From: Tami Dear Rabbi, I’ve heard a question about how many days Chanuka should be – since the oil burning the first day wasn’t a miracle, we should really only light for seven days. But I don’t remember the answer. Could you please “illuminate” this for me? Thanks “a latkes”. Dear Tami, A good question[…]
From: Menashe Dear Rabbi, The ba’al teshuva movement seems to be successful in connecting non-observant people, particularly student-aged, to Judaism. On the other hand, unfortunately, there are young people raised in the system that are disconnecting. Are there methods that the established religious community could learn from the ba’al teshuva movement to keep kids from[…]
From: Ellen Dear Rabbi, Does Judaism present any rational proof for its belief in the existence of the soul? Dear Ellen, The term “rational proof” is a bit problematic. If you mean conclusive proof, the answer is no. But this should not be surprising; there are many disciplines in which assumptions are operative even though[…]
From: Anonymous Dear Rabbi, My wife and I both studied in ba’al teshuva institutions. We both learned that as a married couple, the husband should be responsible for making Torah-related decisions and the wife should be responsible for making decisions pertaining to the household, which are no less important. However, my wife keeps questioning whether[…]
From: Vladimir Dear Rabbi, I have heard various teachings about the Jewish midnight which are intriguing. Could you please elaborate? Thanks in advance. Dear Vladimir, I’d be happy to shed some light on the Jewish midnight. First, unlike the well-known song in Fiddler on the Roof which goes, “Sunrise, Sunset…”, the Jewish day starts at[…]
From: Menachem Dear Rabbi, I became observant, learned in yeshiva for a while, eventually got married, and ultimately had to go to work to support my family. I remember my time at the yeshiva so positively, and I felt that I was doing something really valuable and worthwhile. Now, I just don’t feel that I’m[…]
From: Steven Dear Rabbi, If the succah is about rejoicing before G‑d with the bounty of one’s harvest, what message does it have for the poor, or for those with little harvest? Dear Steven, This is a very interesting question! But certainly the Torah has a message for all. Let’s see in more detail what[…]
From: Norman Dear Rabbi, I have noticed in previous years at synagogue on Yom Kippur that many people wear white clothes, or a type of white robe, and sometimes even white shoes. What’s that all about? I imagine it has something to do with appearing pure before the Almighty, but any additional explanation you can[…]
From: Judith Dear Rabbi, With devastating earthquakes taking place around the world, and warnings of the possibility of serious earthquakes taking place even in Israel, how are we to understand this phenomenon? Does G‑d control natural events such as earthquakes, and why would He cause them? Dear Judith, As Jews, we look for meaning in[…]