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Martyrdom in Judaism
The notion of what constitutes a Jewish martyr has changed significantly since ancient times.
Lashon Hara (Evil Speech)
Jewish tradition regards various types of harmful speech as a serious sin, even if it’s true.
Judaism and Cats
Ancient Jewish sources are ambivalent about cats, seeing them as somewhere between domestic and wild.
Ask the Expert: Prayers for the Dying
Are there Jewish prayers to recite for those who are no longer expecting healing?
Hanukkah 2024
In 2024, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024 and lasts until sundown on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.
Get ready for hanukkah!
Hannukkah begins in 2024 at sundown on December 25th.
What You Need to Know About the Hanukkah Story
The Maccabean revolt and the miracle of the oil.
How to Play Dreidel
Learn how to play this Hanukkah game with our video and written instructions.
Next Torah Portion
Summary
In this Torah portion, God tells Jacob to return home. Worried that his brother Esau will kill him, Jacob divides his clan into two camps, so at least some will survive in case of a fight. Jacob sleeps alone in the desert and is awoken by an angel who wrestles him through the night. Jacob survives and is blessed by the angel and renamed Israel. Jacob meets his brother and, surprisingly, they embrace. Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, is raped by Shekhem, who then proposes to Jacob that he marry her. Shimeon and Levi brutally murder Shekhem and his clan. Rachel has another child, whom she and Jacob name Benjamin.
Featured Commentary
Parashat Vayishlach: Honoring the Best of Jacob
This Torah portion interperses multiple momentous encounters with the divine realm with a series of fraught incidents between humans.
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Daf Yomi
STUDY RESOURCES
Recharge Now
Our weekly Shabbat newsletter, Recharge, features a thoughtful, timely essay to enrich your Shabbat. Here are a few of our recent pieces:
A Time for Rabbis
In a time of deep social division, it’s vital that we choose our messengers wisely.
God Is In This Place
Turning away from our destination may be how we get where we need to go.
Attitude of Gratitude
How can we cultivate gratitude as a consistent state of being?
MORE from MY JEWISH LEARNING
Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation
This ancient mystical text introduced many concepts that would be more fully developed by the tradition of Kabbalah.
The Jews of Greece
The oldest Jewish community in Europe traces its history back more than 2,300 years.
Shehechiyanu: A Meditation on this Moment
This blessing, traditionally recited for firsts, can be said anytime — since every moment is new and unprecedented.
How to Talk to God
The Hasidic prayer practice of hitbodedut — talking to God freely in one’s native tongue — helps to build intimacy over time.
Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World
This phrase with kabbalistic roots has come to connote social justice.