By: Judy Klitsner As we approach our third Simchat Torah since our great catastrophe, a now familiar question arises: how can we celebrate? While this year is not quite as searingly painful as the first two — thankfully, we are…
Tanakh, Ketuvim (Writings), Ecclesiastes, Jewish calendar, Simchat Torah, Sukkot
By: Rabbi Daniel Reifman The book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), traditionally read on Sukkot, is noteworthy for the way it ranks among both the most challenging and beloved books of Tanakh. The author introduces himself as “Koheleth son of David, king…
Tanakh, Ketuvim (Writings), Ecclesiastes, Jewish calendar, Sukkot
By: Rabbi Brent Chaim Spodek Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) is easily one of the strangest books in the Bible. Proverbs tells us that wisdom leads to a good life. Deuteronomy insists that righteousness brings blessing. The Psalms assure us that the world,…
Tanakh, Ketuvim (Writings), Ecclesiastes, Jewish calendar, Sukkot
Twice in his famous hasidic work, Bnei Yissaskhar, the great hasidic master Rabbi Zvi Elimelekh Shapira of Dynow (1783-1841) related to the spiritual valence of eating fish on Sabbath. Zvi Elimelekh noted that in the Genesis account there are three…
Tanakh, Ketuvim (Writings), Ecclesiastes, Self & spirituality, Hasidut
Many happy returns of the day. Happy birthday. Ad meah-ve’esrim (till 120). All lovely birthday greetings. But how about something a little bit more creative? Let’s learn from King Solomon. There is a tradition that Shlomo wrote three books of…
Tanakh, Ketuvim (Writings), Ecclesiastes, Nevi’im (Prophets), Kings, Proverbs
“Return us to You, O God, and we will return; renew our days as of old.” On a cold, wintry night, Rabbi Naftali Zvi Horowitz of Ropczyce (1760-1827) was traveling in his wagon as the rain pelted down. The wagon-driver…
Tanakh, Ketuvim (Writings), Ecclesiastes, Self & spirituality, Hasidut, Spirituality
The Torah command not to destroy fruit trees when besieging a city was expanded by our sages into a prohibition against any needless destruction of nature. The metaphor of the tree has been used by Jewish mystics throughout the ages…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Ketuvim (Writings), Ecclesiastes, Jewish living
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