the Coffin? Placing some earth from Israel in the coffin helps the soul find some measure of forgiveness and is related to the resurrection of the dead.
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Why Did Mordecai Not Bow to Haman? An in-depth read on the heroic defiance of a Jewish leader
Only one justification is recorded in the Megillah: “Because I am a Jew.” The Sages unpacked what this means.
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