Category: Science and Health

As the name implies, Tractate Sukkah deals with the laws specific to Sukkot, one of three pilgrimage festivals on the Jewish calendar. The major biblical commandments surrounding this festival are to build and dwell in a temporary shelter called a sukkah (Leviticus 23:42) and “take” four species, later understood to be the lulav and etrog […]

If you read the biblical description of the Sukkot sacrifices (Numbers 29:12-34), you’ll notice that the Israelites were commanded to sacrifice an awful lot of bulls on the holiday. On the first day of the holiday, it was no less than 13 bulls, on the second day 12, on the third day 11 and so on in […]

With less than a week until the opening of Israel’s schools, parents and teachers received a positive forecast on Friday: The opening of the school year is unlikely to increase the pace of serious COVID-19 infections, as long as the rate of vaccination continues. This is according to a team of researchers from the Hebrew […]

Because Rosh Hashanah (the 1st day of the month of Tishrei), Sukkot (15 Tishrei) and Shemini Atzeret (22 Tishrei) all start on the same day of the week, Jews often find that day quite busy during the fall holiday season. Some years, fall weekends are swamped with Jewish holidays. Other years, it’s three out of four Mondays. It turns out, though, that […]

On Sukkah 5, we explored the radical rabbinic idea that the sukkah is a meeting place between people and God, an opportunity for us to elevate ourselves and for God to come down and meet us where we are. On today’s daf, we see another exploration of the personal relationship with God on Sukkot, but in a different […]

Volumes — literally, volumes — have been written on the notorious rabbinic concept of the yetzer hara, the “evil inclination.” It’s the tug we feel to do something we know is wrong, our baser instinct, our id, a powerful self-interest that can sometimes overwhelm the better angels of our nature. Today, the rabbis explore this aspect […]

The mishnah on today’s page states: One who did not see the celebration of the place of the drawing water never saw celebration in his days. That’s right, you haven’t partied until you’ve partied in the Temple on Sukkot. The mishnah then describes the bash in lengthy detail: At the conclusion of the first festival day […]

Individuals who take the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine may suffer from four out of up to 25 clinically relevant side effects: myocarditis, swelling of the lymph nodes, appendicitis and herpes zoster, according to a new Israeli-American study. In contrast, high rates of multiple serious adverse events were associated with coronavirus infection among unvaccinated patients, including a […]

Apple stuffed challah is always a delight for Rosh Hashanah and the high holiday season. But apple stuffed babka is also a perfect sweet treat. In this recipe I combine apples, dates, balsamic vinegar, and spices for a filling. But if you want to eliminate one step, pick up some apple butter or even fig […]

It’s another tricky year for Jewish holidays. Some families will feel comfortable to gather, while others will not for a variety of health and travel reasons. If you won’t be able to be together, bridge the distance by sending a delicious gift to your loved ones. Here are a few sweet gifts we love. Cinnamon […]