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On the Status of Minor Fasts In the Talmudic discussion of the minor fast days (3rd of Tishre, 10th of
Jewish prayer is the prayer recitation that forms part of the observance of Rabbinic Judaism. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the Siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book. Prayer, as a “service of the heart”, is in principle a Torah-based commandment. Jews are supposed to pray three times a day; morning, afternoon, and evening. The Jewish prayer book (called a siddur) has special services set down for this. Praying regularly enables a person to get better at building their relationship with God. After all, most things get better with practice.
On the Status of Minor Fasts In the Talmudic discussion of the minor fast days (3rd of Tishre, 10th of
At some obscure turning-point in the history of Jewish observance, three religious practices were chosen to become the yardstick by
In Parashat Matot we are introduced to the legal intricacies of making vows. I am using the word “vow” here
וָאֶתְחַנַּ֖ן אֶל־יְיָ בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִ֖יא – I was pleading with God at that time… That sentence always struck me as very
Prayer is not a biblical commandment. According to Nahmanides, that is. According to Maimonides, it is a biblical commandment, but
1. The poetic-theological introduction to the Shofar עוקד והנעקד והמזבח. These words are the refrain of a poem chanted by
In a famous passage in Exodus, God reveals some of His ways to Moses, who is hidden at the crevice
