Author Archives: alreguelajat

152.1 Modern Orthodox Judaism is definitely something modern.

The origin of Modern Orthodox Judaism lies in late 18th and early 19th century Germany, where a group of traditional Jews, who accepted some of the new values ​​of the Enlightenment, defended the classical interpretation of Judaism. Their leaders had … Seguir leyendo →

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151.1 The Haredim: The Return to Life in the Medieval Ghetto

Haredi Judaism is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that broke away from modern secular culture. It emerged as one of the responses to the changes that the modern era imposed on Jews. The Haredim have maintained strict adherence to Jewish … Seguir leyendo →

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150.1 The Jewish Identity Menu.

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 →

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149.1 Shabbat Candles: Are They Lit for a Mitzvah or to Avoid Being in the Dark?

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 →

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148.1 Mordechai Kaplan: Judaism is more than a religion; it is a civilization.

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 →

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147.1 Kaddish: A prayer for the dead that does not mention death.

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 →

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146.1 An Aggadah from the Talmud: To argue or not to argue, that is the question.

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 →

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145.1 Hebrew: Only for Prayer or Also for Shopping?

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 →

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144.1 The mezuzah: a reminder or an amulet against evil?

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 →

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143.1 American Judaism: Movements Define Their Principles

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 →

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