Succot is here, and there are lots of accompanying laws. This many walls. This many tefachim. This type of roof. Do all the walls need to be complete? What must the roof be made of? So many halachos. Why all these dictates? Is Jewish Law trying to make sure that we each build the exact same […]
Dear JITC – What is Hoshana Rabbah? Why are we beating willow branches? Thanks, Jason Dear Jason- Thanks for your question. The answer boils down to the Oral Law. The Oral Law is an integral part of the Torah. It’s absolutely impossible to observe the Torah without it. For example, the Torah tells us that […]
Dear Jew in the City- Every year I read about the Orthodox Jews who use chickens in some sort of atonement ceremony. It seems incredibly cruel to have chickens handled like this. Is there no law against animal cruelty in Orthodox Judaism? All the best, Jon Dear Jon – Thanks for your question. The ceremony […]
Dear Jew in the City- What’s the history of Selichos? Why did it come about? Best, Mark Dear Mark- Thanks for your question. As far as the liturgy goes, Selichos are fairly contemporary. By that I mean that they are measured in mere centuries, rather than millennia. Some of the prayers we recite, like Shema, […]
Dear Jew in the City, I hear people in the Orthodox community sometimes talk about tznius (modesty) for a woman like it is her MOST important mitzvah. Like what she exists for. While I’m a fan of tznius, this perspective on it does not sit well with me – that our greatest goal in life […]
