Take Five For Torah

On Rosh Hashanah our judgement is written, on Yom Kippur it is sealed, and on Hoshanah Rabbah the verdict is implemented.

Exciting Sukkot Concert This Monday, October 9

How is it possible to daven the same tefillah three times a day and not get bored of it?

If we use each house as a Jewish home saturated with Torah, Mitzvot, and loving kindness, then regardless of how rickety it is, it will be a permanent one that will live on.

It is rare to find a baal koreh who can pronounce all of these taamim with consistent accuracy. It is even rarer to find a Jew who can look at all of these positions and say, "They are all part of my people."

When we sit in the sukkah on sukot we need to ask ourselves are we now in exile or redemption?

Our task at this time is not to ignore our sins to make them go away but to actually work to remove them.

The days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are days we can realize how powerful we really are.

The point of saying the 13 attributes of mercy is not simply to remind ourselves of who Hashem is, but to remind ourselves of what we have to be.

Why is the Haftorah read in the minor key, while the Torah is read in the major key?

All of us, to some extent, live in our own imaginations, yet facing the sometimes hard reality of what we really are is the first step towards improving ourselves.

Why do we blow the shofar in the middle of Mussaf, a seeming disturbance and interruption of synagogue prayer and decorum?

It is very easy to complain; it is much harder to find a solution that will appease that complaint.

Rosh Hashanah reminds us that Hashem is King of the universe, and we are powerless before Him.

For those in the high powered business world a week without Shabbat might seem common place, almost normal, but to us the idea of a world without Shabbat is unheard of.

Standing Firm and Surviving - Nitzavim connotes a powerful comforting message for this period of Jewish chronology in general, and for our time in particular.

Blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah bridges Har Sinai to the future times of Moshiach and our redemption.

Since the liver is completely filled with blood, we must be very careful that it is prepared properly so as not to transgress the prohibition to eat blood.

The blessings and curses in this parsha introduce the idea of privacy to the Jewish people.

It is important for one to be able to sometimes answer, "I don't know."

Practical aplications of sharp foods and kashrut, including cases with pickles, forks, knives, onions and cholent.

We must serve Hashem heart to heart with no brick wall standing between us.

Within all of the realms of prohibited acts on Shabbat, why is carrying considered such an important part of the 39 melachot?

What is the responsibility of those around us when they see we have lost our animalistic soul?

In the meeting between Moshe and G-d, we are ostensibly told of the reaction of Hashem to the suffering of the Jewish people, and along the way we see the reaction of Moshe as well.

Further understanding of practical applications in a case where a pot was not used for 24 hours, and how sharp foods may affect this rule.

Is it permissible to pray for the death of the terminally ill so that their suffering may come to an end?

The number seven has a unique relationship with taking a step back from what we normally do to think about our actions.

The cities of refuge and their lesson - we should rely on Hashem in times of need.

The only way the Torah will prevail and continue our legacy is if each and every Jew feels the responsibility that the clergy feels towards Torah and Judaism.

What is the significance of a pot that has not been used for more than 24 hours?

We end with a "tekiah" blow to show we will overcome the cause of our crying - our sorrow and sins -and lead a productive life both physically and spiritually.

Every Shabbos there is one phrase that we utter more often than any other the entire shabbos, Good Shabbos or Shabbat Shalom. Is this just a friendly greeting, another way of saying hello, or perhaps do these two words have some deeper meaning?

When we have order - "seder" - within our lives then everything will be ok.

An introduction to understanding how the prohibition against eating, cooking, and benefitting from a milk and meat mixture applies practically in our kitchens and everyday use.

Whatever we do in our daily routine, every deed and word, no matter how trivial, is like a trumpet to the Almighty.

We can appreciate the week of work so much more when these things are taken away and then given back to us after reflecting on their absence during Shabbat.

Understanding the challenge of the manna and its application to our daily lives.

How should we judge ourselves and how should we judge others?

While we aim for a flawless Torah reading, the reality is that such a level of perfection is rare, and the Rav and Gabbaim will be confronted with the decision of whether or not to correct.

When we think of the moving words and melodies of Adon Olom,we may wonder where the best place is for this prayer, at the beginning or the end of davening?

If a community accepts Shabbat early, can an individual in that community accept Shabbat at its regular time?

Understanding Hashem's love of the Jewish people.

The essence of Aleinu is to praise Hashem and to recognize that we owe our very existence to Him.

We can either turn our backs on the Neve'im, or we can listen to Hashem and have all the Jews coming back together in Israel.

People might begin to think they are truly pious because they have long prayers, when in reality they might only be fooling themselves.

What actions, if any, are necessary to accept Shabbat early?

Shabbat Chazon - The lesson of one powerful word, Eichah, and its relevance to us.

A halachic discussion of when to recite the havdallah brachah on fire - borei meorei ha'aish - when Tisha B'av occurs on Motzei Shabbat.

Why did the Rabbis append a prayer to the Blessing of La'asok B'divrei Torah?