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Why Do We Shake the Lulav and Other Arba Minim on Sukkot?

This week I’m going to do something different. I’m going take two questions that were submitted separately and combine them into a single post because (a) they’re related and (b) my answers are relatively brief.   The first question is: Dear Jew in the City, “Why do we shake the lulav and other arba minim […]

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Why Is Sukkot the Holiday of Happiness Over Other Holidays?

Dear Jew in the City, Why is Sukkot the holiday of happiness over other holidays? Best, Raphael   Dear Raphael, Thanks for your question. Let’s assume you were jaded and cynical. I know that doesn’t apply to anyone here, but if you were jaded and cynical, you might think, “Well, when the Rabbis composed the […]

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What is Tashlich?

Dear Jew in the City, What is tashlich? Does it really have to be done by a pond with ducks? Do we really have to throw bread in the water? Sincerely, Noah   Thanks for your question, Noah. Tashlich is a prayer typically recited on Rosh Hashana afternoon, intended to help guide us in the […]

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What is Teshuva And How Do You Properly Do It?

Dear Jew in the City, What does it really mean to do teshuvah and how do we do it properly? Sincerely, Noah Dear Noah, Thanks for your very timely question. Taking a page from the sage Hillel, I’ll explain teshuvah “on one foot.” When my oldest child was young, he had a toy car that […]

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