For the New Month of Heshvan: Using the Hebrew Calendar

by Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed, translated and adapted by Hillel Fendel

There are some people, in Israel for the most part, who oppose the use of the Gregorian calendar in their every-day interactions, and choose to use the Jewish calendar instead. Let us delve into and explain the importance of the Jewish calendar. 

Breishit: Creation's Secret Internal Structure

by Rav Yehuda HaKohen, visionmag.org

There's a hidden understanding of our Torah that has yet to reach the English-speaking Jewish world.

Listen to the audio/read the transcript here (28 min)

Sukkot: The Ushpizin in Kabbalah

by Rabbi Eyal Ein-Dor, translated and adapted by Hillel Fendel

It is a widespread custom in Jewish homes that just before we begin our evening meal in the Sukkah, we invite the holy Ushpizin (guests), beginning with our Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This custom is first mentioned in the Zohar, which states that one must invite to his home the "upper-world guests" – and after them he must invite "mortal" guests, those who are needy. Inviting the poor and hungry into our home, especially on festivals, is a Torah command, as the Rambam writes: "One must feed the foreigner, the orphan and the widow, together with other poor people – and one who closes off his yard and eats and drinks only with his children and wife without giving food and drink to the poor and bitter-hearted, is not engaging in the Torah-commanded holiday joy, but is rather gladdening only his own belly."

Sukkot: Zionist Etrogim

Stories about Rav Mordechai Eliyahu zt"l, translated by Hillel Fendel

Zionist Etrogim

The late saintly Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu served as Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel from 1983 to 1993. His student Rabbi Yosef Alnekaveh related that he was once visiting Rav Eliyahu and they were discussing the greatness of the Baba Sali, Rav Yisrael Abuhatzeirah.

"Here, I'll show you something interesting," Rav Eliyahu told his student, and pulled out three thin sticks, asked, "Can you imagine what these are? They are dried-out etrogim that grew in Morocco; the Baba Sali would send me one every year because he felt that they were of the highest quality. But you should know that I never recited a blessing over an etrog that he sent me – because I only recite this [once-a-day] blessing over etrogim of our holy land on which the Land-dependent mitzvot [such as tithes, orlah, etc.] have been observed. Know that there is nothing like the sanctity of the Land of Israel."

The Secrets of Yom Kippur

by Rav Eliezer Melamed, yeshiva.co, translated and adapted by Hillel Fendel

Why does Yom Kippur atone for Israel's sins? The secret is rooted in the "covenant of love" between G-d and His people Israel. It started with the covenant He forged with the Patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov; it was strengthened at the Exodus from Egypt, and was signed and sealed with the giving of the Torah to Israel at Mt. Sinai. Precisely then, however, Israel sinned with the Golden Calf – and when the first Yom Kippur arrived, G-d forgave them totally, and gave them the Torah again with the Second Tablets.