What Are These Fences? Originally Published April 25, 2019.
Rabbis speak about “fences.” What are these fences? (Of course, Fences is a play by August Wilson, in which your correspondent’s Uncle Herb Glickman (z”l) is mentioned, but we digress.) Rabbis specifically speak of “making a fence around the Torah,” “asu seyag laTorah.” It actually appears in the very first paragraph of Pirkei Avot: “Moshe […]
What is Tal? Originally Published on April 19-20, 2019.
As a part of the Musaf service on the first day of Pesah, as we repeat the Amidah, we say a prayer for dew, Tefillat Tal. At the end of Sukkot we pray for rain; at the beginning of Passover we pray for dew. After Passover, anything more than dew might be harmful to our […]
What Is Shabbat HaGadol? Originally Published April 12-13, 2019.
Shabbat Hagadol is the name given to the Shabbat just prior to Passover. “Hagadol” is “the great,” modifying “Shabbat.” Some rabbis have explained this connection by referencing the penultimate line in this week’s haftarah, which says “Lo, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the awesome [great], fearful day of […]
What Is Shabbat HaHodesh? Originally Published April 5-6, 2019.
The last of four special Shabbatot before Passover, Shabbat Hahodesh falls on the Shabbat before the month of Nisan begins, or else - as this year - it falls on the first day of Nisan when that day is Shabbat. The special maftir aliyah reading comes from Shemot 12:1-20, from Parashat Bo, and it describes […]