Other archive
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Shavuot: Oil, water, wine and milk are like Torah – how?
Transcript In our tradition, Torah is compared to four different types of liquids. Let us focus on this in anticipation of the festival of Shavuot through which we will dedicate Read more... -
Pesach: Why do we say, “Next year in Jerusalem”?
Transcript: Why during Pesach do we exclaim, “Leshanah haba’ah b’Yerushalaim,” – “Next year in Jerusalem”? Rabbi Nosson Finkel, the Sabbah of Slobodka, used to explain that the primary purpose of Read more... -
Pesach: Bitter herbs teach us what’s really important
Transcript: Do we have the right blessing? At our seder tables, we will be taking maror and we will dip it in charoset. However, the blessing that we will be Read more... -
Why is the Book of Esther included in Tanach?
Transcript Why is the book of Esther included in Tanach? You might be wondering: how could it be possible for Esther not to be in Tanach? It’s one of our Read more... -
Shemini Atzeret: A most unusual festival!
Transcript: Shemini Atzeret is a most unusual festival. Other festivals have special mitzvot: on Rosh Hashanah we blow the shofar; on Pesach we hold a seder; on Chanukah we light Read more... -
Succot: So many festivals in just a few weeks!
Transcript: This month is packed with major festivals, but we need them all. As I see it, in the same way as we need all three paragraphs of the shema, Read more... -
Yom Kippur: Guaranteed happiness in 5783?
Transcript How can we all guarantee that we’ll be happy in 5783? Our Yom Kippur Kol Nidrei evening service commences with a verse from Psalm 97: “Ohr zarua letzadik, uleyishrei Read more... -
Is Rosh Hashanah on the wrong day?
Transcript: Do we celebrate Rosh Hashanah on the right day? In our davening on the New Year we proclaim, “HaYom harat olam!” – “This is the day on which Hashem Read more... -
Elul: I am for my Beloved
Transcript “I am for my Beloved and my Beloved is for me.” These beautiful words, authored by King Solomon in Shir HaShirim 6:3, in the orginal Hebrew, “Ani ledodi vedodi Read more... -
The Chief Rabbi’s D’var Torah for Shavuot and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Transcript There is a strong connection between the festival of Shavuot and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. On the festival, for our Torah reading, we will read from Parshat Yitro about Read more...