Can I use artificial lights in my Hanukkah menorah?
How Do We Light the Hanukkah Menorah?
A menorah refers to a candelabrum, usually one with seven branches.
Why do we eat latkes on Hanukkah?
A common explanation is that we eat latkes (potato pancakes) because they are cooked in oil and this remind us of the miracle that a single cruse of oil found in the Temple lasted for eight nights.
Are resolutions a Jewish concept?
It is always appropriate to commit to resolutions that will improve our lives, the lives of those around us, and the larger world.
My last name is Cohen, and I was told that Jews with this name have a special designation. Is this true?
According to the Torah, one is a Kohen, a Levite or an Israelite.
Does listening to a podcast count as study? Is it OK to say the blessing if I’m listening to commentary without reading or hearing the Torah portion?
Listening to the podcast definitely counts as Torah study. It’s an opportunity to learn a bit of Torah and start to think about the weekly Torah while also incorporating some modern-day thinking into the traditional message.
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah – Mishpatim: When Judaism Calls Us to Speak Out Courageously
Parashat Mishpatim presents a full catalog of laws, rituals, observance, and obligations that guide us in living a Jewish life of moral depth and courage. But, Rabbi Rick Jacobs asks, how do we, as liberal Jews regard these laws – which of them are we obligated to observe, and how?
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - P'kudei: The Individual and the Collective
What is the difference between individual spiritual experiences and collective experiences? Is one more powerful than the other? And, if so, what does that mean? Rabbi Rick Jacobs teaches how Parshat Pikudei highlights what can happen when communities become holy.
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Vayikra: Balancing Innovation and Tradition
How can we be religious innovators, keeping the essence of tradition, but remembering how far we can go? Learn about these themes in Vayikra with Rabbi Rick Jacobs.
Four ways to listen:
On the Other Hand: Ten Minutes of Torah - Tzav: What Are We Obligated to Do?
What are we actually obligated to do? What is imposed and what do we choose? Rabbi Rick Jacobs explores Parashat Tzav
Five ways to listen: