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.
A defeat for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in this week’s Knesset election would be a “disaster for Israel” Fox News host, lawyer, former chief of staff to the US Attorney General, and pundit Mark Levin said during an interview with Arutz Sheva.
Speaking with Arutz Sheva just days after he endorsed Netanyahu’s reelection bid, Levin took aim at the media, the Israeli electoral system, Blue and White chief Benny Gantz, and Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit for his decision to indict the prime minister, calling the charges ‘weak’.
Levin argued that the three indictments pending against Netanyahu rested on trumped up charges, and criticized the media – particularly the Israeli media – for accepti...
Washington (CNN)-Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar hopes Israel will "make a different decision" and break from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as voters head to the polls on Tuesday.
In an interview on CBS's "Face The Nation" on Sunday, Omar said she hopes the people of Israel will "recognize that his existence, his policies, his rhetoric really is contradictory."
"For many of us in Congress, it has been a longstanding support for a two-state solution, and this annexation now is going to make sure that that peace process does not happen and we will not get to a two-state solution," she said. "I think what is really important is for people to understand that you have to give people the opportunity to seek the kind of justice they want in a peaceful wa...
The Women’s March is replacing three inaugural board members who have been dogged by accusations of anti-Semitism, infighting and financial mismanagement — controversies some say have slowed the organization’s progress and diminished its impact.
Co-Chairs Bob Bland, Tamika Mallory and Linda Sarsour stepped down from the board July 15, though the organization has been slow to announce their departures. The Women’s March website continued to host their photos and titles as co-chairs through this week, when the group announced the board turnover.
A diverse cast of 16 new board members that includes three Jewish women, a transgender woman, a former legislator, two religious leaders and a member of the Oglala tribe of the Lakota nation will inherit an organization reco...
Yamina candidate Naftali Bennett revealed on Sunday what he claimed were the details on how the long-awaited U.S. Mideast peace plan would divide the West Bank between Israel and the Palestinians. The alleged plan, which Bennett revealed on social media complete with a map, gives over 90% of Judea and Samaria to the Palestinian Authority.
“Folks, it’s time to reveal: This is the ‘Islands Plan’ of the ‘deal of the century,’ which will be imposed on us right after the elections,” Bennett wrote on Facebook. “In black, Palestine. In white, isolated Israeli ‘islands’ in an ocean of Palestine, surrounded 360 degrees by Hamas, Tanzim, PLO.”
Bennett called the plan “hell for every resident of Ariel, Ofra and Kiryat Arba&rdqu...
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday called for an emergency meeting with the head of the Central Election Committee, Supreme Court Judge Hanan Melcer, to discuss possible voter fraud in this week’s election.
Netanyahu’s request followed a report in the Hebrew daily Maariv on Friday according to which of the 82 people who complained of irregularities in the Arab-sector polling stations on the April 9 elections, only two were questioned by police.
According to the Likud, the number of fraudulent votes in April may have been high enough to put the United Arab List-Balad over the electoral threshold, preventing Likud from receiving two more seats. Two additional seats would have enabled Netanyahu to form a right-wing coalition.
“If the Likud’s compl...
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.
The terrorist threat facing Israel has changed in recent years, requiring the Israel Defense Forces to adapt, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi said on Thursday.
Speaking in Zichron Yaakov near Haifa at a memorial ceremony honoring fallen IDF soldiers, Kochavi said Israel is now facing organized “terrorist armies” that use civilians as “living flak jackets.”
“The enemy is organized in brigades and platoons, armed with missiles, rockets and advanced weaponry, and is operating from inside densely populated urban areas, with a civilian population that it sees as living flak jackets,” he said.
The changed nature of the terrorist threat Israel faces demands “that the IDF make changes and adjust its forces and methods of warfare, so urban areas...
Attacks on crucial Saudi oil installations crippled the world’s second-largest oil producer and sparked new geopolitical tensions – but how much pain consumers feel will hinge on how long it takes normal output to return, experts say.
The weekend drone strikes marked the biggest disruption to Saudi Arabia’s oil industry since the early 1990s, but if crude stockpiles can tide over global markets and production bounces back quickly, the episode will have a negligible effect on pump prices.
But should the recovery take weeks or months, the impact could be far-reaching and lasting. Higher fuel prices can not only motivate consumers – the main drivers of the economy – to cut spending elsewhere, they ultimately reach nearly every corner of the economy by raising t...
We regret to inform you of the passing of Mrs. Geela Naiman ע"ה sister of Mrs. Sara Brejt.
Shiva will be observed in Eretz Yisroel from Wednesday morning, Sept 18th to Monday morning, Sept 23rd (Israel time) She will be sitting in Efrat for most of the time at Pitom Haketores 18/2. She will be sitting in Ramat Beit Shemesh at Nachal Luz 18/2 from Thursday Sept 19 at 4 p.m. until Friday Sept 20 at 2 p.m.
Hamakom Yenacheim Eschem B'soch Sha'ar Aveilei Tzion V'rushalayim
The suspect accused of burning a 119-year-old synagogue in Duluth, Minnesota, last week said he tried to “spit” the fire out and left when he could not, according to a criminal complaint obtained by CNN.
The affiliate reported that the complaint said Matthew Amiot, 36, was seen setting “a variety of combustible materials” on fire behind the Adas Israel Congregation synagogue last Monday at about 2:13 a.m.
