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.
Baltimore, MD - Aug. 10, 2022 - 4:50PM - Bnos Food Box distribution is open until 7 pm tonight with plenty of boxes available at MMAE - 7000 Rockland Hills Dr., Baltimore, MD , 21209.
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Baltimore, MD - Aug. 9, 2022 - The bikes are tuned up! The cyclists are training! Yaffa Caterers is heating the grills! All for the 9th Annual Bikur Cholim of Baltimore’s Biker Cholim Men’s Bike-a-Thon and Family Barbeque. This Sunday, August 14, 2022, at Ateres Elke join the already 150+ cyclists who will be traversing through Baltimore’s beautiful countryside on a 10-mile route, a new 25-mile route, or a new 50-mile route. It’s not too late to register to be a part of this exciting, fun-packed day. Log on to www.bikercholim.org and bike with us. Don’t miss out on what is shaping up to be this summer’s hottest event!
Bikur Cholim of Baltimore has over 450 volunteers. Bikur Cholim distributes over 8,000 meals ...
Inflation is slowing down, led largely by tumbling gasoline prices, but residents of Maryland will continue to feel pain at grocery stores and other places, according to the July Consumer Price Index report released Wednesday.
Consumer prices jumped 8.5 percent in July, compared with a year earlier, but that was down from the 9.1 percent year-over-year increase in June, a four-decade high, according to the report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Supply chain snarls are also loosening, with fewer ships moored off Southern California ports and shipping costs declining. Prices for commodities like corn, wheat and copper have fallen steeply.
Maryland residents paid an average of $3.98 per gallon of gas Wednesday, compared with $4.63 a month ago, according to AAA, but those dec...
DAILY DVAR HALACHA. Aug 9 . Av 12. Reason number 2 and 3 why 15th of Av is festive. from Yitzchok Dinovitzer on Vimeo.
Baltimore, MD – Aug. 7, 2022 - It is with regret that Baltimore Jewish Life (BJL) informs the community of the petira of Sarah Braun, a’h, wife of Emil Braun and mother of, Ilana (Rabbi Tzvi) Tuchman, Maya (Rabbi Michoel) Feder, Ranya (Dovid) Greenberger, Atara (Rabbi Dovid) Rosenbaum, Ari (Esther) Braun, and Rabbi Rafi (Devorah Chana) BraunShiva details: Shiva will be observed at the Tuchman residence, 3201 Pinkney Road, Baltimore, MD. Mr. Emil Braun will join them each day from 2:00pm - 5:00pm. Mr. Braun and Atara get up right before Shabbos. Ranya and Ilana get up Sunday morning and Ari, Rafi and Maya get up Monday morning Shacharis: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Monday: 8:00am Mincha/Maariv: Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday: 7:50pm Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday - Additiona...
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.
רַבִּי אוֹמֵר… וְהִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאִי אַתָּה בָא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה
דַּע מַה לְּמַעְלָה מִמְּךָ, עַיִן רוֹאָה וְאֹזֶן שׁוֹמַעַת, וְכָל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ בַסֵּפֶר נִכְתָּבִין: (אבות ב:א)
Consciousness
Over the past months, we have seen Pirkei Avot’s delineation of the proper view of life. Internalizing and maintaining our consciousness of this view in a way that forges our life’s compass can often be challenging. Rav Ovadia MiBartenura points out that most sins emanate not (just) from desire, but (also) from a (temporary) loss of perspective.[1] Having the right values and goals is not enough; w...
Following the military conflict between the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Israel from Aug. 5-7, criticism was leveled in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against the terror organization entrenched in the Gaza Strip, appearing in both the press and social media.
According to a report by MEMRI, critics claimed, among other things, that the PIJ is an Iranian proxy organization acting for the benefit of Iranian interests and thus inflicting suffering on Gaza residents. Further, they argued that the conflict erupted due to Iran’s desire to expedite nuclear talks in Vienna. One writer criticized the launch of Iranian missiles from within the civilian population in Gaza.
Elements in Saudi Arabia and the UAE also mocked recent statements by commanders of Iran&rsquo...
Israel has a large Russian-speaking population of more than 1.3 million - around 15 percent of the population
Over 31,000 people from Ukraine and Russia have immigrated to Israel since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February, a massive increase from a similar pre-war period.
Between February 24 and July 31, Israel received 12,175 new immigrants from Ukraine and 18,891 from Russia, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics, citing data from the Immigration Ministry.
That's 318 percent higher than a similar period in 2019 when almost 10,000 immigrants arrived from the two countries.
Most of the immigrants from Russia and Ukraine are Jewish, but some may only have close relatives who are Jewish. Under Israel's Law of Return, a person needs at least one...
According to the charges, Poursafi tried to arrange Bolton's murder beginning in October 2021
The US Justice Department said Wednesday it had uncovered an Iranian plot to kill former White House national security adviser John Bolton and announced charges against an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps member.
The Justice Department said 45-year-old Shahram Poursafi, also known as Mehdi Rezayi, had offered to pay an individual in the United States $300,000 to kill Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations.
According to the Justice Department, the plan was likely set in retaliation for the US killing of top Guard commander Qassem Soleimani in Iraq in January 2020.
A large sale of products at reduced prices is currently taking place on the AliExpress website in Hebrew
The Chinese online retail giant AliExpress has announced that it will soon set up depots in Israel.
