Blessings
I have always wondered about blessings and their deeper meanings. Why do we make them and what is their importance?
Chanukah Is Celebrated Without a Feast – Why?
I’ve always wondered why Chanukah doesn’t have festive meals like the other holidays. I know we eat foods fried in oil to remember the miracle with the oil and the candles, but why not meals with Kiddush, challah and the like? Someone said it’s because Chanukah is not in the Torah, but neither is Purim, and there’s a big meal on Purim. Thanks for your time,
Dreidels – Why Are They Central to Chanukah?
The dreidel signifies a very important aspect of the Chanukah holiday. In fact, it is as old as the menorah lighting itself. If you take a look at the dreidel, which is Yiddish for “spinner” or “top,” you’ll notice a letter imprinted on each of its sides: nun, gimmel, hey and shin which stand for […]
Why Do We Bless the Children on Friday Night?
The blessing is known as the “birchas hayelidim” or the blessing of the children. It is based upon the blessing Jacob recited upon his grandchildren, Ephraim and Menashe, before he passed away. At the end of his blessing to Ephraim and Menashe the Torah says; “So he blessed them that day, saying, ‘By you shall […]