Articles

The suggestions and guidelines have been coming more frequently and from a number of different sources. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and various governmental entities have made it very clear, this year, Thanksgiving should not be celebrated in the usual manner. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Read More

Kaddish and Corona:  Personal Reflections on Mourning During the COVID-19 Pandemic Having lost close relatives in the past, I was pretty familiar with the Jewish mourning routine.  Saying goodbye. Tearing the clothing. Funeral. Burial. Shiva. Kaddish.  But when my father passed away at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, I found myself navigating Read More

By Rabbi Reuven J Epstein It didn’t seem possible. Our entire community heard about and were very saddened by the terrible events in Pittsburgh, Poway, Jersey City, and Brooklyn.  But we live here, upstate, in quiet Monsey, far away from the hustle and tensions of the big cities. It couldn’t happen here, we told ourselves. Read More

By Rabbi Reuven J. Epstein Close your eyes and picture it: Greek soldiers, more than the eye can count, marching towards Jerusalem. They easily take Jerusalem and the entire land of Israel and impose harsh rules and decrees.  They prohibit Torah study, keeping Shabbat, and interfere with many Jewish laws and customs, and even bring Read More

In this week’s Torah portion, Sarah and Abraham, our first matriarch and first patriarch, pass away.  It is fascinating to observe the comments about Sarah and Abraham, as they grow older. First, we note that Abraham’s first prophecy was at the tender age of 75, G-d famously instructing him to leave his father’s house and Read More

During the three weeks we abstain from various joyous activities. As we get closer to Tisha B’Av we increase the number of restricted activities.  During the Three Weeks: Weddings are not performed. We don’t listen to music. We don’t attend public celebrations, particularly the type that are accompanied by dancing or music. We don’t get Read More

In addition to the restrictions listed for the Three Weeks, the following are added to the last nine days: We don’t cut our nails. We don’t launder clothing. We don’t eat meat, except on Shabbat. We don’t drink wine, except on Shabbat. We don’t move into a new home. We don’t shower or bath, (except Read More

In addition to the restrictions of the Three Weeks and Nine Days, on Tisha B’Av the following are also prohibited: Eating & Drinking. Washing Anointing. Rubbing on oil or perfume is prohibited, but deodorant is permitted, Leather Shoes. Marital Relations. Additionally, until mid-day, we emulate mourners sitting Shiva, and only sit on the ground or Read More

Tisha B’Av is the most challenging day of the Jewish calendar, by far. In addition to the tragedies mentioned in the Talmud above, there are plenty of more recent tragedies as well (The start of The Spanish Inquisition; the start of World War I; the liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust, etc.). The Read More