Lessons on Jewish Laws and Thoughts

Shabbat that Elevates Not Just the Secular but Even the Foreign
Ein Aya Shabbat 4, 8
It's common knowledge that Shabbat elevates the secular to be holy, but Rav Kook writes that the ideal Shabbat will elevate even concepts which are foreign to Judaism.
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Tamuz 14 5782

When Should We Use Experience, Logic or Kabbala to Decide?
Ein Aya Shabbat 4, 7
Life is full of choices and decisions, and Rav Kook analyzes when we should utilize personal experience, logic and/or kabbalistic means, and in which order? Similarly, in learning Torah and deciding halacha, these factors interplay.
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Tamuz 7 5782

Must I Immerse a Candy Dish?
I have a gift business in which I sell glass candy bowls filled with candies, fruits, and nuts. Must I toivel these dishes before I fill them?
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | Tamuz 7 5782

Finding a Fruit with Kedushat Shvi’it
My wife shopped at a special kedushat shvi’it fruit distribution. A few hours later, I spotted on the walkway to our building (of seven apartments) a single fruit. I took it home and asked my wife, who said it made sense that it fell from her, but asked how we can know it is not from a neighbor who might have also bought. Do I have to put up a sign or ask neighbors (whom I trust) if it could be theirs? Is it more lenient because there is no ownership of kedushat shvi’it fruit?
Rabbi Daniel Mann | Sivan 28 5782

Should Jews Be Proud of Einstein, Freud & Bob Dylan?
Ein Aya Shabbat 4, 6
Many Jews have played disproportionally central roles in western science and culture, having 0.2% of the world's population winning 22% (!) of the Nobel Prizes. Instinctively, many of us are proud of our famous brothers, despite the fact that often their contributions are clearly "non-Jewishly" influenced, and sometimes even the antithesis of Judaism. On the other hand, Jewish pride is a clearly positive issue. Rav Kook has an innovative way of balancing the two, aided by the rabbinic disagreement regarding Joseph and Potiphar's wife.
Rabbi Ari Shvat | Sivan 23 5782

Grand Opening!
Why is Kaddish in Aramaic? Isn’t it prohibited to pray in Aramaic and Arabic? In which arm does a lefty hold the sefer Torah? Do I join everyone in reciting Berich She’mei when I am in the middle of pesukei dezimra?
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | Sivan 21 5782
