Shir LaMa’alot: An Examination of an Ancient Psalm and Its Modern Significance

Shir LaMa’alot is one of the most well-known and moving verses in the Book of Psalms. It opens with the words: “A song of ascents. I lift my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?” This psalm, found in Psalm 121, expresses the poet’s sense of divine providence and his plea for God’s […]
Pomegranates in The Bible

The pomegranate is one of the seven species of Israel (along with wheat, barley, grapes, figs, olives, and dates) listed in the Torah (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25). It has been a popular fruit in the land of Israel for thousands of years. The wine-red flesh of the fruit has a sweet taste and contains many juicy nutrients. Pomegranates are a symbol […]
The story of Jonah

Jonah is a prophet in the Hebrew Bible. It is a dramatic story about Jonah’s reluctance and the repentance of the people of the city of Nineveh. G-d commands Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh. There he was to warn them that if they did not return from their sinful ways, the city […]
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE AFFIXING A MEZUZAH

The mitzvah of Mezuzah is one of the most universally Jewish known mitzvot. The Mezuzah scroll is a small parchment (klaf) upon which two Hebrew verses consisting of the Shema Israel prayer are handwritten. This prayer begins with the eternal words: “Hear o Israel, the L rd is our G d, the L rd is […]
Tree of Life

The Tree of Life is one of the oldest and most meaningful symbols in world’s mythologies. It is known in many cultures as the sacred tree. Etz Chaim, Hebrew for “Tree of Life,” is a common term used in Judaism and figuratively applied to the Torah itself. In the Book of Genesis, the Tree of […]