During the Second Temple, the Greek empire reigned (over Israel),1 and they (the Greeks) passed decrees against the Jews and (tried) to erase their religion, and did not allow them to carry out Torah (study) or the commandments. They put their hands on their property and their daughters. They entered the Temple, destroyed and made the pure unclean. The Jews were in great distress because of them and were much oppressed, until the G-d of their fathers had mercy on them, delivering them from their hands and saving them. Then overcame, the sons of the Hasmonean High Priest, (the Greeks) and killed them and saved the Jews from their hands. They appointed a king from the Priests, and the kingdom of Israel was restored for more than 200 years until the destruction of (the) second (Temple). When the Jews overcame their enemies and destroyed them, it was the 25th of Kislev2 when they entered the Sanctuary (inner room) and did not find pure (olive) oil in the Temple, except one jar sealed with seal of the High Priest, and it did not contain enough to light except for one day only. But they lit from it the lamps of the Menorah3 for eight days, until they could crush olives and produce a (new quantity) of pure oil. For these reasons, decreed the Sages of that generation that these eight days that begin on the 25th Kislev, will be days of joy and praise. One lights on them lamps at evening at the entrance to the houses, every evening of the eight nights to show off and demonstrate the miracle. These days are called ''Hanukah'' that is to say ''they rested'' (chanu) on the ''25'' ('th of the month) because on the 25th they rested from their enemies. and also because of those days they (re)-dedicated the house (Temple) which their foes had defiled. Also some say that it is a commandment to increase slightly the festive meals on Hanukah. Another reason is because the work of (building) the Sanctuary (in the desert) was completed in these days. One should tell one's children the story of the miracles that were done for our fore-fathers in those days, (see Josephus) However, these meals are not considered as part of the commandment unless one says at the meal songs of praise. One should increase charity in these Hanukah days, for this can help mend any defects in our souls. This charity, should be given particularly to poor Torah scholars. (KSA 139:1)
1) 352 BCE until 70 CE
2) 139 BCE
3) The Menorah was made of gold and had seven branches.
New York - Consumers can now freeze their credit for free under a new federal law.
A credit freeze restricts access to your credit file, essentially halting anyone from opening any new credit in your name. The rules used to vary by state, but previously it could cost up to $10 to put a freeze in place. That fee often had to be paid again when someone wanted to unfreeze it for any legitimate uses.
But under a new law that takes effect Friday, consumers anywhere in the U.S. can do so quickly and for free.
Congress passed the law in response to last year’s massive Equifax hack, which exposed the private information of more than 145 million Americans. President Donald Trump signed it into law in May.
The law requires that credit freezes be free for consumers across the country. If th...
Sao Paulo - Brazilian police on Friday arrested a fugitive whom U.S. authorities have accused of serving as Hezbollah’s financier and who has repeatedly been accused of illegal activity in a lawless border area where three South American nations meet.
Police took Assad Ahmad Barakat into custody in the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguacu, which is home to the famous Iguazu Falls and sits where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay converge. The Tri-Border Area, as it is known, has long been a haven for smugglers, traffickers and counterfeiters, and U.S. authorities and others have alleged it is also a redoubt for terrorism support and financing.
Authorities in Paraguay are seeking Barakat on allegations of false representation, police said, and Brazil’s Supreme Court authorized his arre...
Washington - Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein floated the idea of secretly recording President Donald Trump last year amid law enforcement concerns about chaos in the White House, according to people familiar with exchanges at the time. But one person who was present said Rosenstein was just being sarcastic.
The comments were first reported by The New York Times, which also said that Rosenstein raised the idea of using the 25th Amendment to remove Trump as unfit for office. The report, which Rosenstein denied, creates even greater uncertainty for him in his position at a time when Trump has lambasted Justice Department leadership and publicly humiliated both him and Attorney General Jeff Session.
The reported conversation took place during a tense May 2017 meeting involving acting ...
TOWSON, Md. (AP) — An independent investigation into the death of University of Maryland football player Jordan McNair has determined that trainers on the scene did not follow proper procedures after he collapsed on the field.
McNair was hospitalized on May 29 after a team workout and died June 13. The family attorney said the cause of death was heatstroke.
Dr. Rod Walters, a former college athletic trainer and sports medicine consultant who led the investigation launched by the school following McNair's death, said Friday "there was a failure to identify symptoms and aggressively treat it."
Maryland athletic director Damon Evans acknowledged last month that "mistakes were made" by the training staff in the treatment of McNair, a 19-year-old sophomore offensive lineman.
Terr...
GALIVANTS FERRY, S.C. (AP) — With muddy river water still washing over entire communities on Friday, eight days after Hurricane Florence slammed into land with nearly 3 feet of rain, new evacuation orders forced residents to flee to higher ground amid a sprawling disaster that's beginning to feel like it will never end.
