Rabbi Haim Ovadia is the rabbi of Magen David Sephardic Congregation in DC/MD. Sign up for Rabbi Ovadia’s newsletter here.
Haim Ovadia
By Haim Ovadia
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Community How Do You Choose A Jewish Day School Curriculum?
It is hard to believe, but there is no agreed-upon curriculum in the Jewish education system in the United States. In the few schools where the idea of a curriculum exists, it usually presents the following problems: There is no K-12 curriculum. Rather, pre-school usually focuses on language skills and holidays, while elementary school and…
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Community How To Clean For Passover — Without Losing Your Mind
The intent of this guide is to make your life easier, as G-d intended for it to be. It will hopefully allow you to focus more on the spiritual experience of the Passover Seder night and spend less time, money and energy on unnecessary cleaning and on purchasing expensive certified Kosher products. Even if you…
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Community Getting Drunk On Purim Is Not Kosher
Getting Drunk Is Not Kosher Today, we are well aware of the dangers of excessive drinking, alcohol addiction, and binging. There are strict laws regarding distribution of alcohol to minors and driving under the influence of alcohol. Yet at least once a year, On Purim, observant Jews behave as if there is no tomorrow and…
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Community Your Complete Guide To Fire Safety On Shabbat
A version of this post appeared in Rabbi Ovadia’s daily newsletter. It is important to understand the laws of putting out fire on Shabbat. There are lengthy discussions in the Mishnah, the Talmud, and Halachaic literature, which I have thoroughly analyzed below. Meanwhile, here are the essential guidelines: • Make sure fire alarms are installed…
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Community The Laws Of Hanukkah 101: All Of Your Burning Questions, Answered
Q: Can electric candles be used for Hanukkah? A: According to Rabbi Yosef Messas[i], one is allowed to light an electric Hanukkiah, reciting the blessings before flipping the switch or tightening the light bulb. The most common situation where this would be required is when staying at a hotel where it is forbidden to light…
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Community 3 Very Religious Reasons To End The Barbaric Practice Of Kapparot With Live Chickens
Kapparot is a customary Jewish atonement ritual practiced by some Jews between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Traditionally, a person waves a chicken around his or her head and recites a penitential text. The chickens are then donated to the poor. In Tur Orah Haim, laws of Kippur (chapter 605), we find the following discussion:…
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Community Your Ultimate Guide To The Laws Of Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur Eve And Teshuva (Repentance) • The guiding rule in observing Yom Kippur is maintaining a balance between respecting the sanctity of the day and one’s physical health. • According to Shulhan Arukh (Code of Jewish Law), the practice of doing Kapparot with chickens should be eliminated. • We must ask for forgiveness and reconcile with…
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Community Your Ultimate Guide To The Laws And Customs Of Shavuot
This is a brief review of the laws and customs of Shavuot. Besides the status of Shavuot as a Yom Tov, there are neither biblical nor rabbinical laws relevant to it today. In biblical times Shavuot was the culmination of the Exodus, and it did not have a date of its own, but rather was…
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