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Jan 6, 2023, 5:40 PM

Vayechi: Ensuring the Integrity of Taharas haMeis

As we leyn Parshas Vayechi, upon which there is great attention paid to Jewish end of life matters, such as halachic living wills, preventing cremation among the unaffiliated, and encouraging traditional kevuras Yisroel, there is an important issue that...

Dec 9, 2021, 2:22 PM

Shmirat HaMeit: Halakhic Sources

The Torah in Parshat Vayechi teaches us of the passing of Yaakov Avinu and his burial, as well as the death of Yosef. Much of the traditional Jewish understanding of what should occur at the time of death is...

Sep 7, 2019, 2:01 AM

Parshat Shoftim: On Judges and the Aesthetic

We live in a world that is increasingly superficial and shallow, caught up in appearances and externalities. Our idea of the beautiful captivates advertising, entertainment, business, and even education. People swipe left or right on numerous dating apps purely...

Aug 2, 2018, 12:30 PM

Abortion and the Igros Moshe

In recent days, there has been an effort to portray halakhic, Orthodox Judaism as sanctioning the pro-choice position as normative, largely in response to concerns over the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United...

Jul 18, 2018, 10:48 PM

B’Inyan Kefiyyeh b’Gittin shel Nichpeh: Coercion in Gittin of an Epileptic

The Gemara speaks of several categories of mumim -- defects -- among them the nichpeh, or epileptic. Bechoros 44b explains that one of the pesulim which invalidate a kohen for the avodah is epilepsy, even infrequently (nichpeh afilu achat...

Jul 18, 2018, 2:15 AM

Lifnei Iver, Kosher Meat, and the Nine Days

The nine days period is characterized by numerous prohibitions, including abstention from meat and wine. The Mishna (Taanit 26b) and Gemara (Taanit 30a) record an issur d’rabbanan to eat meat during the Seudah Hamafseket, the last meal before the...

Jun 30, 2018, 12:41 AM

OCD and halakha: The Orthodox rabbi’s challenge

One of the great privileges of my budding career in the rabbinate has been the opportunity to study with the Center for the Jewish Future (Yeshiva University), and to complete their Continuing Rabbinic Education (CRE) programs in areas including...

Jun 19, 2016, 8:19 PM

The Missionary Cult of Personality

One of the social phenomena most at odds with Judaism is that of the cult of personality. Max Weber explains in Economy and Society that among three distinct models of authority is the charismatic leader, whose authority grows out...

Jun 7, 2016, 7:12 AM

The Missionary Deception Hits the Israel Parade

At the Celebrate Israel Parade yesterday in Manhattan, Jews of all stripes came together to acknowledge and celebrate the central role Israel plays in Jewish life, especially salient on the 28th of Iyar, Yom Yerushalayim, commemorating the unification of...

May 30, 2016, 7:10 AM

Wholeness as the Means to Priesthood: Thoughts on Counting the Omer

The period of Sefirat haOmer is characterized by one middah in particular, temimut. Defined as wholeness, completeness, perfection, the term appears in Parshat Emor in connection with the mitzvah of Omer: Usfartem lachem mimochorat haShabat miyom havi'achem et-omer hatnufah sheva...

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About Me

Daniel Sayani is a student of traditional Jewish texts, with an eye towards their contemporary applications. He has been widely published on issues of Torah, religion, ethics, and their geopolitical dimensions. He is also an ordained Orthodox rabbi, and a firm proponent of mesorah. He currently serves as rov of Kehillas Mevaser Tov in East Brunswick, NJ. Rabbi Sayani is frequently consulted for his expertise in matters pertaining to chevra kadisha and Jewish end-of-life practices. He has semicha Yoreh Yoreh from the Nitei Gavriel, HaRav Gavriel Tzinner, shlita, Rav Refoel Dovid Banon, Rav Yochanan Gurary, Rav Dovid Schochet, Rav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, from Yeshivas Ohr Kedoshim d'Biala, Kollel Hachshores L'Rabbonus, and Yeshivas Pirchei Shoshanim, and is a graduate of the Young Israel Rabbinic Training Program.

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