Month: November 2007
-
4th Kislev – Final Prophecy
Today, fourth of Kislev, is the anniversary of the last time that G-d spoke directly to a prophet. Rashi on Yoma 21b (with the glosses in the margin) explains that the Shechina and Ruach HaKodesh didn’t rest on prophets from the fourth year of Darius’s reign. Even though Malachi is listed as the last prophet… Read more
-
Top Ten Biblical Names
… That you probably won’t name your kids: In alphabetical order this time: Number 1 Artaxerxes: Ezra 7:13-28. Number 2 Merodach-baladan: Isaiah 39: 1 Number 3 Chedorlaomer: Bereishis 14 Number 4 Chushan-Rishathaim Shoftim 3: 8 Number 5 Gomer: HOshea 1: 3 Number 6 Hadadrimmon Zechariah 12: 11 Number 7 Ham: Bereishis 5: 32 Number 8… Read more
-
Payos ‘product’
I was at the mikva this morning, and I saw this sitting in the ‘lost and found’ Kerastase Bain Oleo-CurlShiny, supple and nourishing shampoo for dry, curly and rebellious hair.Nourishes and softens the hair fiber for manageable hair and perfectly defined curls.250ml Who would have left something like that in the men’s mikva? There aren’t… Read more
-
‘Till 120!
There isn’t anything to add to this story. It is just truly wonderful. Till One Hundred and Twenty! Long may you continue Buster! (from the BBC) A man has turned up for work despite being told to take the day off for his 100th birthday. Buster Martin began cleaning vans for Pimlico Plumbers despite retiring… Read more
-
Top Ten Things NOT To Do During the Rabbi’s Sermon
TOP TEN THINGS NOT TO DO DURING THE RABBI’S SERMON: (cross posted from www.torahlab.org) Number 10: Read a book Number 9: Pretend to be reading a book Number 8: Read a banned book Number 7: Fall asleep Number 6: Fall asleep and snore loudly Number 5: play ‘Sermon Cricket’ (see below) Number 4: give a… Read more
-
Money for Blogging
… and your chicks for free. People have asked me whether it is possible to make any money from blogging, and the easy answer is, for this kind of blog, probably not very much! But that also means, probably a little bit. Google adsense is the obvious answer for most people. However, the downside of… Read more
-
Yarzheit – Rabbeinu Yonah
Today (27th Cheshvan) is the Yarzheit of my favourite Rishon (at the moment), Rabbeinu Yonah. His words are all classics of Jewish thought, and his commentary on Pirkei Avos is essential reading for every Jew (according to R’ Wolbe in Alei Shur). As you know, I have just translated this commentary into English, and you… Read more
-
Teshuva for Disengagement?
There are at least three components to true repentance; regret about the past, to stop sinning in the present, and to resolve never to do it again in the future. I wonder to what extent Ben Eliezer’s statements here represent the national feeling. Perhaps Israel is beginning to do teshuva for the enormous damage and… Read more
-
Top Ten Words that sound as though they are Yiddish but Aren’t
Top Ten Words That Sound as though they are Yiddish, but Aren’t: Number 10 – Farfetched Number 9 – Invocation Number 8 – Flummoxed Number 7 – Gobsmacked Number 6 – Innersprung Number 5 – Gerund Number 4 – Forefinger Number 3 – Henpecked Number 2 – Scooped AND the Number 1 Word That Sounds… Read more
-
Emergency Campaign to Save Jerusalem
I’m posting this to show my solidarity with yidwithlid, Jerusalem and the The United Coalition for Jerusalem. I believe that to show the world, ourselves and G-d how many people care about Jerusalem and don’t want it destroyed, will be a kiddush Hashem, and will help us focus in our prayers and efforts to get… Read more