The Korban Pesach (Passover Offering) and the Chag Hamatsot (pilgrimage festival of unleavened bread) is among the most important holidays in the Torah. The Chagim (pilgrimage festivals) are second only to Shabbat in the order of essential holiday observances. Much of the religious calendar centres on this holiday. This article will describe proper observance of … More The Chag Hamatsot (Passover)
For a podcast discussion of this article click here. For a discussion on the reckoning of months and years in Karaite Jewish Tradition. The Jewish calendar is based upon the methods and descriptions provided in the Torah for calculating the passage of time. Rabbinical and Karaite traditions surrounding the calendar and its calculation vary. This … More The Jewish Calendar
A friend recently raised a very valid point about the modern practice of Judaism that I wanted to address. The question concerns the use of electricity, artificial light, and heating on Shabbat. As my friend accurately pointed out, Shemot (Exodus) 35:3 prohibits the burning of fire on Shabbat. For the Israelites in the desert this … More Fire, Shabbat, and Modernity
I have been asked several times about the observance of holidays by the Karaite Jews, as opposed to the Talmudic Jews. What follows is a brief description of each holiday. It is important to note that starting about 2300 years ago a group of Jews called the Pharisees broke away from traditional Judaism (now represented … More The Biblical Jewish Holidays
Zoroaster or Zarathustra Although few Jews have ever heard his name, Judaism has a prophet named Zarathustra or Zoroaster. He lived about 2500 years ago in Persia. He left a few scriptural books or other works behind, but none of them are extant today. Nevertheless he is apparently a central prophet in Judaism. As I … More Judaism’s Silent Prophet: Zoroaster
This article from Haaretz (The Globe) discusses the modern Rabbinic Seder. I have a few disagreements with it. First it describes a Hebrew spring festival replaced by a myth about Egypt. The author, no surprise given that this is Haaretz, subscribes to the theory that the Exodus story was invented and did not actually occur. … More Origins of the Rabbinic Passover Seder
The week of Passover (the Chag Hamatzot) is the most important holiday in the Jewish year, and like most other Jewish holidays, involves commandments and customs regarding food. While Rabbinic Jews shun leavened bread and grains during their Passover week, except for wheat grown and blessed especially for making matzot, Karaites do things a little … More Food for the Chag Hamatzot
I was able to attend the aviv search for the very first time. We found a sufficient amount of ripe barley that the new year will begin at the end of the twelfth month. Happy New Year! Hashana Tova! If the barley is not ripe we must wait until a thirteenth month has passed and … More Aviv Search
As I described in a separate post on the Biblical calendar, the Hebrew new year begins upon sighting the first new moon after the aviv has been observed. On the fourteenth day of the first month (Hebrew days begin at sunset) the Pesach (Passover) offering is made. A lamb without blemish whose meat must be … More Chag Hamatzot
I just read this post (about the family arrangements of Charedi women financially supporting their families so that the husband can study Torah full time) over at Domestic Felicity, which is written by an Orthodox woman in Israel. In this case, I have to agree with her assessment of the situation. I would like to … More Interesting Article Link
Silver Trumpets 