A judge reportedly set his bond at $20,000.
Amiot’s attorney told CNN affiliate KBJR that he denies all allegations.
Read more at The Hill.
In Devarim, (28:10) the Torah tells Bnei Yisroel that the nations of the world will see Hashem upon you and will fear you. The gemara in Brachos (6a) says that this posuk is referring to the mitzvah of tefillin shel rosh.
In Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim (25:9-10) we pasken that one may not say any words between the putting on the tefillin shel yad and the tefillin shel rosh. If a person hears kaddish or kedusha, he should not answer, but rather pause and listen and then finish putting on the shel rosh.
What happens if a person is between the tefillin shel yad and shel rosh and he hears someone else making a br...
A firefighter was killed and at least six people were injured in an explosion Monday morning at a newly built Maine building that provides support for people with disabilities, officials said.
The building in Farmington, roughly 70 miles north of Portland, was evacuated when someone smelled gas, local official Scott Landry told The Associated Press. The explosion happened after firefighters arrived on scene to investigate.
The explosion appeared to have reduced to rubble the building used by LEAP, described on its website as "a private nonprofit organization devoted to enabling individuals with developmental, cognitive and intellectual disabilities."
Heard for miles around, the blast took place around 8:30 a.m....
The following was posted on Facebook by Hillel Fuld:
One year ago, everything changed forever.
I’ve never told this story, at least not in a public manner. Honestly, not sure I’ll make it through this post, but if you are reading this, I decided to hit “Publish”.
It was a Sunday morning like any Sunday morning. I was at Hometalk doing my thing. I had a few tabs open on my browser, like I always do. One of them was Israeli news.
I opened that tab just to check what’s happening in the country and there it was. “Another day, another freaking terrorist attack.” Those were my thoughts.
Only this attack was different. No, not because my brother was the victim. I had no idea about that and was only going to find out later. This one was different beca...
We regret to inform you of the passing of R' Yitzchak Eichenthal, father of Baila Ribiat, Avraham Eichenthal and Sara Alon.
The levaya and shiva will take place in Lakewood.
Hamakom Yenachem Eschem B'soch Shar Aveilei Tzion V'rushalayim
FLINT — An estimated 1,200 Flint Assembly workers streamed out of the plant along Van Slyke Avenue in their cars at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, marking the beginning of the UAW's first national strike since 2007.
The autoworkers, cheered by a large crowd of labor supporters, turned toward the UAW Local 598 union hall down the street to pick up picket signs. They lined street that snakes around the plant that builds the popular Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups.
Horns honked as union members from throughout the region arrived in Flint, the birthplace of GM and a key spot in UAW history. In fact, cars blocked Van Slyke completely as the now-striking workers left the plant.
Read More @ Detroit Free Press
We are now focusing on the approaching Yom HaDin, Rosh HaShanah. And as much as this is a time for spiritual preparation, it is also a time when practical preparation for the upcoming 23 days beginning with Rosh Hashanah can go a long way toward preserving our health. This time period also includes Yom Kippur, Succot, Chol HaMoed and Simchat Torah and can have a negative effect on our health if we allow it to. However, with a little bit of planning and a lot of portion control, this period in our calendar can be as meaningful as it is meant to be and our Gashmiut-physical pleasures, can indeed be used to enhance our Ruchniut—spirituality.
There are essentially three areas where we all tend to get into trouble. One - the amounts of food we consume sitting at o...
A perfect follow-up to last week’s discussion:
This week's parsha deals with the proceedings with regards to a case of illicit relations with a betrothed girl or married woman. The betrothed girl must be at least 12 years old, without having shown complete signs of adulthood in order to be subject to these specific laws. Additionally, these laws only apply after the kiddushin (betrothal) stage and not after marriage.
There is an interesting discrepancy found in the pesukim dealing with these transgressions. With regards to the penalty of death delivered in the case of the betrothed girl (stoning), the Torah comments (22:21,24) "And you shall wipe out the evil from your midst." However, with regards to the death penalty in the case of ordinary ad...
Hasbro Inc. is introducing a new version of the classic board game called Ms. Monopoly, where the Monopoly Man, with his mustache, cane and top hat, is replaced by a blazer-wearing, coffee-swilling businesswoman — an “advocate whose mission is to reinvest in female entrepreneurs.”
The rules generally stay the same as in the classic real estate game. But instead of purchasing properties, players buy up inventions and innovations that women had a hand in creating, like Wi-Fi and chocolate chip cookies, Hasbro said in a news release.
Players will build business headquarters instead of houses in this game. And in a move that flips the pay-gap narrative, women start with more money than men; they will also get more money when passing Go.
“Ms. Monopoly was created to i...
Volunteers from United Hatzalah of Ukraine together with local first responders and Oxford Medical held a mass-casualty incident (MCI) training drill in Uman in a building located close to the gravesite of Rebbe Nachman. The drill, which took place on Thursday morning, was designed to allow first responders from the city and beyond to work together prior to the arrival of the tens-of-thousands of visitors expected in the city for Rosh Hashanah.
The drill simulated a fire breaking out in an apartment building and rescue teams had to evacuate and treat hundreds of patients who suffered smoke inhalation and mild burns. The drill came just one day after volunteer EMTs from the organization treated ten tourists for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in a hotel near the city of Uman.
&ldq...