Torah Tidbits
The Rabbis' Seder - For Men Only? by Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher, Dean of Students, Diaspora Yeshiva
“It happened that Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Elazar Ben-Azarya, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon were reclining in Bnei Brak. They were discussing the Exodus from Egypt all that night, until their students came and told them: ‘Our Rabbis! The time has come for reciting the morning Sh’ma!’” (Pesach Haggada).
Continue ReadingAliya by Aliya Sedra Summary
[P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p’sukim in it.
Continue ReadingCalendar Plan A & Plan B
No surprise to regular TTreaders that the Lead Tidbit for Shabbat HaChodesh focuses on the Jewish Calendar. Definitely, a favorite topic of Torah Tidbits.
Continue ReadingTTriddles
are Torah Tidbits-style riddles on Parshat HaShavua (sometimes on the calendar). They are found in the hard-copy of TT scattered throughout, usually at the bottom of different columns. In the electronic versions of TT, they are found all together at the end of the ParshaPix-TTriddles section. The best solution set submitted each week (there isn’t always a best) wins a double prize a CD from Noam Productions and/or a gift (game, puzzle, book, etc.) from Big Deal
Continue ReadingDivrei Menachem
In this week’s parsha the command to observe Shabbat by restraining from work (Melacha) is juxtaposed with commands associated with building of the Mishkan. For some there is a clear connection between Shabbat and the Mishkan: the former is a sanctuary in time, the latter is a sanctuary in place.
Continue ReadingPressure and Pregnancy
Last week we discussed the question raised by Prof. Borochowitz from Haifa at the recent successful Annual Puah Rabbinic Conference in Jerusalem. He asked whether it is better to test for genetic abnormalities during pregnancy by undergoing the potentially dangerous tests of CVS or amniocentesis or not? How do we weigh up the benefits of the information that can be obtained from such a test against the potential harm that can be caused?
Continue ReadingTHE SINK
This past week was International Women’s Day, so I decided to write this column about women and a verse in this week’s portion lent itself to this goal. The verse says that VAYAVO-U HAANASHIM AL HA- NASHIM - the men accompanied the women and those who wanted to make a donation brought bracelets, earrings, finger rings and body ornaments” (35:22).
Continue ReadingParsha Points to Ponder
1) Why does the Torah focus on the specific prohibition of not lighting a fire on Shabbat and no other prohibitions (35:3)?
Continue ReadingCHIZUK and IDUD for Olim not yet Olim respectively
Recently I overheard someone remark: “I can’t understand why Nefesh B’Nefesh make such a big deal about those who come on Aliyah”. This fellow, who never experienced firsthand the difficulties of uprooting one’s family and beginning life anew in Eretz Israel, continued his argument: “After all, this is what is expected of every Jew! Do we shower public praise on all those who don Tefillin or safeguard the Shabbat?”
Continue ReadingBracha on homeopathic medicines?
The Orthodox Union - via its website - fields questions of all types in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them are answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, headed by Rav Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l, to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah… and the Israel Center. The following is a Q&A from Eretz Hemdah…
Continue ReadingWord of the Month
A weekly feature of Torah Tidbits to help clarify practical and conceptual aspects of the Jewish Calendar, thereby better fulfilling the mitzva of HaChodesh HaZeh Lachem…
Continue ReadingIn This Issue of Torah Tidbits
- Lead Tidbit
- Guest Article
- Candle A Day
- Gold from the Land of Israel
- Aliya-by-Aliya Sedra Summary
- Sedra Stats
- Vebbe Rebbe
- Portion of the Portion
- Oz Torah
- Parsha Points to Ponder
- TTriddles "Report"
- Person In The Parsha
- Word of the Month
- The Trade and Commerce of the Talmid Chacham- Tamari
- Chizuk and Idud
- Divrei Menachem
- "From Machon Puah"
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- Issue 1042 - Shabbat Parshat Emor
- Issue 1041 - Shabbat Parshat Acharei-K'Doshim
- Issue 1040 - Shabbat Parshat Tazri'a-M'tzora
- Issue 1039 - Shabbat Parshat Tzav-Hagadol-Shmini
- Issue 1038 - Shabbat Parshat Vayikra
- Issue 1037 - Shabbat Parshat Vayakhel-P'Kudei-Hachodesh
- View All Issue Archives
Candle Lighting and Havdala
Candle Lighting Sponsored By:
Sedra Stats
Sedra among 54 22nd 23rd
Word of the Month
Rosh Chodesh Nissan is always only one day in our fixed calendar. It is on Tuesday, March 12th.
ROSH CHODESH NISSAN YI-HEH B’YOM SHLISHI HABA ALEINI V’AL KOL YISRAEL L’TOVA:
The molad is Tue 6h 21m 14p (6:01am) • In Rambam’s notation: Tuesday 12:392
HAMOLAD YI-HEH BYOM SHLISHI, ESRIM V’ACHAT DAKOT V’ARBAA ASAR CHALAKIM ACHAREI SHEISH BABOKER.
Actual (astronomical) molad is Monday, March 11th at 9:51pm - more than 8 hours earlier than the announced molad.