בס”ד People who become Noahide and are accustomed to bending or kneeling in worship from their former religion notice that Jews do not do so. One can wonder why. In general, Jews pray standing or sitting, with a slight knee bend in some parts of the prayer from the Siddur… Read More »MAY A NOAHIDE PROSTRATE AND KNEEL TO G-D?
בס”ד Emunah is the central mitzvah [Torah requirement] upon which all other (613 for Jews and 7 for non-Jews) mitzvot are built. Emunah is the most fundamental mitzvah. As stated Makkot 24a: Isaiah then established the 613 mitzvot upon two, as it is stated: “So says the L-rd: Observe justice… Read More »EMUNAH
בס”ד Let’s start with the last one. What is free and do we have it? After all, G-d is Almighty, He created everything. The wind blows and the streams flow according to His will, like everything goes according to His will. Psalm 135:6 כֹּ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־חָפֵ֥ץ ד’ עָ֫שָׂ֥ה בַּשָּׁמַ֥יִם וּבָאָ֑רֶץ בַּ֝יַּמִּ֗ים… Read More »SATAN – EVIL INCLINATION – FREE WILL
בס”ד A Mezuzah (Hebrew: מזוזה, sometimes spelled mezuzah, lit. “doorpost”) is a small parchment scroll upon which a scribe handwrites the Hebrew words of the Shema. Mezuzah scrolls are rolled up and affixed to the doorposts of Jewish homes, designating the home as Jewish and reminding those who live there of their connection… Read More »CAN A NOAHIDE HAVE A MEZUZAH?
נֶשֶׁר אוֹמֵר. וְאַתָּה יי אֱלֹקים צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָקִיצָה לִפְקֹד כָּל הַגּוֹיִם אַל תָּחֹן כָּל בֹּגְדֵי אָוֶן סֶלָה: (תהילים נט ו) The Vulture/ Eagle is saying, “And you, Hashem Elokim Tseva’ot, elo’ah of Yisra’el, awake to punish all the nations; do not be gracious to any wicked traitors, Selah!” (Pirkei… Read More »THE EAGLES AND THE SAGES
בס”ד Avot D’Rabbi Natan 4:5 Once, Rabban [our rabbi] Yohanan ben Zakkai, left Jerusalem, and Rabbi Yehoshua followed after him. And he saw the Holy Temple destroyed. [Rabbi Yehoshua said: Woe to us, for this is destroyed –] the place where all of Israel’s sins are forgiven! *I.e., via the… Read More »CHARITY ATONES FOR SIN
בס”ד It is forbidden for a Jew or non-Jew to worship idols. It is forbidden to cause a Jew to transgress a prohibition or obligation of the 613 Jewish Commandments and it is forbidden to cause a non-Jew to transgress a prohibition of one the 7 Noahide Commandments. One of… Read More »PROMOTING THE 7 LAWS OF NOAH: IS IT A REQUIREMENT FOR NOAHIDES?
בס”ד It is not clear when or how the nice – always appropriate and never required – the custom of beginning a letter with B” H or BS” D – or to be more precise their Hebrew equivalents ב״ה or בס״ד, started. There are those who point to Rabbi Yehuda… Read More »WHAT IS THE MEANING OF BS”D – בס”ד?
We all face moments in our lives over which we repent. Sometimes these concern matters that directly affect our fellow human beings, animals, or nature, and sometimes they concern our behavior towards G-d. Does it make sense to repent if the consequences cannot be reversed? Should we repent if we… Read More »REPENTANCE – TESHUVA
Genesis 28:1-2 וַיִּקְרָ֥א יִצְחָ֛ק אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹת֑וֹ וַיְצַוֵּ֙הוּ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ לֹֽא־תִקַּ֥ח אִשָּׁ֖ה מִבְּנ֥וֹת כְּנָֽעַן׃ So, Isaac sent for Jacob and blessed him. He instructed him, saying, “You shall not take a wife from among the Canaanite women. ק֥וּם לֵךְ֙ פַּדֶּ֣נָֽה אֲרָ֔ם בֵּ֥יתָה בְתוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִ֣י אִמֶּ֑ךָ וְקַח־לְךָ֤ מִשָּׁם֙ אִשָּׁ֔ה מִבְּנ֥וֹת לָבָ֖ן… Read More »PREPARE YOUR DAY WITH A PIECE OF TORA CONTEMPLATION
