This week’s exciting news in the world of Judaica was the report of the purchase of the oldest known, nearly complete, manuscript codex...

Over the years I have been affiliated with a variety of Jewish institutions.  Some have called themselves “synagogues.”  Others prefer...

In earlier essays I’ve written about some of the joyous Shabbat songs, Zemirot, traditionally sung around the table at mealtimes. We...

For many, Shabbat provides a much-needed respite in the midst of a very busy weekday schedule.  It can be a time for rest and relaxation,...

The main mitzvah that we attempt to fulfill at the Passover Seder is the telling of the story of the Exodus to our children and to...

On the Shabbat prior to Passover, Shabbat HaGadol, we read the concluding portion of the book of Malachi, the last of the prophets, as...

A couple of years back in this series, I devoted an essay to the traditional inclusion in the preliminary prayers of the daily service of...

Now that Purim has come and gone, we are in the last thirty days prior to the holiday of Pesach.  Aside from shopping, cleaning, and...

As we move into the month of Adar, we mark this Shabbat the second of the four special shabbatot during the late winter and early spring...

One of the names of the central prayer of every Jewish service is the Shmoneh Esreh.  “Shmoneh Esreh” means eighteen and refers to the...

I think that I shall never seeA poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prestAgainst the earth's sweet flowing breast; A tree...

For the last couple of days I’ve had an “ear-worm,” a song running through my head endlessly wherever I go.  This is not an unusual...

Some time back we looked at the blessings that comprise the Birkat HaMazon, the blessings after meals.  Those four blessings are in...

I’ve written in earlier pieces about a number of the Zemirot, the Shabbat table songs, that customarily are sung during Shabbat meals.  I...

The main elements of our daily worship services are the recital of the Sh’ma with its surrounding blessings and the Amidah which is in...

There are only two major fast days on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av, however we do have a number of minor fast days...

We have seen in past essays piyyutim, liturgical poems, written for the various holidays of the Jewish year.  Aside from poems that have...

In the book of Isaiah the prophet proclaims, “Hoy kol tzamei l’chu la’mayim,” “All who are thirsty let them come for water.”  This might...

As Chanukah approaches next week, beginning on Sunday evening, December 18th, I thought it might be appropriate to review the traditions...

Early in this series, during the fall of 2019, we took a brief look at the prayer known from its opening word as “Ashrei.”  As explained...