Latest Essays
Watch the episode here Twenty-five years after 9/11, Rabbi Moshe Elefant, newly appointed CEO of OU Kosher, joins Rabbi Gil Student to remember the morning the OU’s downtown offices went dark. A conversation about memory, vulnerability, and what a world that lost its innocence asks of us before Rosh Hashanah. On the morning of September 11, 2001, the Orthodox Union’s headquarters sat two blocks from the World Trade Center. Rabbi Moshe Elefant was on the…
by R. Eliezer Simcha Weisz When we dip the apple into honey on Rosh Hashanah, we naturally think of our wish for a Shanah Tovah U’Metukah, a good and sweet year. But there is an interesting question: why do we specifically use honey from bees? Why not date honey or another natural sweetener? The Leket Yosher, compiled by Rabbi Yosef ben Moshe, a close student of Rabbi Yisrael Isserlein, author of the Terumat HaDeshen, gives…
by R. Eliezer Simcha Weisz Rosh Hashanah falls during an election season. We are busy following the news, reading the headlines, and discussing events with family and friends. Opinions are everywhere. Everyone has something to say. Everyone is certain that he is right, and everyone wants to be heard. And then Rosh Hashanah arrives. When the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos, the shofar is not sounded on that day. The shofar is…
by R. Daniel Mann Question: In our relatively new minyan, we have finished Musaf of Rosh Hashana at around 1:00, and have not made Kiddush before tekiot. Someone suggested that this year’s first day being Shabbat changes the equation. What does Halacha say about this? Answer: One should not fast in the morning until chatzot on Shabbat (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 288:1) and Yom Tov (Mishna Berura 288:2). Considering that one generally must not eat…
by Joel Rich Any thoughts on why R’ Moshe choose to open the Igrot Moshe (OC 1:1) with his teshuva on yarmulka size? I took note that it showed his trademark approach of going back to the gemara, not fearing later authorities if he’d come to a different understanding, differentiating between ikar hadin and later stringencies, and recognizing the reality of life in these United States while not undercutting stricter practices. I recently heard a…
by R. Gidon Rothstein Tzenu’im Don’t Push Chullin 133a tells of R. Meir’s decision not to accept matnot kehunah, the parts of animals or sacrifices given to kohanim. He always knew it wasn’t right to ask for them, but he thought it was fine to accept if offered. He stopped even accepting when he learned a baraita, which says ha-tzenu’im, a word we will have to figure out, withdrew their hands, where the gargeranim, ones…