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Illuminating the World: On Women Lighting Candles
The Shulchan Aruch notes that lighting Shabbat candles is an obligation on the Jewish people, not a minhag or a custom but a binding mitzvah…
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Kinyan and Ketuba: Is the Wife the Property of Her Husband?
The Ketuba takes pride of place under every Jewish chuppa throughout history. Yet, it is often misunderstood as a declaration of love or a Jewish version of wedding vows…
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Why is Hashem Referred to as Male in Torah?
For every question in Judaism, there are answers on any number of layers. Often, the deepest approaches challenge us to confront the premise of the question itself…
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A Mother’s Influence: Why Is Jewish Identity Matrilineal?
Ever since matan Torah, the answer to the question of who is a Jew has been straightforward and unanimous…
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Cracking Up a Joke: A Torah Perspective on Laughter
Humor is part and parcel of Jewish life; both to cope with our 3000 year old (plus!) history of ups and downs…
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A Married Woman Taking On Her Husband’s Customs
The concept of minhag is a vast one with a wide spectrum of authority and functions…
