Shabbos and Yom Tov
The laws of Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed: cooking, preparing and celebrating.
A bochur sat down for his festive Yom Tov night meal in the sukkah. He enjoyed a hearty seudah, sang some zemiros, and then bensched. Immediately afterward, he spoke with his rebbi.
Shehechiyanu and kiddush on Yom Tov are a beautiful pair. However, we must remember that the second days of Pesach present a unique exception: they are the only nights of yom tov on which Kiddush is recited without…
The initial disorientation was immediate. He had spent his life navigating the familiar geometry of the men’s section, dense clusters of seforim, well-worn shtenders, long tables etched with years of learning.
How does one prepare for the holiday of Shavuos? Should you experiment with various salmon recipes, dust off the milchig china, or gather the best cheesecake recipe?
The Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 531:1) writes that there is a mitzvah to get a haircut on erev yom tov. The Pri Megadim is unsure if the mitzvah is that one should ensure his hair looks its best in honor of yom tov, or perhaps…
Rabbi Yisroel Besser once wrote about his experience standing on the other side of the mechitza. He was attending his daughter’s graduation, and the primary event was for mothers only.
Can you find the fallacy in the following story? The Katzenstein family follows all the stringencies of the Chazon Ish. Mr. Katzenstein asks his son Yossele, “Please go to the store and buy some bread; make sure it is…
Although the events of the Purim story transpired over a lengthy period of time, the main action occurred over a few days. The Megillah specifically states that Haman’s letters stating that the Jewish nation should be…
An Inwood resident was paid $15 (Canadian) a number of years ago to be a waiter at a melaveh malkah in Montreal. The appetizer was gefilte fish balls with an orange-colored sauce.
In the 1970s, one inexpensive gift to give a loved one was a Pet Rock. For those who are unfamiliar with it, a Pet Rock is like you probably imagined it – just a rock.
Boruch: Shimshon, do you want to study the daf with me? Shimshon: I’m sorry, I’m studying for a test on the laws of Shehechiyanu on Sukkos. Boruch: A test on the bracha of Shehechiyanu on Sukkos?!? What’s there to study?
A recent weekly periodical dealing with hilchos Shabbos shocked many families. The Hilchos Shabbos Initiative newsletter stated that it is forbidden for adults and chinuch-age children to play with Magna-Tiles on…
The story is told of a group of friends that made a pact that after 120 years they would visit each other in the after-life. One who was in Gehinnom met his friend who was in Gan Eden.
It is generally assumed that commerce is forbidden on Shabbos and yom tov due to a rabbinic decree. If people would engage in regular buying and selling on yom tov, they might mistakenly write down details of their…
There is a dispute between Rav and Shmuel as to whether or not one is permitted to precisely measure flour on yom tov for the purpose of baking. Shmuel is of the opinion that flour may not be measured.
In the summer months, I often arrive home from shul after making an early Shabbos and find someone dressed in Shabbos clothing looking around for a Jew who hasn’t accepted Shabbos yet.
Many years ago, I heard an interesting trivia question asked on a radio show. “Which berachah is recited only on a Wednesday or Thursday?” I was perplexed, though any homemaker who ever had to cook meals for a so-called…
Recently, a news organization decided it would be interesting to see if Major League Baseball players knew the rules of their game. They composed 10 questions about various scenarios.
When we use the term half we don’t always refer to 50%. When someone is called a half-wit that doesn’t mean he has half of the intelligence of a regular human.
Asked whether he is sharpening or cleaning his knife on Yom Tov, Rava says only cleaning, hiding a leniency that may be kept but not taught.
