Here is are the 4  favorite Menorahs chosen by jJudaica.com team:

1. Tree of Life Menorah
   • Silver Plated
   • Remarkable Shape
   • Now on Sale

   

2. Contemporary Menorah
   • Silver Plated
   • Modern, Fresh Clean Look
3. Antique Look Menorah
   • Solver Plated (Oxidized)
   • Classic Decoration
   • 
4. Tree of  Life (Ceramic) Menorha
   • Colorful
   • Heavy looking

   

Also, we found this great video about “How to Light the Hanukkah Menorah” on you tube; Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. Ten Great Ideas for Tu B’Av Gifts

How Many Times is the Shofar Blown on Rosh Hashanah – and Why?

The majority of Ashkenazi Jews blow the shofar 100 times. The majority of Sephardic Jews blow it 101 times. Yemenite Jews blow the shofar 41 times on the holiday. There are several explinations that expain the reasoning behind the perscribed number of shofar blasts.

The 101 Tears of a Mother

In the book of Devorah, the Jew’s were battling the Assyrians for years. The prophetess Devorah foresaw that the Assyrian general would not die in battle, but by the hands of a woman. Just as she predicted, as the Assyrians were losing the battle against the Jews, Sisera fled to the tent of Yael. Yael craftily orcherstrated Sisera’s death. She fed him salty cheese and wine, which put him to a deep sleep.  Once he was in a drunken slumber, she drove a tent stake through the general’s head, klling him dead. Although, this was a great thing for the Jewish people, saving them from a dangerous enemy, it was still a devastating reality for Siseria’s mother. Siseria’s mother felt anger towards the Jewish people more than anything. It is said that she cried 101 tears when she heard of her son’s death. 100 of those tears were directed from her anger towards the Jews, and 1 of those tears was directed from her pure love for her son.

For this reason, Ashkenazi blow 100 blasts from the shofar. The 100 blasts can counteract Siseria’s mother’s 100 tears of anger towards us. But her one pure tear of love, we cannot counteract with even the longest and most powerful shofar blast. So, Ashkenazi stop at 100, honoring the tear of love. It is a reminder for us that we should make teshuva out of love for G-d, not out of anger or fear.

The Halachic Ashkenazi Reason:

According to the Talmud, a Jew must only hear nine shofar blasts in order to fulfill the requirement for Rosh Hashanah. However, there was a debate as to what the authentic shofar blast truly was.  As we know, there are three different ways the shofar is blown. These three sounds (tekiah, shevarim, teruah) vary in length and style and have different spiritual connotations.  The Rabbis could not decide which form or combination of these blasts was the exact sound of the shofar that we are supposed to hear. Therefore, every combination possible of these three types of blasts is sounded. Each combination is bracketed by one long tekiah sound. The total of combination blasts  makes up 100 shofar blasts.

The Sephardi Mystical Reason:

There is a very kabbalistic reasons why the shofar is blown 101 times in Sephardi communities. The Hebrew letters Samech and Mem represent the name for the most harmful angel. The gematriah, numerical value, of these two letters is 60 (Samech) and 40 (Men).  In order to counteract the energy of this dark angel, the shor blower calls upon the energy of the  good angel, Michael. Michael’s name in Hebrew has the gematriah of 101: (mem=40, Yud = 10, Chaf = 20, Aleph = 1, Lamed = 30)

Related Blogs

• Related Blogs on blow the shofar

Related posts:

1. Selichot: Preparation for the Day of Power

The Selichot service consists of a series of prayers and supplications for forgiveness from G-d. Sephardim recite Slichot throughout the entire month of Elul, through Tishrei, up until Yom Kippur. This year, Sephardi Selichot starts on August 22/23. However, according to Ashkenazi custom, Selichot services only begin the Saturday night (after midnight) before Rosh Hashanah, should the holiday fall Wednesday or later in the week. However, if Rosh Hashanah falls early in the week, Selichot starts two Saturday nights before the holiday, since the service must be recited at least for four days before Rosh Hashanah. This year, Ashkenazi Selichot starts on September 12/13, 2009.

The Selichot service can be recited alone. However, several important parts of the service can only be recited with a minyan. The service is usually recited as a minyan anytime after midnight until morning, before morning prayers are recited. The service is never recited before halachic midnight because the first part of the night is considered to be a strong time of judgment.

A Look into the Service:

Selichot is a deeply moving service, full beautiful traditional songs, haunting verses, and powerful shofar blasts. One of the fundamental parts of the service is the repeated repetition of the the “Thirteen Attributes,” verses from the book of Exodus in the Torah that list the thirteen aspects of mercy and compassion that G-d embodies. The verse is as follow, “[1], Ha-shem [2], G-d [3], merciful [4], and gracious [5], long-suffering [6], abundant in goodness [7] and truth [8], keeping mercy unto the thousandth generation [9], forgiving iniquity [10] and transgression [11] and sin [12], who cleanses [13].”

