Holiday- Commentary

Of the three Yomim Tovim known as the ”Shalosh Regalim“, it seems that the least celebrated is the festival of Shavuos. Pesach is celebrated by eating matzah, drinking the four cups of wine, and holding an elaborate Seder. During Sukkos we sit in a Sukkah and take the lulav and esrog. On Shavuos, though there is neither a “special” food to eat nor a particular commemorative mitzvah to perform, the holiday is commemorated in other ways. During the time of the Beis Hamikdash, we commence bringing the annual Bikkurim offering to the Beis Hamikdash on Shavuos; we commemorate the yahrzeit of Dovid Hamelech; we offer the ‘Shtei Halechem’ bread on the Mizbeach. This fascinating sefer illuminates a range of topics, giving the reader a deeper and broader appreciation for this Yom Tov. Among the many issues illuminated are:

• The connection between Bikkurim and Shavuos
• The life and legacy of Dovid Hamelech
• Man’s unique role in fulfilling the Torah
• The authoritative stature of Moshe Rabbeinu
• The Mitzvah of Aliyah L’Regel
• The division of Tanach
• Prophecy

With its rich diversity of opinions and close study of the various themes of the holiday of Shavuous, Rabbi Sender once again demonstrates what has made the Commentators’ Series so popular and valued.

Festivals of Faith: Reflections on the Jewish Holidays is a collection of Rabbi Norman Lamm's thoughts on the Jewish holidays culled principally from his sermons and divrei Torah delivered while he was Rabbi of The Jewish Center in New York City. Each discourse is an individual gem, and together they constitute a treasure trove of profound insights and inspiring teachings. Spanning the entire year, Festivals of Faith contains several selections for each holiday. Those familiar with Rabbi Lamm and his work will find numerous examples of Rabbi Lamm's consummate ability to captivate his audience with intellectually compelling concepts masterfully expressed in his eloquent style. Celebrate the holidays with Rabbi Lamm as they take on new meaning in the hands of this master of Jewish thought and tradition. Rabbi Norman Lamm, Chancellor of Yeshiva University and Rosh HaYeshiva of its affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, is one of the most gifted and profound thinkers of the Modern Orthodox community. He was the founding editor of Tradition, the journal of Orthodox thought published by the Rabbinical Council of America, and to this day convenes the Orthodox Forum, a think tank of rabbis, academicians, and community leaders that meets annually to discuss topics of concern in the Orthodox community. Rabbi Lamm served for many years as Rabbi of The Jewish Center, one of New York City's most prominent and vibrant Orthodox synagogues. A prolific author in the field of Jewish philosophy and law, a distinguished academician, and a charismatic pulpit rabbi, Rabbi Lamm has made, and continues to make, an extraordinary impact on the Jewish community. With a rare combination of penetrating scholarship and eloquence of expression, he has successfully presented a Torah view of contemporary Jewish life that speaks movingly to all. David Shatz is Professor of Philosophy at Yeshiva University. Simon Posner is Executive Editor of OU Press

The Three Weeks. The Nine Days. Tisha B’Av. Mourning, tragedy, Churban, destruction. But then… Tu B’Av. Comfort, joy, celebration; a festival like no other. As believing Jews, we know that in the darkest, most painful moments lie the seeds of joy and rebirth. Still, it takes a genius of optimism and emunah — it takes a Rabbi Paysach Krohn — to show us how to find positivity while never minimizing the pain of the Churban. In this book — this extraordinary book — he shows us how. In From Sorrow to Celebration Rabbi Krohn shares compelling divrei Torah and – of course – dozens of poignant and uplifting stories. Stories that open new vistas of Ahavas Hashem, Ahavas HaTorah, and Ahavas Yisrael. Stories showcasing the awesome power of our prayers and our tears, the great opportunities that teshuvah offers us. We will enrich our understanding of the Three Weeks, the Nine Days, Tishah B’Av and Megillas Eichah. And then... we move From Sorrow to Celebration, with fascinating sections on the Bais HaMikdash, Ahavas Yisrael, Shabbos Nachamu, Mashiach and Geulah and (mazal tov!) the joyous day of Tu B’Av. In another unique section, Rabbi Krohn shares brief biographies and riveting stories of gedolim whose yahrzeits fall in the period of the Three Weeks until Tu B’Av, including Rashi, the Arizal, and Rav Elyashiv, adding still another level of inspiration in these sorrow-filled months. From From Sorrow to Celebration is about the cleansing of our sadness. It’s about the possibility of rebuilding — both the Beis HaMikdash and also ourselves. It is about the tears... and the laughter that follows those tears.

