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50 articles
Halakha is the legal system of Judaism that guides all aspects of life. From the 613 mitzvot to the Shulchan Aruch, discover its sources and how different streams of Judaism interpret it.
Read article →The synagogue is the central institution of Judaism. As beit knesset, beit tefilah, and beit midrash, it functions as a house of assembly, prayer, and study. Learn about its structure, services, and the changing role of women across movements.
Read article →The Hebrew calendar, a lunisolar system that determines festivals, Shabbat, and the agricultural cycle, is the sacred timepiece of Judaism. Learn about its months, leap years, and the meaning of Rosh Chodesh and Shmitah.
Read article →The Star of David, the menorah, the chai, the hamsa, and other visual symbols of Judaism carry deep historical and spiritual meanings. Explore their origins and how they have evolved over the centuries.
Read article →Kabbalah is the mystical tradition of Judaism. Explore the sefirot, the Zohar, the Ein Sof, tzimtzum, and the Lurianic revolution. Learn its history, practices, and the warnings about inauthentic appropriation.
Read article →Jewish prayer has evolved from Temple sacrifices to the fixed liturgy of the siddur. Explore the Shema, the Amidah, the tension between kavvanah and keva, and the innovations of feminist prayer.
Read article →Midrash is the rabbinic method of biblical interpretation that draws meanings beyond the literal text. Explore halakhic and aggadic midrashim, Rabbi Ishmael's hermeneutic rules, and the art of the mashal (parable).
Read article →The siddur is the prayer book that structures Jewish spiritual life. Explore its historical development, the differences between Ashkenazic, Sephardic, and Mizrahi traditions, and the essential elements of daily and festival liturgy.
Read article →The three patriarchs of Israel — Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — founded the identity of the Jewish people. Their stories, told in the book of Genesis, establish the covenant with God, the promise of the land, and the blessing for all nations.
Read article →The departure from Egypt (Yetziát Mitzráyim) is the foundational event of Israel. The Torah dedicates three books to the story: slavery, the ten plagues, the departure, and the desert journey toward Sinai.
Read article →From Saul to the destruction of the First Temple, the Jewish monarchy lasted about 450 years. David unified the kingdom; Solomon built the Temple; then came division and exile.
Read article →Seventy years in Babylon transformed the Jewish people: the synagogue was born, the Torah was redacted, exile prophets emerged, and Jewish identity was consolidated without a Temple.
Read article →The Second Temple (515 BCE-70 CE) was the center of Judaism in a period of enormous creativity: Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and apocalyptic literature emerged. Its destruction defined rabbinic Judaism.
Read article →The Jewish diaspora is the longest and most widespread in history. From the destruction of the Second Temple until the 20th century, Jews lived scattered among the nations, maintaining their identity.
Read article →The synagogue (beit knesset) is the most enduring institution of Judaism. From the Babylonian exile to today, it is the center of prayer, study, and Jewish community life.
Read article →The Talmud is the most important work of rabbinic Judaism: 63 tractates containing the oral law, the discussion of the sages, aggadah, and the wisdom of generations. Without the Talmud, Judaism would not be what it is.
Read article →The Middle Ages was an era of contrasts for the Jews: the Golden Age in Spain under Islam, the Crusades, expulsions, the Inquisition, and intellectual flourishing in northern Europe.
Read article →Zionism is the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, which culminated in the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Its roots are biblical; its realization, modern.
Read article →Shabbat is the heart of Jewish life: the day of rest consecrated to God, family, and community. From Friday at sunset until Saturday at nightfall, the Jew disconnects from the material world.
Read article →Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) is the day of divine judgment, the shofar, and the coronation of God as king. It marks the beginning of the Ten Days of Repentance that culminate in Yom Kippur.
Read article →Passover is the festival of freedom. It commemorates the departure from Egypt with the Seder, matzah, and the prohibition of chametz. It is the most observed Jewish holiday.
Read article →Yom Kippur is the most sacred day of the Jewish year. Twenty-five hours of fasting, prayer, and repentance. It is the day God forgives the sins of Israel.
Read article →Sukkot celebrates the divine protection during the 40 years in the desert. For seven days, Jews live in booths (sukkah), take the four species, and rejoice.
Read article →Hanukkah commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks and the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days. Eight nights of lights, joy, and gratitude.
Read article →Purim commemorates the salvation of the Jews of the Persian empire from the wicked Haman. It is the most joyful holiday: costumes, gifts, and the reading of the Megillah.
