by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 19, 2023 | Bo, Nisan
By Chaim Barzel “God said to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you.” (Exodus 12:1-2) This first month of the Hebrew calendar is now known as Nisan...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 1, 2023 | Antisemitism, Bo, Elul, Nisan, Shevat, Tishrei
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz While the entire world is celebrating, bringing in the new year, Jews are more subdued. Everyone else is flipping their calendars from 2022 to 2023, but the Hebrew calendar is already a quarter of the way through 5783. Why do the Jews have a...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 13, 2022 | Emor, Nisan, Passover, Temple
The Omer, a biblical measurement of approximately 43 ounces, refers to the wave offering of barley that was brought to the Temple along with a sacrifice of a lamb. Before Passover, emissaries of the Sanhedrin would go out to the field of barley and tie the grain into...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 10, 2022 | Bo, Nisan, Passover, Responsibility, Temple
On the eve of Passover, firstborn sons fast from sunrise to sunset in commemoration of the salvation of the Israelite firstborns during the Plague of the Firstborn in Egypt. Unlike all other Jewish fast days, only firstborn children are required to fast on the Fast of...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 3, 2022 | Bo, Nisan, Passover, Redemption, Shabbat
The Shabbat that precedes Pesach (Passover) is called ‘Shabbat HaGadol’ (the big/great Sabbath). There are several reasons for this. According to Jewish tradition, the first Shabbat HaGadol was the last Shabbat (Find out more about the laws of Shabbat) that the Jews...
by Shira Schechter (Moderator) | f 30, 2022 | Israel, Kings, Metzorah, Miracles, Nisan, Passover, Tazriah, Temple
Every week a portion from the Torah is read aloud in the synagogue, as well as a corresponding portion from the Prophets that is thematically connected to the Torah portion called the haftarah. The portion of the Torah called Tazria (Leviticus 12-13) is accompanied...
