Monthly Archives: marzo 2025

The Jewish Enlightenment, the Haskala, from the late 18th to the early 20th century, was the catalyst for a wide range of religious, cultural, and political movements. These initially developed in Europe, then migrated to the United States, and then … Seguir leyendo →

There is no commandment in the Torah commanding us to light candles on Shabbat, even though the blessing clearly states, “vetzivanu lehadlik ner shel shabat,” “and you commanded us to light Shabbat candles.” The earliest document containing the blessing for … Seguir leyendo →

Mordechai Kaplan (1881-1983) was born in Lithuania. His parents, Rabbi Israel and Haya Kaplan, gave him a traditional Jewish education. In 1889, the family emigrated to the United States and settled in New York. He attended public schools, graduated from … Seguir leyendo →

The Kaddish is a prayer that praises God and expresses the longing for His Kingdom to be established on Earth. It is recited at the conclusion of some prayers in the synagogue, after reading the Torah, after a religious discourse, … Seguir leyendo →

Our sages tell us in the tractate Bava Metzia, chapter 84a: “One day Rabbi Yochanan was swimming in the Jordan River. Reish Lakish [a criminal] saw him and thought he was a woman. He jumped into the Jordan, threw his … Seguir leyendo →

Eliezer Yitzhak Perelman (1858-1922) was born in Lithuania to an Orthodox family. His father died when he was five, and his mother sent him to live with an uncle. After his bar mitzvah, his uncle sent him to a yeshivah … Seguir leyendo →

The commandment to affix a mezuzah to the doorpost of a house is written in verses VI:6 and VI:9 of Deuteronomy, which say: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart,” “and you shall write … Seguir leyendo →

Kaufmann Kohler (1843-1926) was born and educated in Germany. He completed his rabbinical studies in Frankfurt with Samson Raphael Hirsch. He earned his doctorate and wrote one of the first works of biblical criticism. This closed the door to practicing … Seguir leyendo →

Mechitzah in Hebrew means separation or division. It refers to the physical separation of the men’s area from the women’s area in Orthodox synagogues during prayer. This separation is achieved through a special section for women, such as a balcony, … Seguir leyendo →

Judah ben Solomon Chai Alkalai (1798–1878) was born in Sarajevo, then part of the Turkish Empire. He studied in Jerusalem under various rabbis and became interested in the study of Kabbalah. In 1825, he joined the Sephardic community of Semlin, … Seguir leyendo →