Many mistakenly view mitzvot as the equivalent of good deeds. Though mitzvot are indeed good deeds, they are much more than just that. The word mitzvah, which literally means “commandment,” ...

Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its ...

To be ‘shomer mitzvot’ does not mean to keep mitzvot! That is the surprising view of the Or HaChaim Hakadosh. If that’s the case, what does being ‘shomer mitzvot’ mean? The Or HaChaim explains that it ...

In other words, one may not “kill two birds with one stone.” Each mitzvah that one performs must be done individually and with one’s undivided attention. 2 In fact, the intent to perform one mitzvah ...

Rabbi Yeshayahu Pinto’s teachings are renowned across the Jewish world. His lessons combine Hasidic thought and philosophy with practical advice for a better life. Here, we have gathered some insights ...

Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its ...

Recounting for the first time the story of an entire people who, after long years of harsh and grueling bondage, emerge into freedom. Parashat Beshalach is a historic Torah portion, recounting for the ...

Do mitzvot have reasons or are they purely a Divine decree? Should we live lives insulated from other cultures or integrated with them? Is religious life an ascetic one or should we take advantage of ...

About a month after her father passed away in 2006, Linda Cohen awoke in the middle of the night with an idea. Cohen had been looking for a better way to grieve for her father, one that would both ...

Jewish Social Justice Activists: You are doing Mitzvot! Supporting Israel, helping the Jewish poor, funding Jewish day school: there are an infinite number of Jewish concerns and needs today. How can ...