Torah 948 articles

A theme which we encounter repeatedly in the mitzvah of Shofar is “confusing the accuser” (Satan). For instance: The Gemara tells us that we blow the shofar on Rosh Hashana both...

There is an ancient custom to blow the shofar in Elul. The source is in the Midrash: “On Rosh Chodesh the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe: Ascend...

The Mishna in Shabbat enumerates 39 distinct archetypical labors, or melachot, according to a number of series. The first is the series of making bread, which begins with sowing and is...

Often good deeds done in memory of a dead person are designated as an ILUI NESHAMA – an elevation of the soul or spirit. For example, the Kitzur Shulchan Arukh says...

The Mishna tells us “Eighteen years of age for the CHUPA” (Avot 5:21). But this is not like “Thirteen years of age for mitzvot”, whereby a Bar Mitzva is automatically celebrated...

Last week we discussed the first chapter in Even Haezer, the section of the Tur and Shulchan Arukh dealing with the laws of marriage. That chapter dealt with the obligation to...

What is marriage all about? A first glance at the halakhic sources would give the impression that raising a family is the primary motivation. But a deeper look shows that Shalom...

At the very beginning of the Shulchan Arukh, the Rema provides a series of instructions on maintaining a proper attitude in performing the mitzvot. Among them, he writes: “And don’t be...