L’shanah Tovah Tikatayvu
August 1st, 2009L’sha-NAH to-VAH ti-ka-TEY-vu is a greeting for the New Year. It means “May you be inscribed and sealed (in the Sefer Chaiim) for a good year.”
Happy Earth Day!
April 21st, 2009April 22, 2009 is Earth Day.
With events scheduled in every town, city, and country people are coming together worldwide to mobilize, celebrate and protect the earth’s natural resources.
Check out www.EarthDay.net for a rich source of information, community organizing, event listings and ideas for how we can build a healthy and sustainable environment.
EarthDay 2009 – Get Active With Your Kids
April 21st, 2009
EarthDay 2009 – Green Your Home
April 21st, 2009
EarthDay 2009 – Green Your School
April 21st, 2009
EarthDay 2009 – Green Your Office
April 21st, 2009
Halachah
September 3rd, 2007Haggadah
March 20th, 2007Tzedakah
February 26th, 2007Tze-da-KAH is Hebrew for justice. It’s most often translated as giving money to the poor or “charity”. The difference is whereas charity has to do with kindness of heart, tzedakah is a commandment and we are obligated to do our part to make the world just no matter how we feel about it. Even the poorest of the poor is commanded to give tzedakah. The traditional amount, based on sources in the Torah, is 10% of our income.
Mitzvah
February 26th, 2007Mitz-VAH is Hebrew for commandment. Usually mitzvah is translated as “a good deed” which is generally true, but not entirely the same as a commandment from Torah. There are 613 Mitz-VOT (plural) in the Torah.
I like to think about mitzvot as our Rules for Good Living. The thing about mitzvot, is that we do them not because we’re nice people or we’re in a good mood, but because they bring consciousness into our daily life.
Here are a few examples,
Paying attention by saying a “thank you” Bracha for the food we eat
Making the world “right” by contributing Tzedakah
Lighting Shabbat candles to take time in life to rest and spend time with each other
Sharing, helping, noticing, loving
See? These are things we do every day!
