August 2025 Understanding

"Im Eshkachech Yerushalayim" is a Hebrew phrase meaning "If I forget you, Jerusalem". It's a well-known verse from Psalm 137, expressing a deep sense of longing and devotion to the city of Jerusalem. The phrase is often used in Jewish tradition to signify a strong connection to Jerusalem and is sometimes recited at weddings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhD6jH-O89I&list=RD4KovU1XDNyQ&index=3

8/5/2025 - TUESDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Seyag la-Torah - fence around the Torah.

2. Gezerah:

In Jewish law, gezerah (גזרה) refers to a rabbinical enactment or decree, often a prohibition, instituted as a protective measure to safeguard religious observance. It's a "fence" or preventative measure built around a biblical commandment, often to prevent transgression or to address a specific need of the time.

8/6/2025 - WEDNESDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Eruv Chatzerot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj4lyI2qZ9Q

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/700456/jewish/What-Is-an-Eruv.htm

8/7/2025 - THURSDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Muktzeh:

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/253229/jewish/Muktzeh.htm

8/8/2025 - FRIDAY EVENING - SHABBAT BEGINS.

Topic for today:

1. Techum Shabbat:

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/6021630/jewish/What-Is-Techum-Shabbat.htm

8/9/2025 - SATURDAY EVENING - WORKING WEEK BEGINS.

Topic for today:

1.Tu B’Av:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tu-bav/

8/10/2025 - SUNDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Melakhah note:

#39 - Carrying - it has special significance as it affects social realm vs. 38 other that affect natural environment.

8/11/2025 - MONDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Merle Feld:

https://www.merlefeld.com/works.htm

https://wrj.org/blog/we-all-stood-together

8/12/2025 - TUESDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Kabbalat Panim:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/being-a-guest-at-a-jewish-wedding-a-guide/

https://www.advahdesigns.com/blogs/news/113403845-kabbalat-panim?srsltid=AfmBOopFb_1qCjcUCq235ckPTkthwLojtCu2WxRYGamjZUTlYC6fki8e

8/13/2025 - WEDNESDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Acheinu:

https://zemirotdatabase.org/view_song.php?id=19

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFMBgxJL28w

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/acheinu-a-prayer-for-freeing-captives/

8/14/2025 - THURSDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Jewish Poets:

https://yetzirahpoets.org/jewish-poets-database/

https://www.heyalma.com/6-female-jewish-poets-you-should-read/

8/15/2025 - FRIDAY EVENING - SHABBAT BEGINS.

Topic for today:

1. History of a Kippah discussion:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Judaism/comments/qmio0z/history_of_the_yarmulkekippah/

8/16/2025 - SATURDAY EVENING - Working week begins.

Topic for today:

1. Evolution of Jewish Dress:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNuauyrrxEs

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/jewish-clothing-in-the-middle-ages/

https://longnow.org/ideas/the-enduring-trajectory-of-jewish-fashion/

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/jewish-clothing/

https://encyclopedia.yivo.org/article/2094

8/17/2025 - SUNDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Dayan Grunfeld:

https://www.jewishpress.com/judaism/halacha-hashkafa/my-father-dayan-grunfeld/2012/09/12/2/

https://www.ou.org/holidays/protect_the_day_of_shabbat/

8/18/2025 - MONDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1.Why is the Bavli Talmud authoritative ?

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tale-of-two-talmuds/https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/718279/jewish/The-Two-Talmuds.htmhttps://www.reddit.com/r/Judaism/comments/5tbnva/jerusalem_talmud_vs_babylonian_talmud/

8/19/2025 - TUESDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Ne'ilah:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/neilah-service/

8/20/2025 - WEDNESDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Psalm 27:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/psalm-27/

8/21/2025 - THURSDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Psalm 35:10 - "all my bones cry out" - as an explanation of why we move when we pray.

8/22/2025 - FRIDAY EVENING - SHABBAT STARTS.

Topic for today:

1. Ana, B'Kho-ah.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaxqANScr0s&list=RDUaxqANScr0s&start_radio=1

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ana-bkoach-a-portal-to-creation/

8/23/2025 - SATURDAY EVENING - WORKING WEEK STARTS.

Topic for today:

1. Talmudic Note:

Rav Mari, son of a daughter of Schmuel - an unconventional appellation as it does not follow the regular patronymic way of doing things.

Berakhot 16A

8/24/2025 - SUNDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. El Adon: Finding God in the Shifting Light.

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/el-adon-finding-god-in-the-shifting-light/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDU5IJzoqEo&list=RDUaxqANScr0s&index=6

8/25/2025 - MONDAY EVENING.

1. What does Hamas mean in Hebrew?

In Hebrew, the word

ḥāmās (חָמָס) means violence, wrong, or injustice.

8/26/2025 - TUESDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Hamapil:

https://www.yeshiva.co/midrash/20203

https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/8651/when-to-say-hamapil

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/6955330/jewish/What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Going-to-Bed-Like-a-Jew.htm

8/27/2025 - WEDNESDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Tzedakah:

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4203668/jewish/What-Is-Tzedakah.htm

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tzedakah-101/

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tzedakah-in-the-jewish-tradition/

8/28/2025 - THURSDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. Selichot Service:

https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-holidays/rosh-hashanah/what-selichot

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/selichot-prayers-of-repentance/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE63Hb0vz4w

8/29/2025 - FRIDAY EVENING - SHABBAT STARTS.

Topic for today:

1. Blessing for a Hurricane/Natural Disaster:

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2022103/jewish/Is-There-a-Blessing-for-a-Hurricane.htm

https://reformjudaism.org/beliefs-practices/prayers-blessings/prayer-safety-after-violent-weather

https://reformjudaism.org/beliefs-practices/prayers-blessings/prayer-approaching-hurricane

https://www.rabbinicalassembly.org/story/prayer-aftermath-devastating-storm

8/30/2025 - SATURDAY EVENING - SHABBAT ENDS.

Topic for today:

1. Porging:

Jewish porging, also known as nikkur, is the process of preparing kosher meat by carefully removing forbidden fats (chelev) and the sciatic nerve (gid hanasheh) from the animal's hindquarters, based on the biblical laws in Leviticus 7:23. The term "porging" is a Judeo-Spanish word derived from the Spanish "purgar," meaning "to purge". This meticulous process, performed by a trained expert called a menakker, is crucial to ensure that the meat is fit for consumption according to Jewish dietary laws (kashrut)

8/31/2025 - SUNDAY EVENING.

Topic for today:

1. 9 Jewish Things About Pomegranates:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/9-jewish-things-about-pomegranates/

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