Category Archives: Uncategorized

End of Tractate Shabbat, Starting Eruvin

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

One of my teachers says that the words “a prayer for a poor man” – תפילה לעני which were made into a song and are originally in Psalms 102, are actually a acronym: the “poor-man”, the “a’ni” – ענ”י – … Continue reading →

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Tractate Eruvin 11:b-13:b – מסכת עירובין יא:ב-יג:ב

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Taste of this week’s daf… from the latter part of the 1st chapter in this tractate: what questions can come up in trying to figure out space? And, are we only talking about creating Shabbat boundaries, or personal ones too? … Continue reading →

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Big Picture, I’m fine… בגדול, אני בסדר… The Torah Portion of Shoftim & Rosh Hodesh Elul, English & עברית

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

“בגדול אנחנו בסדר”, זו התשובה של ימי הקורונה. בגדול, אני בסדר, קרובי בסדר, השכנים בסדר, אני מסתדר, הם מסתדרים, קמנו הבקר, כבר טוב. יש מה לאכול, מוצאים עשיה. אני, בגדול, אין לי תלונות. בגדול. אבל בפרטים, הכל מעורער. בפרטים, אי … Continue reading →

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A Gentle Farewell – Rav Adin Steinsaltz z”l- English & עברית

Posted on August 14, 2020 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Some have placed him at the same level as Rashi and Ramban of our time because of his ability to bring the Talmud to our homes and souls, even for those who had no yeshiva learning background. Last Friday, the … Continue reading →

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The Land of Milk & Yummy – Torah Portion of Ekev

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Food and drink are so central in our lives that we hardly give it a second thought. What matters, we tell ourselves, is “doing good”, “being kind”, “tikkun olam” etc etc. And food? It’s just a tool; something we do … Continue reading →

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Chicken Soup for Shabbat Nachamu…

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

As Tish’a Be’Av nears its end, the daily Talmud page brings an encounter of a group of sages from Israel and Babylon who tease each other over their different foods. It’s best to just look at it in the original … Continue reading →

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Rereading a famous story: Shabbat before the 9th of Av, 2020

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

My quiet hometown Haifa recently made the news for renaming one of its streets Umm Kulthum, after one of Egypt’s greatest singers, songwriters, and film actresses, known as “The Voice of Egypt”, “Egypt’s Fourth Pyramid” and Kawkab al-Sharq, the “Star … Continue reading →

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Journey or Arrival? Matot-Masei, Rabbi Akiva & Rachel (עברית + English)

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Probably the best “Love Story” in the Talmud is that of Rabbi Akiva and Rachel, the daughter of the wealthy Kalba Savua, who asked the poor shepherd to marry her on condition that he would study Torah. The gentle and … Continue reading →

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Five Daughters (Pinchas) and upcoming classes

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Corona days 2020: an article somewhere states that for some, shul is like a coffee shop, and should have that high of a priority when considering what should be or stay open nowadays. That high? What does that say about … Continue reading →

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Shabbat Balak – turning curses to blessings, then and now

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Michal Kohane מיכל כהנא

Such a good Shabbat it is, when the Torah portions of the Diaspora and Eretz Yisrael come together. Such a good Shabbat when the daf, the daily page, is full of stories that feel like from my kids’ children’s books, … Continue reading →

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