. Every year, during the month of Elul, we ask each other and ourselves-where are we? Where are we morally, emotionally, spiritually, and what have we learned? How have we grown? [Heidi Gantwerk]
Federation’s Interim CEO Tells Where We Are at Rosh Hashanah Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County
This week’s Torah reading is Nitzavim (Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20); Haftorah is Isaiah 61:10-63:9 By Irv Jacobs, M.D. LA JOLLA, California — These strong poetic verses extracted from the Book of Isaiah are again from Isaiah III. They constitute the seventh and last Haftorah of Consolation, preceding Rosh Hashonah. Again, it has no connection to
Haftorah Reading for September 4, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
By Sam Glaser LOS ANGELES — As a yeshiva student in the Old City of Jerusalem in my 20s, I learned that the month of Elul was a big deal, a 29-day period to buckle down on preparation for the imminent High Holidays. I remember the rabbis telling us that “the King is in the
High Holiday Preparations in the Jungle Read More »
Jewish Religion, Sam Glaser, Travel and Food
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This week’s Torah portion Nitzavim, with its majestic and simultaneously chilling tone, is always read on the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah. That’s right, it’s only a few days away. It asks us where we stand as we enter the new year. The parasha teaches that Hashem tells us, “I
Parashat Nitzavim: Choosing Life Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
By Liam Aron JERUSALEM — The Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe) — including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — are some of the most intense, if not the most intense, days on the Jewish calendar. Days when we look back on the year that passed us by, both the moments we are proud of and
Doing the Next Godly Thing Read More »
Jewish Religion
Rabbi Abraham Chill (1912-2004) gives readers of The Mitzvot, The Commandments and their Rationale a very readable listing of the commonly accepted list of biblical commands, presented in the order in which they appear in the Five Books of Moses. He identifies the location of the command in the Bible, and gives the explanations offered by various highly respected ancient rabbis, including Maimonides, Nachmanides, Abarbanel, ibn Ezra, Radak, Ralbag, Rashi, Sforno, Saadiah, and 15 others. He describes each of the 23 rabbis that he quotes. As my uncle, Rabbi Dr. Sidney B. Hoenig, Dean, Bernard Revel Graduate School, Yeshiva University, wrote in his Foreword to the book, “His work presents in digest form each and every perspective of every one of the 613 divine commandments and, in clear style and comprehension, makes the reader part of the whole gamut of thinking in Oral Law perception.” [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Explanations of the 613 Biblical Commandments Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish ReligionLike Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur does not exist in the Bible. It replaces another day known as Yom Hakippurim. Yom Kippur is singular, “day of atonement,” while Yom Hakippurim is plural, “day of atonements.” The biblical Yom Hakippurim is mentioned in Leviticus 16:29–31, 23:27–32, and Numbers 29:7–11. No work was permitted on this day, special sacrifices were offered, there was a ceremony consisting of two scapegoats, and the Israelites were only obliged to te’anu et nafshoteikhem. This is improperly translated as “you must afflict your souls.” [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Yom Kippur and the Holiday the Romans Destroyed Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
The family of a rabbi who made his San Diego-area synagogue the center of a sprawling network of tax fraud has regained control of the synagogue’s finances, state filings show, replacing a board that had sought to bring accountability to the institution. [Louis Keene, the Forward]
Independent Board Steps Down at Troubled Chabad of Poway Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego CountyThese strong poetic lines extracted from the Book of Isaiah are attributed to Isaiah III, again a composite figure. They were written in Judea, to coincide in setting to the era of post-return and the rebuilding of an early incomplete version of the second Temple, c. 480-450 BCE. The writer(s) expresses these verses under a repeated imagery of light. We don’t know actually when they were written/edited, which might have been years later. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Haftorah Reading for August 28, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish ReligionThis week’s parasha is one of the most formidable and alarming chapters of the Torah. We find fourteen verses of the good things that will happen to the us if we faithfully obey Hashem’s divine commandments. And then, we read 54 verses that warn of the converse, the curses that will befall us if we do not faithfully observe all His commandments. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Torah Reading for August 28, 2021 Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellBy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — None of the practices associated today with Rosh Hashanah are biblical. Yet they should be observed for they are very helpful. Sin The concepts of sin and repentance as a religious experience are not in the Bible; they are post-biblical. “Sin,” a prime element in Christian
Rosh Hashanah Practices: Not Biblical, But Still Important Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — The pandemic has taught us that life’s better together. It’s better when we can hug, look each other in the eye and feel each other’s presence. It’s also taught us that we are not in control. We plan as much as we can — but it’s so much bigger than
Shabbat San Diego Events Set for October 21-24 Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego CountyTorah portion is Ki Tetse (Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19); Haftorah is Isaiah 54:1-10. By Irv Jacobs, M.D. LA JOLLA, California — These brief poetic lines extracted from the book of Isaiah are attributed to Isaiah II, which scholars consider to be multiple writers. The entire text is a metaphor, with four metaphors and two similes contained
Haftorah Reading for August 21, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish ReligionBy Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. This week’s parasha, literally meaning, “When you go out…” opens with a description of facing war with enemies. Maimonides tells us that more than seventy mitzvot, 74 if I counted correctly, spring from this week’s Torah portion, from weights and measures and collecting debts in a righteous way, to proper
Parashat Ki Teitzei: Refining Our Soul Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell