The Rogochover and More
The Mysteries of Hoshana Rabbah
This article originally appeared last year in Ami Magazine (2016) This version has a many updates and corrections. I hope to revisit this subject shortly. The sources of our Yomim Tovim are relatively easy to find, as one simply locates the relevant pesukim or Gemara and starts from there. However, one Yom Tov does not have such a starting point: Hoshana Rabbah. Its roots and numerous customs are shrouded in mystery. This article is an attempt to shed a bit…
‘אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי עֲרָבָה בֵיתוֹ’ ו’לֶחֶם לַנְּעָרִים’ – השימוש המִשני בערבות הלולב וההושענות למנהג איטליה הקדום
השימוש המִשני בערבות הלולב וההושענות למנהג איטליה הקדום* “…The aravot, with which they observed the commandment of lulav, or the ‘ritual of the aravah’ (on Hoshana Rabah), would be discarded after their use. However, the German sages, as a token of their love for mitzvot, were wont to keep them in order to perform future mitzvot, such as for burning chametz or baking matzot on erev Pesach. The German custom has a Talmudic basis, that if an object is used…
אמירת ‘שלש-עשרה מידות’ בשבת בהוצאת ספר תורה של ימים נוראים
ביאור שי’ הגר”א ביחס למנהג העמדת אילנות כו’ בחג השבועות
Lag B’Omer through the eyes of a Litvak in 1925
Dov Mayani (1903-1952) A Static and Evolving Chag Lag B’Omer has infiltrated Jewish culture as a bona fide holiday. While the day is celebrated throughout the Jewish world, it tends to take on added significance in Eretz Yisrael. This age-old disparity has seen a little easement, probably as a result of enhanced communication between the Promised Land and the rest of the world, but the difference is still obvious. R. Chaim Elazar Shapira of Munkács (1868-1937) states, as a point…
The Hanukkah Miracle
However, there are a few points I would like to add. In my post here I wrote: To give an example . . . of how [R. Samuel Moses] Rubenstein’s later thought broke with tradition, see his Ha-Rambam ve-ha-Aggadah (Kovno, 1937), p. 103, where he claims that the story of the miracle of Hanukkah is almost certainly a late aggadic creation, and like many other miracle stories in aggadic literature was not originally intended to be understood as historical reality:[2]…
Afikoman – “Stealing“ and Other Related Minhagim
One of the most exciting parts of Seder night for kids is the “stealing” of the afikoman. Children plan well in advance when the best time would be for them to steal it, where they will hide it, as well as what they should ask for in exchange for it. Not surprisingly, toy stores do incredibly good business both during Chol Hamoed and in the days following Pesach because of this minhag. In this article I would like to trace…
חז”ס ופולמוס חנוכה
‘מאי חנוכה’ מאת זרחיה ליכט תמונה מהחכם חיים זליג סלונימסקי חיים זליג סלונימסקי (1810-1904), המכונה חז”ס, היה אחד מגדולי המשכילים במאה ה-19. חכם גדול בתורה ובמדע שפעל הרבה להפיץ השכלה עולמית בקרב עמו. כמעט עד סוף ימיו נשאר חז”ס נכבד בין בעיני הרבנים מצד חכמתו בתורה ונאמנותו לשמירת המצוות, ובין בעיני המשכילים מצד חכמתו במדע. אך בעת זקנותו אבד עמדתו החיובי בקרב הרבנים ע”י כתבה אחת שפרסם בעיתונו ‘הצפירה’ (דצמבר 1891). בחנוכה של שנת 1891 פרסם חז”ס מאמר בדפי העיתון,…
Regarding Haftarah on Simchat Torah and the daily obligation to recite 100 blessings
Simchat Torah is not mentioned anywhere in the two Talmuds or Midrashim . In fact we have no proof that in the times of Talmud they used to finish the Torah cycle reading on Simchat Torah. The prevalent minhag in the land of Israel was to read the Torah not in one year but approximately in three . In fact it seems that every synagogue read at its own speed without any established cycle, so speaking of the specific “day”…
The Power of Tefilah during Aseret Yemei Teshuvah
אמירת פיוטי ‘אקדמות’ ו’יציב פתגם’ בחג השבועות
The Pros and Cons of Making Noise When Haman’s Name is Mentioned: A historical perspective (updated)
Severalweeks before Purim, one can already see children of various ages playing with cap guns and other loud noisemakers. All of this is done in the spirit of preparing for the laining of the Megillah and the noise that will be made whenever the name of Haman is mentioned—sort of like reviewing the halachos of Yom Tov 30 days before the chag! On a more serious note, what are the reasons for the minhag of “banging” whenever the name of…
New book announcement: Professor David Henshke’s work on the Seder Night
דוד הנקשה, מה נשתנה: ליל הפסח בתלמודם של חכמים, מגנס, 626 עמודים I am very happy to announce the publication of an important work (in time for Pesach) which I have been eagerly awaiting; Professor David Henshke of the Talmud Department at Bar Ilan University’s long awaited volume, Ma Nishtanah: Leil HaPesach BiTalmudam shel Chachamim. The book was printed by Magnes Press. Why am I excited about this work? A few years ago I wrote: Perhaps the topic which has…