Taanit

Embark on a journey of Jewish learning and discovery, exploring the depth of our Taanit resources, where tagged items including audio, programs, and podcast episodes await your exploration.

From Taanit to Megillah

Rabbi Jay Kelman

It would not be overstating the case to claim that the overarching goal of the Torah is creating a society in which G-d’s chosen nation can combine material and spiritual success. By doing so, we can inspire the nations of the world to try and…
Article
Dec 14, 2021

Ta'anit 4: Count to Ten

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Whether one eats Special K or Rice Krispies (or scrambled eggs) for breakfast matters little. But whether one uses nuclear energy to provide clean energy or build a nuclear weapon could mean the difference between saving the planet and mass…
Article
Nov 19, 2021

Ta'anit 2: Rain for the New Year

Rabbi Jay Kelman

“Meiemati, from when does one begin mentioning gevurat geshamim, the strength of the rain?” (Ta’anit 2a). The opening Mishna of masechet Ta’anit begins by asking when one should start reciting masheev haruach umoreed hageshem. The Gemara is troubled…
Article
Nov 17, 2021

Marriage over Mourning

Rabbi Jay Kelman

A Jewish wedding consists of two distinct parts: eirusin and nisuin. In eirusin (also known as kiddushin), the chatan gives the kallah something of monetary value—the universal custom is to give a ring…
Article
Jul 29, 2020

Taanit 10: To Fast or Not to Fast

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Sukkot marks the beginning of the rainy season, and Rabbi Eliezer opines that we should start saying  masheev haruach umoreed hageshem starting the first day of Sukkot. While Rabbi Yehoshua does not disagree that, in theory, Sukkot is the…
Article
Jun 29, 2014

Taanit 9: Give So You Can Get

Rabbi Jay Kelman

"If not for my covenant, day and night, the laws of heaven and earth, I would not have created" (Yirmiyahu 33:25). Classical Jewish thought saw the spiritual and physical worlds as parallel ones working in tandem. Weakness in one area…
Article
Jun 26, 2014

Taanit 7: The Wrong Reason

Rabbi Jay Kelman

It is hard enough to do what is right. Our wants, desirers, egos, social pressure, and the like often get in the way of acting properly. Even when we do the right thing, our motivation may not be the purest. We may act the way we do as a method of…
Article
Jun 23, 2014

Taanit 7: Rain, Rain, Don't Go Away

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Living in Canada, it is hard to get excited about rain. Often it puts a damper on nice summer plans. Even in Israel, where water is so much more of a precious resource, modern methods of irrigation and desalination have allowed the much smaller…
Article
Jun 21, 2014

Taanit 4: An Iron Fist

Rabbi Jay Kelman

One of the most popular images in our tradition is that of a tree. Its many component parts reflect the diversity of our community. Some, like the roots of the tree, are strongly connected to our way of life and are impervious to any winds that may…
Article
Jun 17, 2014

Some Opening Thoughts on Masechet Taanit

Rabbi Jay Kelman

"Memati mazkirin gevurat geshamim, from when do we begin to mention the power of rain?" (Ta'anit 2a). Masechet Ta'anit opens with a discussion of when we are to begin reciting masheev haruach umoreed hageshem and v'ten tal…
Article
Jun 15, 2014