At least 42 people have died, included an elderly man whose body was found in a submerged pickup truck in South Carolina, and hundreds were forced from their homes as rivers kept swelling higher.
Leaders in the Carolinas warned residents not to get complacent, warning additional horrors lie ahead before things get much better.
"Although the winds are gone and the rain is not falling, the water is still there and the worst is still to come," said South Carolina...
BaltimoreJewishLife.com (BJL) is proud to partner with STAR-K CERTIFICATION that realizes that there is no substitute for a person’s own Rav. In an effort to offer a possible solution, it has launched its Institute of Halachah as a public service. Over the years, the agency’s Kashrus Hotline has answered generic halachic questions from kosher consumers the world over, including inquiries regarding the kosher status of foods and certified Sabbath mode appliances. The formation of a separate official division within STAR-K testifies to the need for addressing these issues.
The Institute of Halachah is directed by HaRav Mordechai Frankel, under the guidance of HaRav Moshe Heinemann, STAR-K’s Rabbinic Administrator. It is an invaluable resource for a diverse array of rabbis to discuss general halachic matters, as well as gain access to source materials for shiurim and answers to congregants’ questions.
Shailos for regular or Kashrus shailos may emailed or discussed using this widget.
ABERDEEN, Md. (AP) — The woman who killed three people and wounded others before shooting herself to death at a Maryland drugstore warehouse had been diagnosed with a mental illness and used a legally purchased gun in the rampage, a law enforcement official said Friday.
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told news reporters Friday that the suspect, 26-year-old Snochia Moseley of Baltimore County, had been diagnosed with a mental illness in 2016. "That's as far as I'll go with it," he said, declining to give any more details about the illness.
He said Moseley had become increasingly agitated in recent weeks, and relatives had been concerned for her well-being.
Gahler said she used a handgun that she legally purchased in March to fire a total of 13 rounds Thursday morni...
New York - Industrials led the Dow to a new closing high on Friday ahead of Monday’s major sector reshuffle, capping a week in which investors largely shrugged off trade worries.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average <.DJI> rose 69.43 points, or 0.26 percent, to 26,726.41, the S&P 500 <.SPX> lost 1.5 points, or 0.05 percent, to 2,929.25, and the Nasdaq Composite <.IXIC> dropped 41.28 points, or 0.51 percent, to 7,986.96. Read more at Reuters
Sterling, VA - Paddlers are suing the U.S. Coast Guard in an attempt to reverse a policy that closes a stretch of the Potomac River when President Donald Trump is playing golf at his course outside Washington.
The lawsuit filed Thursday says Trump has visited his eponymous Loudoun County golf course more than three dozen times since the 2-mile (3-kilometer) “permanent security zone” was established last June. It was later informally amended to allow access on the Maryland side on a case-by-case basis.
The Washington Post reports the Canoe Cruisers Association of Greater Washington D.C argues the Coast Guard violated federal law requiring prior notice and public comment periods before instituting new policies.
Coast Guard spokeswoman Amy Midgett says the security zones are en...
Parshas Ha’Azeenu Baltimore Zmanim / Eruv is UP!
Baltimore, MD – Sept. 21, 2018 Parshas Ha’Azeenu
Today: 12 Tishrei
Chatzos: 12:59 PM
Hadlakas Nairos: 6:47 PM
Shkiah: 7:05:29 PM
Tzais HaKochavim: 7:56 PM
Kiddush Levanah Sept. 13 1:56 AM – Sept. 24 8:18 PM
Kiddush Levanah may only be recited at night
Parshas Ha’azinu is described in the Torah as a “Shira” - “Song”, and is known as “Shira’as Ha’azinu” (31:19, 32:44). Why did Hashem ordain that specifically this Parshah, the Parshah which promises us that no matter how low we sink we will always be redeemed (32:36. See Rashbam and Ohr HaChaim), should be a song?
Furthermore, Judaism puts a strong emphasis on singing in general; At the Shabbos, table we sing zemiros. In Shul, especially during the Yomim Norayim (High Holy Days), we spend much time singing. In fact, one of the services in the Bais HaMikdash was the Levi’im’s songs. Why is there such a value placed on song in Judaism? Wouldn’t it be better to remove the practice of singing by the Shabbos table, during ...
Washington - The IRS will soon update the W-4 form used by employees at their workplace to better reflect the recent changes to federal tax law.
The U.S. Treasury said Thursday that the IRS will update the form in the coming weeks for use for the 2019 tax year. That version is expected to be fairly similar to the W-4 currently in use.
A more significant change will come in 2020 with the hope of making the withholding system more accurate and transparent to employees.
