Category: Science and Health

Today’s daf is almost entirely devoted to a discussion of the story of Judah (one of the sons of the patriarch Jacob) and his daughter-in-law Tamar, found in Genesis 38. It’s worth reading that chapter in Genesis if you have a moment, but if not, here’s a quick reminder of how that story played out: […]

Having read about how sotah ordeal works, on today’s daf we get a glimpse into why the rabbis think the accused woman must go through the torment it entails. As we learn from a beraita: The sotah placed her eyes on one who is unfit for her. That which she desired is not given to […]

There’s little doubt that the sotah ritual is not just a divine test to verify whether a married woman has committed adultery, but a form of public shaming. On today’s daf, the rabbis consider whether this shaming is merely a natural result of the sotah ritual, or whether this should be its goal. In answer […]

Now that the weather is heating up and people are going to the beaches, taking walks in nature or in the streets, having picnics and being exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the Israel Cancer Association (ICA) urged the public to be “smart in the sun” and protect their skin and health while outside. The association’s […]

Contrary to Health Ministry advice a few months ago that it’s better for parents who smoke to light up on their balconies, in gardens the yard or designated areas in their home than anywhere indoors rather than anywhere inside, new Tel Aviv University (TAU) research has found that even outside, six out of 10 of […]

Gail Simmons, food writer, culinary expert and one of three judges on the award-winning, long-running Bravo food show, “Top Chef,” grew up in a Conservative Jewish home in Canada, in which food was a focus of her family’s life. Her mom, who Simmons calls “an amazing cook,” made Shabbat dinner every Friday night of Simmons’ […]

A new clinical trial conducted at Tel Aviv University (TAU) has demonstrated an effective technology-driven alternative to psychiatric medications for people with social anxiety. The groundbreaking study found that gaze-contingent music-reward therapy (GC-MART) is as effective in treating social anxiety disorder as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of drugs that includes Prozac, Cipralex […]

You have surely heard from all sides, and also from us, about the many kinds of recommendations regarding supplements and vitamins that you should take, and which ones work wonders. You may have stood confused at the pharmacy or health food store in front of a massive selection of supplements available to you. Are there […]

No parent expects that common symptoms of illness will be more than just that. When Einat Dado Baralia’s son Shir began exhibiting symptoms that were nothing too out of the ordinary, she was ultimately blindsided when his symptoms led to a diagnosis of a fatal childhood cancer. Shir was just a toddler when he was […]

Growing up in a home with screaming or overly punitive parents is more common than many people would want to believe. On the other hand, there are parents who know how to speak to their kids in a way that shows respect while still laying out the expectations and rules of acceptable behavior in the […]