Why do we say L’shanna Tova?
Question: We know that the Shanna Tova means a good year, but why the Lamed at the start. That would indicate going to something. Answer: The phrase “l’shanah tovah” […]
What is the Qumran Calendar?
Question: In a recent class about the Jewish calendar, someone mentioned that the Qumran community followed a different calendar. What was it, and why did it matter? Answer: The Jewish calendar […]
How Big Was Israel in the Wilderness? Four Ways to Read the Numbers in Numbers
Modern readers often do a double take when they encounter the censuses in the book of Numbers. In Numbers 1 and Numbers 26, the text records around 600,000 males […]
Why Do We Eat Dairy Foods on Shavuot?
The custom to eat dairy on Shavuot is widely observed, but it is rooted in serious halakhic and symbolic ideas, not just in our love of cheesecake. The classic halakhic […]
How do I kasher a glass stovetop for Passover
Almost all electric and induction stovetops today are made from glass. How can I kasher this for Passover? Glass can be kashered easily by washing it with soap and water […]
May I recite Mourners Kaddish for my father on days other than his yahrtzeit?
Question I was always taught that Mourners Kaddish should only be recited for immediate family. In the last several years I’ve seen all people stand and recite Kaddish. When […]
May a Jew be buried in a non-Jewish cemetery?
Question: For decades, I have put a lot of thought, energy, and financial commitment into environmental sustainability. Cemeteries, with their pristine, well-watered, always raked lawns, rub me the wrong way. […]
Why do Jews play dreidel on Hanukkah?
The dreidel’s story is a great example of how Jews take something from the surrounding culture and spin it into something deeply Jewish. Historically, the dreidel began as a […]
Is it permissible for Jewish children to go trick-or-treating on Halloween?
What a complex question! On the surface, Halloween might seem like a simple secular holiday in America, similar to Thanksgiving. However, when we examine Halloween’s origins, we find that […]
Kahanut (Priesthood)
Question: I have a Kohen question. My married name is Cohen. I don’t think one can be a Kohen by way of marriage. However, my mother’s maiden name was Cohen. […]