Shmuel Goldin, at The Blogs

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Jun 18, 2020, 11:46 PM

Beginning early and ending late: The power of uncertainty

Did you ever ask yourselves the questions: Why do we start Shabbat early, and end Shabbat late? Why do we begin Shabbat shortly before sunset, yet end the day shortly after nightfall? The answers to these questions will take us into a fascinating halachic realm...

Apr 24, 2020, 1:22 AM

An Omer Mystery

Everyone loves a mystery. I would therefore like to suggest one for consideration during your hours of bidud (or semi-bidud, as the case may be). Rooted at a critical historical juncture of our nation’s history, this mystery remains particularly relevant for us today. First, some...

Mar 19, 2020, 10:13 PM

Begin at the Beginning: But Where’s the Beginning?

The question should be simple enough to answer. When does the Jewish year begin? There is a problem, however; there is no clear “beginning” to the Jewish year. While other faith traditions identify one yearly date as their year’s commencement; the Jewish calendar contains numerous...

Mar 6, 2020, 12:36 AM

The Most Frightening Moment

What is — to your mind — the most frightening moment of the Purim story? I will admit that this question might seem somewhat strange. Purim, after all, is not an occasion designed to inspire fear. Celebration, merriment, frivolity all are much more the order...

Feb 14, 2020, 9:06 PM

Understanding Israel: A Message from the Patriarchal/Matriarchal era

So there we were, my wife and I, embarking on another of the seemingly endless tasks associated with our aliyah On this occasion, we needed to visit the Misrad Hap’nim, the interior ministry. In order to avoid the long lines at the central office in...

Dec 26, 2019, 9:31 PM

A Beautiful Battle

Puzzling questions emerge when we consider the mitzvah of neirot Chanukah, the rabbinically mandated mitzvah of the Chanukah lights. The talmudic sages structure the basic mitzvah as follows, in Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 21b: Ner Chanukah ish u’veito. The fundamental obligation is to light one candle...

Jun 1, 2018, 12:05 PM

A small Druze village nestled in the hills of Israel’s Galilee region hides an unbelievable Jewish story. I discovered this story by accident a few weeks ago, and it has affected me deeply, in ways that I am only now beginning to understand. We were...

May 10, 2018, 6:04 PM

Israel at 70 — Zionism when the child is grown

It used to be so easy to be a Zionist…. Years ago, things were clear. Those were the heady days of Israel’s miraculous birth in the shadow of the Holocaust, of decisive victories in its battles for survival, of the draining of the swamps and...

Mar 28, 2018, 11:12 PM

Diaspora Zionism: Exploring the Limits

A powerful mystery should haunt us each year at this time of the year; a mystery that strikes to the core of the Pesach festival with its overriding theme of “V’higadeta L’vincha”, “And you shall teach your child”. Consider the following two Talmudic assertions: •...

Mar 27, 2018, 5:52 PM

A True Funny Story with a Not So Funny Message

A quick story to put a smile on your faces as you pause in your Pesach prep-but with a serious thought at the end… Given the periodic trips that we will need to take back to the States from our new home in Israel, Barbara...

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About Me

Rabbi Shmuel Goldin is Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood NJ where he served as Senior Rabbi for over three decades. He is past president of the Rabbinical Council of America and the author of a 5 volume set on the Torah, “Unlocking the Torah Text” and "Unlocking the Haggada." During his tenure as Senior Rabbi he led numerous missions to Israel, particularly during difficult times such as the two Intifadas, the Iraqi Gulf War, Operation Cast Lead, Operation Pillar of Fire and Operation Protective Edge. Rabbi Goldin made Aliyah to Israel with his wife, Barbara, in 2017 and currently lives in Jerusalem. He continues to lecture, teach and write in a variety of settings throughout the world.

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