Employees fill out a W-4 form with employers so that the employer can withhold the correct federal income tax from their pay.
The IRS released a draft of the redesigned form in June for public comment and said it is working to integrate those suggestions.
Berlin - A 94-year-old German is to go on trial accused of being accessory to hundreds of murders in a Nazi concentration camp during World War Two, a court in the western city of Muenster said.
The man, who has not been named for legal reasons, denies the accusations. He will be tried in a juvenile court, since he was aged less than 21 at the time of the alleged crimes.
The former guard in the SS, the paramilitary wing of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party, stands accused of having known about the killings of hundreds during the three years he served in Stutthof concentration camp near the Polish city of Gdansk.
Between 1942 and 1945, hundreds of prisoners were killed in gas chambers or by having poison injected into their hearts, while others died of exposure or cold, Der Spiegel magazin...
Paris - Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has denied U.S. claims the Palestinians have refused to enter peace talks with Israel.
Abbas’ denial came after talks in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron Friday. Abbas asked Macron to pass the message onto U.S. President Donald Trump.
U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said earlier this month that the Palestinian de facto embassy in Washington was being shut because the PLO hadn’t taken steps toward negotiations.
Abbas said “we didn’t reject negotiations as the Israelis claim,” adding that the Palestinian side is “ready for any confidential or public talks.”
Abbas also said “the Europeans are working seriously to substitute and fill the American (funding) gap” after the Tru...
Washington - Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is denying a report in The New York Times that he suggested last year he secretly record President Donald Trump in the White House to expose chaos in the administration.
Rosenstein says the story is “inaccurate and factually incorrect.”
The report also says Rosenstein floated the idea of trying to remove Trump from office through the 25th Amendment.
The Times cites several people who described the episodes but were not named in Friday’s report.
We regret to inform you of the Petirah of Rebbetzin Leah Kreisworth, A”H, who was Niftar this afternoon in Lakewood following a lengthy illness.
The Rebbetzin, the wife of Rav Dov Kreisworth, was a Mechaneches at Bais Kaila for many years.
The Levaya will be taking place at 3:00 PM this afternoon in front of BMG on 7th Street. Kevurah in Lakewood.
Bila HaMaves LaNetzach...
The Internet of 2010 contained many things, and free of charge. It had the full works of Shakespeare. It had robust English translations of classical Greek philosophy.
But when Joshua Foer, author of “Moonwalking With Einstein” and creator of the travel website Atlas Obscura, sat down one day to find a modern, complete English translation online of the Talmud, he came up mostly empty, save for some pirated PDFs and a host of anti-Semitic sites.
Frustrated, he called a friend he had met a decade earlier on a trip to Israel, Brett Lockspeiser, an engineer who had worked at Google, to see what he thought about putting English translations of the Talmud and other foundational texts of Judaism in one place online that anyone could access free.
“I saw a really historic oppor...
In landmark ruling, the Yerushalayim District court fined a charedi radio station 1 million shekels on Thursday for refusing to allow women to appear on their airwaves.
The judge ruled that the fine paid by Kol Barama, which amounts to $280,000, will be transferred to a special fund that will be distributed to organizations that help women in religious communities.
Thursday’s ruling comes six years after the lawsuit was originally filed. The class action lawsuit was first filed in 2012 in the Jerusalem District Court by Kolech, a group of Orthodox feminists who were represented by lawyers from the Reform Movement’s Israel Religious Action Center.
Read more at i24NEWS.
Thank You Home Depot for Once Again Opening Late for Baltimore Community's Last Minute Sukkah Shopping Needs
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 19, 2018 - Everyone in Baltimore recognizes that when Sukkos arrives they'll meet people they may not have seen in ages. And, where will they usually meet up? Home Depot at the Reisterstown Road Plaza, of course.
Through the efforts of the managers and associates, the hub of so many last minute Sukkah needs will be open until 11 PM this Motzoei Shabbos, September 22, 2018.
As long as you are in the store and shopping before 11 PM they will stay open. Thank you to the store manager Mr. Paul Kalinowski for arranging and allowing The Home Depot to be open again after hours.
Please be sure to show your hakaras hatov to the Home Depot personnel.
WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time since 2005, the U.S. Army missed its recruiting goal this year, falling short by about 6,500 soldiers, despite pouring an extra $200 million into bonuses and approving some additional waivers for bad conduct or health issues.
Army leaders said they signed up about 70,000 new active duty recruits in the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30 — well short of the 76,500 they needed. The Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps all met their recruiting goals for 2018.
The Army’s shortfall, said Maj. Gen. Joe Calloway, was fueled by the strong American economy and increased competition from private sector employers who can pay more. But the failure has triggered an overhaul in Army recruiting, including an increase in recruiters, expanded marketing and a...