Even a Little Bit of Preparation Makes a Big Difference:

Should  you only are able to make it to one Selichot service before the High Holidays hit, I guarantee that that experience (provided you are at a good minyan) will be sure to enliven your soul and prepare you for a far more powerful Yom Kippur. Two of the most important nights of Selichot are the first night of Ashkenazi Selichot service, and the night before Yom Kippur.

Tap into the wonderful gift of Selichot!

Related posts:

1. A Blast Into the Shofar

Many people associate Elul with fear, considering it a period of repentance that builds up to the High Holy Days where we are all judged by G-d. And indeed, it is a time to take stock of our behaviors and actions of the past year, and to confess what it is we need to change. This is the month where the process of repentance and coming back to our true selves. Yet, there is a deeper aspect to the month – an aspect of love. For Elul is the month where G-d himself makes a big effort to meet us where we are so the we can build a closer relationship with Him.

I am to my beloved, And My Beloved is to Me

In Hebrew, the letters of Elul (Aleph, Lamed, Vav, Lamed) symbolically stand for an important verse from the Song of Songs: “Ani Le-dodi V’dodi Li“  – “I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me.” The entire Song of Songs is a love song between G-d and ourselves. This verse’s association to the month of Elul represents the lovingly close relationship that we can establish with G-d during this powerful time. This is the month where the love story between us can climax, bringing us together in ways never before imagined.

The King is in the Field

The Alter Rebbe explains this concept with a beautiful metaphor. He explains that in Elul, “The King is in the Field”. During the rest of the year, G-d is in the palace, and we must make an intense effort to purify and ready ourselves to approach him in such a regal place. Yet, after a whole year of working hard and inevitably making mistakes, we are given a gift in Elul. This gift is the ability to connect to G-d without having to go to the palace. G-d leaves his palace and comes to find us where we are in the fields.

What is the Meaning of the Field?

When G-d cast us out of the Garden of Eden, he sent us to toil for our bread on Earth. The field symbolizes the places where we work and put effort towards sustaining ourselves in the material world. This includes all means of work: farming, cleaning, cooking, making internet sites, engineering, etc. During the year, we often struggle between the physical and the spiritual. The purpose of this world is to infuse spirituality into the physical. Should we do our physical labor in this world with proper intentions and with thoughts of others, we are actually doing spiritual work. Yet, the majority of the time, we get caught up with the stress and minute details of work. We get lost in the field, and no longer see the bigger spiritual dimension in which the field is an integral part.

The field also represents the outskirts of the city – the places where man can be his uninhibited self. This is often the place where low and thoughtless actions take place. Improper and sometimes lewd actions can occur in such places.

The Power of Love

In Elul, G-d meets us both in our lowest places of sin as well as the places where we labor without any spiritual intent. Therefore, G-d is easily accessible to us all throughout this month. G-d takes this huge step out of his palace because He loves us and wants us to be close. G-d wants, more than anything, for us to build a close relationship with Him.

Teshuva literally means return. When we make teshuva, we return to our true, G-dly natures. Teshuva can be made out of fear, or it can be made out of love. Teshuva made out of fear is a low form of teshuva. It is even considered to be a bribe to G-d. G-d will take the bribe if that is all we offer. But it is the deeper teshuva out of love that G-d really desires from us. By approaching us from his vast sense of love, G-d is showing us that we can uplift ourselves through love.

Elul is a month of transformation, coming close to G-d and thus our true selves, and being filled with supernal love.

No related posts.

Gifts for Him or Her:

A Couple Brooch: 24k Gold Plated A Couple Brooch, hand made by Noam Lipshiz, an Israeli artist.

Kabbalah Necklace: Silver Circle for Love: This special Kabbalah wheel necklace is a Segula (virtue) for those looking for their soul mates or for couples looking to strengthen  their relationships. It is embossed in Hebrew with a quote the world’s greatest love poem Shir Hashirim/ Song of Songs.

Yarden Syrah: The 2003 Yarden Syrah offers up rich blackberry jam and fresh berry notes layered with earth, spice and chocolate. The wine is full-bodied with a lightly chewy texture. A background of oak fills out the wine’s organoleptic picture.

Gifts for Him:

Sterling Silver Tefillin Case: Exquisite sterling silver Tefillin case engraved beautifully with a depiction of Jerusalem. Engraved around the perimeter with: Uk’shartam le’ot al yadecha – And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand. Designd in Israel

Light Blue Embroidered Blessing Tallit: Elegant blue-on-pale-blue raw silk Tallit embroidered beautifully with the Tallit blessing.  The Tallit is accompanied by a matching Kippah and Tallit bag. Made in Israel.

