Aharon Died on the First of Av. Where Did the Love Go?
Aharon the priest ascended Mount Hor at God’s bidding and died there, on the first day of the fifth month in the 40th year of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. […]
Category Archives: Holidays
Pesach – Did the Oppression have to be so Bad? — By Ben
I couldn’t get a full post out this week, however I did have a thought I wanted to share. We focus so much on the story aspect of this holiday. […]
Getting Passed Over: Is Pesach a Misnomer or Have we Missed the Point? — By Ben
The name Passover has always bothered me. God passed over the Israelite houses as He wrathfully slaughtered the firstborn of Egypt. Sure, the Egyptians deserved it and it’s a moment […]
Total Solar Eclipses only happen on Earth. The Reason Why is the Secret of Passover — By Ben
There’s a story in the Midrash that when God created the celestial bodies, He made the sun and the moon equal in size. But the moon complained saying, “It is […]
Counting Wrong, Desperate Uncertainty: Purim and the Golden Calf
It’s an odd thing that the holiday of Purim is celebrated around the time we read Parshas Ki Sisa, the Torah portion that features the sin of the golden calf. […]
Parsha Bo: Rosh Hashanah is in the Seventh Month?!
In parshas Bo, God gives the Jewish people their first official Mitzvah, God said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, [showing them the new moon:] “This renewal will signal the […]
Chanukah – Pushing Past the One Jar — By Ben
As we celebrate Chanukah, everyone knows that lighting the Menorah is the main part of the celebration. But why such a focus on the lights? Our ancestors, the Maccabees fought […]
Pesach – The Gift of the Maggid – By Ben
This is the bread of affliction that our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Whoever is hungry – let him come and eat! Whoever is needy – let him […]
Celebrating My Daughter’s Birth While Israel Burns — By Ben
Over a year ago I wrote an article for Aish.com under a pseudonym. The piece was an intimate detailing of me and my wife’s thoughts and emotions as we experienced […]
Does it Blow when We Don’t Blow the Shofar? Rosh Hashanah on Shabbos — By Ben
This year the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos. For the most part, the majority of Jews won’t notice a difference. But one detail might sound the alarm… […]
Six Degrees Of Kosher Bacon 