As the focal point of the Passover Seder, the Seder Plate, or Ke’arah in hebrew, traditionally graces the table on Passover night. There are several different foods, each with its […]
Erev Pesach (the day before Passover) is one of the busiest days of the year, and since this year (2025) it is on Shabbat, there are several issues that are […]
“…he shall pay it with its principal, adding its fifths to it…” Vayikra (Leviticus) – Chapter 5, Verse 24 According to Torah law, a thief who voluntarily returns what he has […]
Parshas Vayikra discusses the mitzvot of animal sacrifice for the purpose of atonement. In Judaism, the yetzer hatov and the yetzer hara are two forces within us: the inclination to […]
In the busy 2020 pre-Yom Tov rush, amid Covid concerns and dashed Pesach plans, the master chefs at Oorah and TheZone join together to bring you an epic evening of […]
An Oorah Holiday Guide Download Print Version We designed Oorah’s ten minute guides to help you find your way around the Yomim Tovim that mark the Jewish year. Our heritage […]
Parshas Vayikra begins with discussing various sacrifices which one could bring voluntarily, without a specific circumstance obligating him to do so. Rabbi Ya’akov Yisroel Kanievsky ponders (in Birchas Peretz) why […]
The Torah’s Sacrificial System The Torah reading this week discusses the laws of various sacrifices (which were brought at the times of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and Beit Hamikdash). These sacrifices […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz Our nation has endured untold suffering throughout our history. Haven’t we suffered enough? Aren’t the Holocaust and all the terrorist attacks enough suffering? […]
The Custom of Reading Shir HaShirim on Pesach (Passover) On Shabbat Chol HaMo’ed Pesach (or if there is no Shabbat Chol HaMo’ed, then on the seventh or eighth day of […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz There are many stories in the Talmud and Midrash that seem farfetched, even impossible. Am I really supposed to take all of them […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz I have heard that the suffering of pious people serves to atone for others, a sacrifice (korban) of sorts. Is that concept really […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz People invest significant amounts of money and effort to be buried in Israel, but is there really any spiritual benefit? And how can […]
From the rush of preparation to the peace of a glowing Shabbat (or Shabbos) table, this heartwarming new music video brings the bustle and joy of Shabbos to life. Featuring […]
As God Commanded Moses Towards the end of this week’s Torah reading, the Torah records the completion of the building of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle – center of worship), as […]
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz Today, Hebrew is the spoken language in Israel. Given that Hebrew is called Lashon Hakodesh—the holy tongue—wouldn’t it be fitting for all Jews […]
Horrific Har Nof Massacre — Introduction The horrific Har Nof Massacre that took place in Israel, in November of 2014, shook the Jewish world to its core. Two terrorists invaded […]