The key is to shorten delivery times significantly to three to seven days - as opposed to a month or longer, which is how long it takes presently - but also reduce prices, which will initially concern a limited range of products, before being extended much more widely.
A large sale of products at reduced prices is currently taking place on the AliExpress website in Hebrew to mark the opening of these warehouses, which will officially take place at the end of August.
Israel is a growing market for the brand, as explained recently by its director of i...
The Iowa State fair is known for its corn dogs, its cow sculpted from butter, its grilled pork chops and presidential politics. As Republican Larry Hogan considers a run for the White House it’s almost mandatory and so Thursday Hogan is going to the fair in Des Moines, Iowa.
“You have to come in, give it a shot, make your case, look voters in the eye, as we say 'shake their hands look them in the eye' and tell them where you stand,” said University of Iowa political science professor Tim Hagle.
Hagle explains that’s because the Iowa caucuses will once again kick off the presidential primary season in 2024. It is essentially the starting line for the race and those interested in running need to jockey for position now.
In each presidential election...
With many of us uneasy about the economy, COVID-19, Monkey Pox, and politics, it's easy to fall victim to a scam. That's because we are just not sure what to believe anymore.
Mary Powell thought she would never fall victim to a phone scam.
But when she saw her phone light up the other day, instantly, her whole world changed.
"I was at work," Powell said, "and I get a call with a girl sobbing in the background," she said. "It sounded like it could be my daughter."
Powell says she panicked.
"The only word I could make out was 'mom,' and suddenly a male voice gets on the line," she said.
"The man said something about Walmart, a parking lot, and a robbery, and I have your daughter's phone and wallet," Powell said.
He said he had her daughter and would only relea...
Why does the Navi Yeshaya use the lashon of Nachamu twice? Rabbeinu Bachya explains the reason is because everything is midda kneged midda. The Jews sinned double and were punished double, therefore they receive double consolation. Rav Dovid Cohen, the Chevroner Rosh Yeshiva, explains it a little differently. Before we get to the explanation, we need to double our questions.
The Gemara at the end of Makkos brings down a story of Rabbi Akiva and the Chachamim where the Chachamim cried, and Rabbi Akiva laughed twice. First they saw the city of Yerushalayim destroyed and then they saw a fox coming out of the heichal. When Rabbi Akiva was asked why he was laughing, he respo...
The MVA is making some changes when it comes to the process of obtaining a commercial driver’s license.
Beginning August 22, applicants can expect a new modernized skills test.
One change involves the “pre-trip inspection” component, which will be reduced to around 50 items or less – depending on the vehicle – compared to the current requirement of more than 100 items.
The inspection focuses on knowledge and safety, and contains items a driver would typically experience on the job.
Then there is the basic control component of the test, where CDL applicants will have to demonstrate the following four maneuvers.
Forward Stop
Straight-Line Backing
Forward Offset Tracking
Reverse Offset Backing
“The new test evaluates an applic...
It is not your responsibility to finish the work [of perfecting the world], but you are not free to desist from it either –
- Rabbi Tarfon, Pirkei Avot 2:16
What is our obligation to create sanctuary – refuge – for those whose pain is unimaginable to us?
“Then Moshe set aside three cities on the bank of the Jordan, on the east…” (Devarim 4:41). When it comes to Torah, we pay attention not just to the words, but to the grammar as well. There is no aspect of Torah that is “accidental” and therefore every word, every letter, every pasuk and its structure holds lessons for us. So, when we read this pasuk we are, at first, troubled. It stands out as being grammatically inconsistent. Az yav...
Baltimore, MD - Aug. 10, 2022 - Recently the Baltimore City Police Department explored changing the Police Districts to properly allocate resources and crime fighting strategies. Unfortunately the initial proposal created a fractured community map that if implemented could create confusion as to which District covers an area. Especially considering some of our neighborhoods already have problems when calling 911 for the dispatcher to determine if it is a City or County call. The map as presented would have added another area for confusion. Thankfully this issue was championed by Baltimore Shomrim and brought to the attention of local elected officials. Thank you to Mayor Brandon Scott, Councilman Yitzy Schliefer, and the Baltimore City Police Department for taking action to keep Cheswolde-...
Democratic representative from Minnesota considered one of Jewish state's harshest critics in Congress
A US lawmaker accused of making antisemitic remarks and with an anti-Israel voting record in Congress narrowly won the Democratic primary on Tuesday night.
Representative Ilhan Omar defeated her opponent by just 2,500 votes in the election that took place in the 5th congressional district of the US state of Minnesota.
The two-term member of Congress is considered one of the Jewish state's harshest critics. She belongs to the "squad" of progressive Democrats which also includes Israel critics Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
The US House of Representatives twice in her freshman year voted to condemn ...
Yerushalayim - Aug. 10, 2022 - The iconic "ribs" attached to the giant Belzer Beis Medrash in Yerushalayim are being removed. It's believed that expansions to the shul in all four directions are being planned as well as expansions to the shtibelach and mens mikvah.
Former President Trump on Wednesday said he declined to answer questions in the New York attorney general’s probe into his business and finances.
“I once asked, ‘If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?’ Now I know the answer to that question,” Trump wrote in a statement on his 45office.com website.
“When your family, your company, and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded, politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors, and the Fake News Media, you have no choice.”
Trump said that he declined to respond to questioning under the advice of his legal team.
“The United States Constitution exists for this very purpose, and I will utilize it t...