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1 week ago | 
chabad.org | Yehuda Shurpin
Visiting someone who’s sick—bikur cholim—is more than just a nice thing to do. It’s a powerful mitzvah with deep meaning.
The Torah tells us that G‑d Himself visited Abraham when he was recovering from his circumcision. Later, three angels came to do the same. From this, our sages learn that we’re meant to follow G‑d’s example and visit the sick too.
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1 week ago | 
chabad.org | Yehuda Shurpin
Question:
I read on your site about the 24,000 disciples of Rabbi Akiva who, due to their lack of respect for each other, died between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot. I read that as a result of this there are special laws of mourning during this period, such as not getting haircuts or holding weddings. One thing, however, I don’t get.
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1 week ago | 
chabad.org | Yehuda Altein |Menachem Posner |Yehuda Shurpin |Tzvi Freeman
And at that time there will be no hunger or war, no jealousy or rivalry. For the good will be plentiful, and all delicacies available as dust. The entire occupation of the world will be only to know G-d... the people Israel will be of great wisdom; they will perceive the esoteric truths and comprehend their Creator's wisdom as is the capacity of man.
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2 weeks ago | 
chabad.org | Yehuda Shurpin
There’s a custom to study one chapter of Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) every Shabbat afternoon between Passover and Shavuot.
Many communities, including Chabad, continue learning Pirkei Avot each week throughout the summer, all the way up until Rosh Hashanah.
It’s usually studied after Minchah (the afternoon prayer), in the waning moments of Shabbat.
A Quick Note: Why Six Chapters?
There are six Shabbatot between Passover and Shavuot.
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4 weeks ago | 
chabad.org | Yehuda Shurpin
We all know the first nights of Passover are a big deal, when we celebrate the Exodus from Egypt. But did you know that something equally dramatic happened on the seventh night? On Shevi’i shel Pesach, we mark the anniversary of the Splitting of the Sea.
In many Jewish communities—both Ashkenazi and Sephardic—there’s a beautiful tradition of staying up late (or even all night) on Shevi’i shel Pesach.
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1 month ago | 
chabad.org | Yehuda Shurpin
A similar version has this explanation as part of a story: It is told that Rabbi Yonasan Eybeschutz was once staying at an inn where simple townsfolk were discussing the famous controversy between him and Rabbi Yaakov Emden. Each person took a different side in the dispute until they began to speak critically of the great Rabbi Yonasan himself—unaware that he was sitting among them, disguised in the clothing of a simple villager.
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1 month ago | 
chabad.org | Yehuda Shurpin
When the Torah commands us to tell the story of the Exodus at the Seder, it frames the entire experience as a parent responding to a curious child’s questions. To spark that curiosity, the sages filled the night with unusual rituals that make a child stop and ask, “What’s going on here?”One such ritual is the dipping of the karpas. Think about it: We take a simple vegetable, dip it in salt water, and eat it before the meal even begins.
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1 month ago | 
chabad.org | Yehuda Shurpin
Question:Rabbi, I am a journalist that was added to a group chat of high-ranking government officials. I was exposed to some classified material. Is that OK if I share it with my newspaper? OK, just kidding! Obviously, I’m not a journalist. Still, I’m curious: What would Judaism say about it? Response:Revealing secrets is generally prohibited under the Biblical injunction, “You shall not go around as a gossipmonger amidst your people; you shall not stand by [the shedding of] your fellow's blood.
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1 month ago | 
chabad.org | Yehuda Shurpin
So, you know you can’t cook or adjust a flame on Shabbat. But does that mean you’re stuck eating only cold food? Not necessarily!Of course, with certain restrictions, you can leave food on the fire from before Shabbat—hello, cholent!But what about food that’s sitting cold in the fridge? Is there a way to warm it up on Shabbat? Let’s break it down.
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1 month ago | 
chabad.org | Yehuda Shurpin
QuestionAs my child was practicing the Mah Nishtanah for the Seder, she asked me about the question "On all other nights, we don’t even dip once, but on this night, we do so twice.” “Wait,” she said, “don’t we dip apples into honey on Rosh Hashanah and the challah into salt all year round?"Reply Interestingly, a child once asked this very question to the Rebbe.