Inside Time by acclaimed author, Rabbi Yanki Tauber, is a three-volume book series exploring the soul of time as defined by the Torah and illuminated by Chassidic thought, particularly by the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. The three volumes of this series examine the essence of time and its origins in the primordial phases of creation; the cycles and systems that characterize it and define the trajectories of our lives; and the particular time-qualities that are brought into focus by the festivals and special dates of the Hebrew calendar. Volume 1 addresses the mystical view of time and its cycles. Volume 2 covers all the holidays and significant days from Rosh Hashana through Purim. Volume 3 covers all the holidays and significant days from Passover through Elul, the closing month of the Hebrew year.

Nine Readings in the Month of Av collects nine encounters of dialogue and havruta study with distinguished members of Israeli society who are actively engaged in the arts, humanities, and the attempt to build a better and more hopeful society. The dialogues seek to decipher the profound insights embedded in the legends of the Ḥurban, the destruction of the Temple, while interpreting them from a personal and contemporary perspective. The Ḥurban narratives are read here as a response to the challenges of our generation, as an interpretive gesture to the ancient authors, and as an effort to find contemporary social meanings that parallel past events.

Nine Reading in the Month of Av is a book that is independent of a specific date in the calendar. It follows the Jewish-Israeli calendar, in which the memory of the Ḥurban is recalled over and over in the context of painful social failures. Returning to ancient stories filled with wisdom, which resonate with human and national hardships, can illuminate the challenges of our own era and suggest paths for social and moral repair.

"This is an excellent book for sensitizing young people of any denomination to recognize injustice."--Church & Synagogue Libraries

Child Study Children's Book Committee Book of the Year Selection

The animals in the clearing were content until the Terrible Things came, capturing all creatures with feathers.

Little Rabbit wondered what was wrong with feathers, but his fellow animals silenced him. "Just mind your own business, Little Rabbit. We don't want them to get mad at us."

A recommended text in Holocaust education programs across the United States, this unique introduction to the Holocaust encourages young children to stand up for what they think is right, without waiting for others to join them.

Ages 6 and up

I was totally mesmerized by this outstanding, extraordinary original and creative analysis of the role the Shalosh Regalim play in representing the most fundamental elements of Jewish faith. In this work, which is organized, compelling, and full of deep wisdom, Rabbi Neil Lauer combines highly rigorous halakhic analysis with deeply thoughtful homiletical insights in a most seamless and clearly presented way. He extracts great wisdom hitherto hidden in plain sight on these important celebrations as well as on a multitude of other Jewish concepts and practices. Over and over again I found myself saying, “I knew this source, but never realized its true full meaning and significance. Of course, now it is obvious.” We owe Rabbi Lauer a great debt for the exceptional gift he has given us. Your understanding and appreciation of the Shalosh Regalim, like mine, will never be the same again.

Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter

Eye opening insights that will benefit scholar and layman alike. Will most certainly enhance the spiritual pleasure of the hagim.

Rabbi Eli Mansour

A refreshing and unique viewpoint. For those looking for a deep and penetrative fresh look at the Jewish holidays, enjoy The Tripod!

Rabbi Shalom Rosner

Neil (Nachman) Lauer received rabbinic ordination from RIETS, an MA in medieval Jewish philosophy from the Bernard Revel Graduate School, and an MS in secondary Jewish education from the Azrieli Graduate School. He commutes every workday between his home in Teaneck, New Jersey, and his suspender factory in Brooklyn, New York.

In Israel, the High Holiday cycle marks the transition from summer to the rainy season.

In Waiting for Rain, the acclaimed teacher Bryna Levy offers a compelling collection of meditations that examine the biblical and liturgical readings associated with the High Holidays, from Rosh Hashanah to Simhat Torah. Based on a series of lectures given in Jerusalem at Matan - the Women's Institute for Torah Studies, and known as "The Hoshana Rabbah Lectures," Levy's readings of the traditional texts echo the natural and spiritual tenor of this season.

Waiting for Rain joins the field of biblical interpretation known as parshanut ha-mikrah. It offers fresh insights into traditional rabbinic interpretation, together with the author's perspective as a modern Orthodox woman bible scholar. Levy explores the psyches of the biblical characters and addresses issues such as our connectedness to others, the tragedy of wasted opportunity, confronting evil, the denial of death, faith and doubt, personal and communal responsibility, universalism versus particularism, the challenge of leadership, sin and atonement, and the efficacy of prayer. The result is a highly personal approach to the meaning of the High Holidays that resonates with our own modern lives. Stories about heroes and heroines, love, faith, hope, and dreams make this book a moving and engaging source for study and reflection as well as an excellent companion to the traditional High Holiday prayer services. To read more about Bryna Jocheved Levy and her work, visit her website.