Daf HaYomi, Mishna and Talmud
I have a cousin in New York whom I call on occasion, and at times when I call to speak to him his wife tells me he’s “out doing the Doff”. I’m a little embarrassed to ask her what that means, so could you possibly shed some light on this for me? Much appreciated.
Why is it that one needs to bury the dishes to make them kosher again?
I recently visited my grandmother (who’s nearly 90 and not in the greatest health), and she told me many things about the family I never knew before. One thing she told me had me very confused and I was hoping you could shed some light on it for me. My grandmother shocked me by telling me that her and my Grandpa kept kosher the first years of their marriage until the kids were young. Then, one day when they were away on vacation, upon returning they realized that the maid had mixed up the meat and milk dishes. My grandmother wasn’t about to dig a hole in the back yard to bury the dishes to make them kosher again, so she decided on the spot that they were done with kosher. Our family, although proudly Jewish, has had nothing to do with kosher, or nearly any other observance for that matter, ever since. That decision obviously had a major impact on the future of her family for generations to come, and it was all based on the need to bury the dishes. Why is it that one needs to bury the dishes to make them kosher again? Dishes don’t die to need to come back to life or something…the whole thing has been upsetting to me and I need some explanation.
Why Do Girls Celebrate a Bat Mitzvah at 12?
Our daughter has just turned 11, and we are beginning to make Bat Mitzvah plans. My husband and I, however, are torn whether to celebrate the event at her 12th birthday, in the traditional way, or to wait until she’s 13. Many of our friends have done it at 13 at our Temple. Have you any insight into this question?
What Is The Real Meaning of the term “BAR MITZVAH”?
I’ve heard all the jokes about the Bar Mitzvah being more bar than mitzvah and raising the bar, etc. But what is the actual meaning of the term “Bar Mitzvah”?
The Jew in the Lotus : Buddhism & Judaism
I recently read a book called “The Jew in the Lotus,” which chronicles the visit of a group of Jews to have a dialogue with the Dalai Lama in India. I was both intrigued and troubled by the continual attempt to show common threads between Judaism and Buddhism. What I’m most troubled by is that I don’t have the knowledge to know if the modes of meditation in Buddhism and Judaism are truly similar, and I was hoping you are familiar with the book and can offer some insight.
