From: Melanie Dear Rabbi, It’s been my impression that Judaism ascribes special importance to bread, like washing the hands for it, treating it with respect, making a special long blessing after eating it, and so on. Why is this? Dear Melanie, Your impression is right, there are many teachings that express the importance of[…]
From: Michael Dear Rabbi, Since the blessings were instituted over the performance of the mitzvot, and the mitzva regarding Torah is to learn it, why doesn’t the blessing state, “Who commanded us to learn Torah”? Why does it rather say, “to be engaged in Torah”? Thanks in advance. Dear Michael, This is a very good[…]
From: Brian Dear Rabbi, I am not quite convinced that it really matters to G‑d whether we eat kosher or not and whether eating kosher really has an effect on us that would be different than eating non-kosher food. Any thoughts you might have to share with me would be much appreciated. Dear Brian, When[…]
From: Sandra Dear Rabbi, My grandfather, may he rest in peace, would always put salt on the bread in the prayer of Hamotzi. Why do we do this? Is it on all types of bread or just challah? Dear Sandra, There are several reasons for dipping bread in salt after saying the blessing on the[…]
From: Samuel Dear Rabbi, Am I allowed to walk past a shul without going inside? Would doing so be disrespectful? Should I go another way if possible? Dear Samuel, The Talmud (Berachot 8b) discusses this question by saying that one may not walk past a shul at the time the community is praying without going[…]
From: Michael Dear Rabbi, I received a pair of tefillin from my grandfather (of blessed memory) when I became a bar mitzva about ten years ago, and now I’ve started wearing them regularly. Since he was a religious man, do I have to check that they’re kosher, or can I rely on the fact that[…]
From: Ira Dear Rabbi, I recently read an article that made the following point: Many Orthodox men wear spectacles. It was once assumed that it was strain brought on by the long hours of study in the yeshiva, or Torah schools, that affected the eyesight of so many Haredi men. However, a study in Israel[…]
From: Emily Dear Rabbi, I am having trouble with the concept that G‑d created Mankind in His image and likeness. Does G‑d have an image such that man’s could be compared to it? Can we truly understand G‑d in any way such that man could be considered like Him? What’s more, the Hebrew used in[…]