Sukkot
Isru Chag: Last but certainly not least
The day following Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot is known in Hebrew as “Isru Chag.” It’s a minor holiday on the Jewish calendar but a major holiday for Israeli school children, since there is no...
Sukkot’s Joyous Judgment Day
According to Jewish tradition, Sukkot is one of four Judgment Days during the year, and on the festival, God determines the world’s water allocation for the coming year. In ancient times, life and...
Sukkot Prayer: Praise the Lord all the Nations!
Every day during Sukkot, Jews sing Psalm 117, yearning for the day when all of the Nations praise Hashem. Psalm 117 is part of the “Hallel” service that Jews recite on the festivals. While Sukkot...
The Connection Between Sukkot and Gog and Magog
When Shabbat occurs during Sukkot, rather than reading from the weekly Torah portion, there is an ancient, yet unusual, Jewish tradition of reading about the famous war of Gog and Magog from the...
The Portion of Re’eh
This week’s portion focuses on changes which will take place upon the people’s entry into Israel. First, they are told to wipe out all forms of idolatry which remain from the land’s previous...
The Portion of Pinchas
Our portion picks up where last week’s left off, in the aftermath of a plague. Phineas is blessed by God for his actions and a new census of the people is taken. The brotherless daughters of...
The Portion of Emor
The portion of Emor continues many of the same themes found thus far in the book of Leviticus. It expands upon the laws of the priest which set him apart from the rest of the community, as well as...