Torah Cafe

One of the unique rituals practiced in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was the twice daily offering of incense. The incense had a unique recipe that was used only in the Temple and was the most sought after ritual in the Temple given the great power and blessings ascribed to it. . Learn all about the Ketoret (incense) in the Holy Temple, how it was made, the blessings is contains and how we can invok...

Techelet was a blue dye made from a creature called Chilazon that the Torah commands us to use in making Tzitzit strings worn on four cornered garments such as a Tallit. It was also used in the temple for the priestly garments. More than 1,500 years ago we lost the techelet and therefore no longer dye out tzitzit blue. Can the Techelet and the Chilazon it comes from be found today using Torah sour...

Many ancient societies worried about the evil eye that could somehow harm them or their families? In Jewish Ashkenazi culture, we used terms like keinahora to ward off the 'evil eye'. Do Jews believe in the evil eye? If yes, what exactly is it? What are its powers? And how do we avoid the harm coming from the evil eye?

G-d is often referred to in scripture and our prayers in masculine form or as our Father. But is G-d really masculine? Is G-d not beyond gender? Could G-d be female? Both genders? A fascinating discussion about G-d and gender.

Over the years Jews have developed many unique Jewish foods. The Jewish diaspora has been spread out across many different lands. Some foods are unique to specific communities while others are universal used by all Jewish communities. Many foods developed from local cuisine where Jews lived while others were made for holidays or as part of specific Jewish laws. A fascinating discussion about Jewis...

Today, many are concerned with the ethical treatment of animals as pets, in commercial farming, in medical testing and other fields. What rights do animals have in Judaism? How should we be treating animals? Is killing for food okay? Killing for sport? Tests that cause animals pain? Are all animals the same?

In 2003, the human genome project decoded the entire human DNA sequence. As a result, we can now easily read and match any person's DNA quickly and easily. Today, many services provide DNA testing to match people to unknown relatives and match them to ancestral groupings. Many people discovered through DNA testing that they had Jewish ancestry or that they were closely related to other J...

One of the oldest - and for a long time the largest - Jewish communities in the world is the Jewish community of Babylon in modern day Iraq. Jews lived in Babylon continuously for over 2.500 including a long period where they had a Jewish autonomous state led by their own Jewish King. Babylon was also a center of Jewish scholarship most notable for the Babylonian Talmud, the central work of J...

Gambling, betting and lotteries are all old forms of entertainments that have been around for thousands of years. Some societies, frowned on financial risk games while other's encouraged it. What does Judaism say about gambling? Is it permitted? If yes, under what circumstances? A fascinating discussion about the Jewish view on gambling and other games of financial risk.

Chanukah is a festival of light. Every night we light one more candle in the Menorah to commemorate that miracle of light that occurred over 2,000 years ago. What is the meaning of light? Why do we light candles for eight days adding a candle each night? Jewish mysticism tells us that the Chanukah lights are very powerful and give us the ability to light up the darkness in our own lives.

What is the meaning of dreams? What causes them? Are they just our imagination gone wild or it there a deeper meaning to dreams? Can dreams guide us or help us know what will happen to us? Learn what Kabbalah, our Jewish mystical teachings say regarding dreams.

Perhaps the most significant and memorialized of our Matriarchs is Jacob's favorite wife Rachel known in Yiddish as Mama Rochel . After waiting for many years to have children, Rachel died during the childbirth of her second son Benjamin. She was the only Matriarch not buried in Hebrew, instead her tomb is in Bethlehem. Rachel's unique role as the mother of our people, has made a tradition for Jew...

Many of our early ancestors including Abraham and Sara, Isaac and Rebecca and Jacob and Rachel suffered with infertility. Today, we have modern medical solutions including in vitro fertilization that allows for couples that would otherwise be infertile to have children. What is the Jewish perspective on infertility? Why does G-d give some people children and not others? Should those who are infert...

Pidyon Haben (lit. Redemption of the Son) is a unique ceremony performed on first born sons when they are 30 days old. The ceremony is not performed for all firstborn sons so it is not all that common. At the Pidyon Haben, the son is given to a Kohen and the father then exchanges the son for 5 silver shekels. Learn more about how this unusual ceremony is performed and its special significance.

Central to Shabbat observance are the Kiddush and Havdallah ceremonies performed at the beginning and end of Shabbat with a cup of wine. What do the ceremonies entail? Why are they performed? What is the deeper meaning behind them? A fascinating discussion about Kiddush and Havdallah.

What do Jews believe? While Judaism is very broad, the basic beliefs are organized by Maimonides into 13 principles that are considered the basics of Jewish belief. A conversation about the 13 principles that every Jew must know.

Halacha is the Hebrew term for Jewish law. Judaism has details laws and rules covering every part of our lives including Jewish rituals as well as how we treat others. Who decides Halacha? Who makes up the rules? What happens when rabbis can't agree on what a rule should be? What happens when rules get outdated and need to be changed? A fascinating discussion about Halacha and how it is decided.

Shabbat candles are lit by Jewish women and girls (or men), 18 minutes before sunset on Friday afternoon and on the eve of Jewish holidays. Why do women light Shabbat candles? What are their significance? How is it done? Learn about Shabbat candles and the blessings they bring to our home and to our life.

Today many struggle with stress and anxiety worrying about everything in their lives. Judaism teaches us that we can overcome our worries with Bitachon, trust in G-d. An inspiring discussion about Bitachon and how we can use it to ensure we never worry. 

Some people have done some really bad things causing terrible harm to others. Are these people inherently bad? Is it possible for a person to be inherently bad or does everyone have some good? Should we always give everyone another chance or are there some actions beyond which one can never change? A discussion about the Jewish perspective on evil and how bad people can become.

Being Jewish not only includes many rituals and rules of conduct but can also be very expensive. Being a member of a Jewish community usually includes expensive dues while the costs of Jewish education can be prohibitive. Even following specific rituals like eating Kosher meat, purchasing Shemura Matzah for Passover, making a Bris or Bar/Bat Mitzvah can be very expensive. When is money so central...

When electrical grid where built in cities and our homes filled with electrical lighting and appliances, Jews were faced with the question of whether electricity could be used on Shabbat. Though the Torah does not mention electricity and it was virtually unknown for thousands of years, Jewish scholars unanimously concluded that electricity should not be used on Shabbat. But why? Learn about the ru...

The Talmud, also called Gemora or Shas is the giant but difficult comprehensive work of Jewish rules and teachings that is the most important work in Judaism. Yet the Talmud remains a mystery for most given its immense size and complex discussions in Aramaic. Who wrote the Talmud? What is in it? Why is it so central to Judaism? Why is it so complex and difficult?

The Kohanim or Cohens are a unique Jewish family that in ancient times served in the Temple in Jerusalem. They have many privileges as well as laws and responsibilities in Jewish tradition. What is the Kohanic family? Why are they different? Can we accurately recognize them today? What are the special rules that apply to them?

Many mega Churches believe in Prosperity Theology; if they do the right thing, G-d will make them rich and healthy. Wealthy spiritual leaders justify their immense wealth as reward from G-d. They believe that those who are not wealthy and successful must not be following G-d's will. Do Jews believe in Prosperity Theology? Do we believe that G-d want those who follow his will to be successful and w...