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Is Magic Jewish? If yes, how and why does it work?
The Torah and Talmud both reference--and forbids--it as a fact of life. Maimonides, Nachmanides, and the rabbis of later generations present nuanced views of how it can or cannot exist in a world where G-d reigns supreme.
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The Difference Between Sepharadic and Ashkenazic Pronunciation The Great “Shabbos” vs. “Shabbat” Debate
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Why Is Hallel Sometimes “Whole” and Sometimes “Half”? The Talmud explains that as a very general rule, Hallel is recited on days that are called a mo’ed (holiday) in the Torah . . .
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7 Jewish Classics Originally Written in Arabic Although current relations between Jews and some Arabic-speaking countries are a bit strained, to say the least, it was not always so.
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Why the Straight-Branched Menorah? Despite the depiction of the Temple menorah on the Arch of Titus, many prefer the menorah with straight, diagonal branches. Why?
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Is It OK to Wear a Mezuzah Necklace? There are records of people using mezuzot as amulets since ancient times.
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Why Do We Face East When Praying? Or Do We? How to calculate mizrach
Even when our compass or map shows that Jerusalem is to the east
of our location, we still may end up facing another direction. Sounds
confusing? Let’s start from the beginning.
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Why Do We Say L’Dovid Hashem Ori (Psalm 27) During the Month of Elul? The earliest mention of
the custom seems to be the work Sefer
Shem Tov Katan, published in
1706.
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Why Do Jews Cut Their Fingernails Out of Order? And when are we to cut our nails?
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Why (and When to) Give Charity Before Prayer? Says the Talmud, Rabbi Eleazar used to give a coin to a poor man
and immediately begin to pray.
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Why Pray With Our Feet Together? The Talmud tells us that when we pray, we should resemble the angels, about whom it is said, “Their legs were a straight leg . . .”
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Why Write B”H or BS”D at Head of a Letter, and What Does It Mean? The habit of peppering our ordinary conversation with thankful mentions of G‑d was even displayed by our forefather Jacob.
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Why Say "Bli Neder," and Does It Help? I have a friend who, whenever he says that he will or will not do something, always adds the disclaimer bli neder (lit. “without an oath”). What’s up with that?
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Why Sing Eishet Chayil on Friday Night? Although I have not seen it documented, it seems that this originated with the mystics of Safed.
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Why Hold Tzitzit for Baruch She'amar? I understand why we hold the fringes during the Shema, which mentions the mitzvah of tzitzit, by why for Baruch She’amar?
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Why (and How) Does the Firstborn Get a Double Inheritance? Why is that? Also, does the firstborn always
inherit double, or are there some limits to this clause?
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Why Do People Take Off Their Shoes When Visiting the Ohel? What’s the source of the custom not to wear shoes at the Ohel? Is it just a Chabad thing?
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Why Candles at the Chupah? Let’s shed some light on the reasons for these
candles, as well as why the bride and groom are each escorted with two candles.
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Why Do Jews Fly Their Dead to Israel for Burial? The custom of burying our loved
ones specifically in Israel is as old as the Jewish nation
itself.
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Why Do We Wash Differently in the Morning Than Before a Meal? In the morning, we alternate. But for bread, we wash each hand three times
consecutively. Why the difference?
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Why Is Hebrew Called the Holy Tongue (Lashon Hakodesh)? The Hebrew language is extremely potent. The Torah tells us
that until the incident of the Tower of Babel, all of mankind spoke the same
language: Biblical Hebrew.
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Why So Many Customs of When to Mourn During the Omer? Why so many customs? How did it all develop?
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Why the Big Deal About the Kotel (Western Wall)? The Western Wall is one of the four
walls that supported the Temple Mount. Why is it considered more special than
the other three, all of which are clearly visible?
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Why Does the Chazzan Repeat the Amidah? I recently started attending synagogue services on a regular basis. After we pray the Amidah silently, the chazzan (cantor) repeats it word for word. Why?
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Why the Big Deal About the Death of Rabbi Akiva’s Students? Why do we make such a big deal about this tragedy in particular?
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Why Is Matzah So Bland? The short and simple answer is that another name for matzah
is lechem oni—“poor man's bread” or
“bread of poverty.”
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Why Can’t We Start the Seder Early? I’m having lots of guests from very
different backgrounds over for the Seder, and I don’t want people to have to
stay out too late.
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Why the Egg (Beitza) on the Passover Seder Plate? I know all
about the reasons for the matzah and maror (bitter herbs), but why an egg?
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Why Can't We Bring a Passover Sacrifice Nowadays? Is there a real reason we are still missing this vital part of the Passover celebration?
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Why Is Passover on Nissan 15, Not Nissan 14? The Bible states that Passover is on the 14th of Nissan, yet the Jewish calendar shows Passover starting the following night!
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Are Mordecai and Esther Named for Pagan Gods? I could see why Esther would need to do that. But why would Mordecai, a righteous, observant Jew, be named after a Babylonian deity?
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Why Is Work Permitted on Purim? I have been told that you’re allowed to work on the holidays of Purim and Chanukah. Why are those holidays different than Passover, Sukkot and Shavuot, when most work is prohibited, almost like Shabbat?
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Why Is Tachanun Longer on Mondays and Thursdays? There are many fascinating accounts of the origin of this prayer.
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Why Are Shabbat Candles Lit 18 Minutes Before Sunset? We go out to receive the Shabbat even before she arrives . . .
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Why Are Some Stores Considered "Glatt"? What does “glatt kosher” mean?
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Why Do Jews Eat Lox and Bagels? I always thought that lox and bagels on
Sunday mornings is as “Jewish” as apple pie is “American.”
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Why Don't Jews Have Open-Casket Funerals? I always appreciated getting one last look at the deceased . . .
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Why Is Tu BiShvat in the Winter? Why celebrate trees when nothing is growing?
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Why Do You Learn Kabbalah Before the Age of 40? Is There Really a Ban?
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Why Do We Smell Aromatic Spices? Learn some reasons you may have known, as well as some that are bound to surprise you.
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Why Do Jews Carry in an Eruv on Shabbat? How can a few barely visible wires make a difference?
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Why Do People Shout "Mazal Tov" When Dishes Drop? Is this just an outgrowth of the wedding custom, or is there something more to it?
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Why Do Jews Pray Three Times a Day? Why do we all say the same thing, and why do we do it at those specific times?
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Why Is the Talmud in Aramaic? Why wasn’t it written in Hebrew, like the Bible and the Mishnah?
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Why Do I Hear Blessings at Public Menorah Lightings? Now, isn’t the mitzvah just to light the menorah at home? So why were the blessings recited at the public ceremony?
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Why Can't I Use an Electric Menorah? I was in a bit of a hurry, so I didn’t get into it, but I would still like to know: what is the story with electric menorahs?
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Why Do Jewish Brides Wear White? I recently read that this actually originated with Queen Victoria in the mid-19th century.
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Why Eat Kugel on Shabbat? I’m a bit of a picky eater. So, I’d like to know: is there a deeper reason for me to be eating this stuff?
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Why Do Sephardim Keep Their Torahs in Cylindrical Cases? I recently had occasion to pray in a Sephardic synagogue, and they kept the Torahs in some kind of ornamental cylindrical case with the scroll in the upright position. Then, when it came time to read the Torah, they simply set it on a flat table and cracked open the case.
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