Note: I’m unsure how to even translate the word “derush”. Words like “research” or “investigation” come close, but the way it’s used in Torah literature has a clear overtone suggesting greater authority. And then, as we’ll see, there are two distinct ways the word is used even within the context of Torah. What exactly is […]| Marbitz.com
Learning Mishna Is there a connection between mourning and learning chapters of the Mishna? I’m not sure. But popular Jewish practice certainly assumes that there’s something going on. There’s no escaping advice to recite carefully chosen chapters during the course of shiva, and then to gather participants in an effort to complete larger segments before […]| Marbitz.com
As Rabbi Michal notes on his Kotzk Blog, many of the customs currently associated with death in Judaism were formalized only in the last few centuries. Reading that article got me thinking about some specific practises and their origins. The first of those that came to mind was the protection (shemira) we insist in providing […]| Marbitz.com
Many people spend a great deal of time and money each year in their search for the perfect esrog. Sure, we’re supposed to seek hiddurim in our four minim, but is it so obvious what those hiddurim actually are? For years I’ve wondered if there’s any benefit in all the effort for those of us […]| Marbitz.com
This post is the latest addition to my Finding Tradition project. מודה אני לפניך מלך חי וקים שהחזרת בי נשמתי בחמלה רבה אמונתך Those 12 words mark the start of each day for many Jews. It’s a beautiful prayer and an expression of the many debts we owe to God. But three of those words […]| Marbitz.com
Who, according to halacha, is eligible for charity? The question is practical, since halacha seems to present a clear threshold and only individuals living beneath the threshold may receive charity. What, exactly, is that threshold? Here’s what the Shulchan Aruch (Yore Deah 253:1) rules: מי שיש לו מזון שתי סעודות, לא יטול מהתמחוי. מזון י”ד […]| Marbitz.com
I’m 57 years old and I still have no clue what עידית זיבורית ובינונית are all about (see Bava Kama 6b and Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 102). How embarrassing is that? Here’s the problem: How can two properties that have the exact same market value (equal to each of the multiple חובות the individual faces) have […]| Marbitz.com
I’ve added a nice long chapter to my Finding Tradition project: How We Choose What We Observe. It’s about some gaps between halachic ideals and our real-world halachic performance. All Torah communities work hard addressing challenges, but none of us is perfect. Halacha is a complex system, the Jews are a complex people and we […]| Marbitz.com
The נענועים are an integral part of the mitzva of lulav (see Mesechte Sukkah 37b). But how is that waving supposed to be done? As anyone who’s ever been in a shul over Sukkos knows, the question seems to inspire a wide range of answers. The gemara’s conceptual source is the waving associated with the […]| Marbitz.com
For better or for worse, I’ve been unusually productive over the past few weeks. So here’s a brief overview of what’s new on the site (and beyond).| Marbitz.com