Read article →The Mishnah, compiled by Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi around 200 CE, organizes the Jewish oral law into six thematic orders. It is the first written text of rabbinic Judaism and the foundation of the Talmud.
Read article →Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, 50 days after the Exodus. It is the festival of first fruits, all-night study, and the confirmation of the covenant.
Read article →Tishah BeAv (9th of Av) is the saddest day of the Jewish year. The destruction of both Temples, the fall of Betar, and other catastrophes are commemorated.
Read article →Lag BaOmer (33rd day of the Omer) is a day of joy in the midst of the semi-mourning period of sefirat haomer. It commemorates the cessation of the plague that killed Rabbi Akiva's disciples and the light of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
Read article →Explore the structure of the Tanakh, its three sections — Torah, Neviim and Ketuvim — and the 24 books that make up the Hebrew Bible. Learn about the canonization process, the Masoretic text, and the differences from the Christian Old Testament.
Read article →The Torah is the most sacred text of Judaism. Learn about its five books, the weekly reading cycle, the rules for writing a Sefer Torah, and both traditional and scholarly perspectives on its authorship.
Read article →The Talmud, consisting of the Mishnah and the Gemara, is the central work of rabbinic Judaism. Its two versions — the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds — contain centuries of debate, law, and narrative that shape Jewish life.
Read article →Guide to tzedakah: Maimonides' ladder (8 levels), maaser kesafim (tithing), the pushke, Jewish organizations, anonymity, and gemilut chasadim.
Read article →The mezuzah is a parchment affixed to the doorposts of the Jewish home containing the Shema. Explore the rules of the klaf, the difference between Ashkenazic and Sephardic placement traditions, and the spiritual meaning of this sacred object.
Read article →Tefillin are two black boxes containing biblical parchments bound to the arm and head during morning prayer. Explore their construction, meaning, rules of use, and the contemporary debate about women and tefillin.
Read article →Tzedakah is much more than charity: it is an act of justice and a religious obligation. Learn about Maimonides' eight levels, the tradition of maaser kesafim, the pushke, and the difference between tzedakah and gemilut chasadim.
Read article →Complete guide to the laws of kashrut: kosher animals, shechitah, meat and dairy separation, utensils, certification, and differences between Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform movements.
Read article →Learn how to affix the mezuzah correctly: which doorways require one, the blessing, differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardic customs, and how to maintain it over time.
Read article →Step-by-step guide to putting on tefillin: order, blessings, strap winding, differences between customs, and when they are not worn.
Read article →Complete guide to Shabbat observance: candle lighting, kiddush, the 39 melakhot, meals, havdalah, the eruv, and the electricity debate across movements.
Read article →Complete guide to brit milah: biblical foundation, eighth-day requirement, role of the mohel, hatafat dam brit, Reform alternatives, and zeved habat for girls.
Read article →Everything about bar and bat mitzvah: Jewish coming of age, aliyah to the Torah, haftarah reading, history of bat mitzvah (1922), and differences between movements.
Read article →Complete guide to Jewish marriage: erusin and nissuin, ketubah, chuppah, the seven blessings, breaking the glass, family purity, and approaches across movements.
Read article →Guide to Jewish mourning traditions: aninut, taharah, kevurah, shiva, shloshim, kaddish, yahrzeit, yizkor, and modern adaptations.
Read article →Guide to teshuvah in Judaism: Maimonides' four steps, viduy, Ashamnu, Yom Kippur, the Selichot season, and its modern psychological understanding.
Read article →Basic guide to Jewish prayer: the minyan, structure of the daily service, the Amidah, the Shema, the Aleinu, tallit and tefillin, and the meaning of kavanah.
Read article →The concept of kiddush Hashem in Judaism: martyrdom (yehareg ve'al ya'avor), everyday sanctification in business and speech, chillul Hashem, and modern examples.
Read article →The concept of tikkun olam in Judaism: rabbinic origins, Lurianic Kabbalah (tzimtzum, shevirat hakelim), modern social justice, and the debate over its priority.
Read article →Complete guide to conversion to Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform requirements, the process, the "who is a Jew" controversy, and resources for those wishing to convert.
Read article →Complete guide to the Jewish holiday calendar: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Purim, Passover, Shavuot, Tisha B'Av, and modern holidays like Yom HaShoah and Yom HaAtzmaut.
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