White Lace Look with Ivory Background Knitted Kippah (Yarmukle): High quality, Knitted Kippah (Yarmulke) with beautiful White Lace look on Ivory background.

Gifts for Her:

Israel Candle Holders: Large Shibolim Candle Holders by Shulamit Kanter. “A land of wheat, barely and vines, of fig trees and the Pomegranate ; a land of olive trees and honey”. Includes two removable nickel plated brass candle cups.

Silver-Plated Pomegranatte Candle Holders: Crafted in Israel, these beautiful silver-plated pomegranates are elegant holders for ritualistic Shabbat or Yom Tov candles.

Classic Candle Lighter: Electro Forming Silver Classic Candle Lighter for Shabbat, Havdlah and Yom Tov candle lighting. Designed in Israel.

Sterling Silver Hamsa Necklace: Red is for Love. This beautiful Adaya hamsa charm, is hand crafted in Israel, with red glass and crystal beads.
Comes with a sterling silver 16.2” chain, with no additional charge! All from Adaya jewelry.

Related posts:

1. 50% off: Silver Plated Kiddush Cup

The Mishnah, the Jewish book of laws on the Torah, declares that along with Yom Kippur, the day where all Jews are entirely cleansed of their sins, the best (happiest) day of the year for “the people of Israel” is Tu B’Av. It goes on to explain how on Tu B’Av, the daughters of Israel/Jerusalem go out dressed in white and dance in the vineyards.” ( Taanit, Chapter 4).The men would watch the women dance and decide which one they wanted to be their wife. The Hebrew women would dress in borrowed white clothes, so that the men would not be able to tell what the women’s financial statuses were based on what they were wearing. Thus, couples would come together based on love and connectivity, rather than mere financial ambition.

Tu B’Av falls on a full moon, which is part of its kabbalistic secret. The Jewish people are closely related to the moon, and are said to have the moon’s feminine energy in respect to G-d. The Jewish calander also revolves around the moon. Many important holidays and highly spiritual days, such as Passover and Sukkot, start on the full moon. Yet, the full moon of Av has a power distinct unto itself. It falls exactly 6 days after the fast day of Tisha B’Av, which is part of an entire 3 week-period of mourning and negativity. As we all know, the brightest sunrise always comes after the darkest night. Thus, after an intense period of negativity, the cosmos brings us one of the most spiritually positive days of the year: Tu B’Av!

On the full moon of Tu B’Av, there is so much positivity that male and female energies and spirituality come into balance. This balance creates the perfect environment for love, both new and old. Use the energy entailed in the day to strengthen your existing relationship, taking it to new levels. Or, let the power of its full moon help guide you towards a fresh relationship. Open yourself to love, either through prayer or through proper channeling of its energy. Anything is possible during this kabbalsitic day of love.

No related posts.

However, the history of tragedy which is linked to Tishah b’Av goes much further back than the destruction of Jerusalem or either of the two Temples. It goes back to the Torah, the book of Numbers, which relates the story of the Jews traveling in the desert towards Israel after leaving Egypt. When the Jews were first intended to go into Israel, they asked Moses to send spies into the land, so that they could be informed of its inhabitants and what challenges they would be up against. The spies came back on the 9th of Av with very frightening reports of how the inhabitants of Israel (the Land of Cana’an) were giants and how the land “eats up its inhabitants.” The Jews were terrified and spent the whole night crying and complaining that they would rather return to be slaves in Egypt than to attempt to conquer the Land of Cana’an. They doubted in themselves and in G-d’s ability to help them conquer a land they promised in. It was for this reason that G-d decreed that the Jews would have to wander in the desert for 40 more years, until every Jew of the generation would die. What’s more, G-d decreed that that since the Jews cried for no real reason on that night, the 9th of Av, that date would take on negative energy and in the future, be the anniversary of true tragedies (i.e. the destruction of the 2 Temples).

Thus, the inherent energy of negativity on Tishah b’Av has been sustained for thousands of years. Yet, according to kabbalah, that which has the strongest potential for negativity also contains the strongest potential for positivity. Tishah b’Av actually has the potential of being one of the most positive days of the year. It is believed that on Tishah b’Av the Moshiach is supposed to be born, bringing the whole world redemption.

The second Temple was said to be destroyed due to sinat chinam, baseless hatred. The Jews during the 2nd temple era did not treat one another with respect. Rather, they despised each other for no real reason. Kabbalah teaches that the only antidote to the suffering and destruction we’ve incurred due to baseless hatred is ahavat chinam, baseless love. In order for Tishah b’Av to be the day of positivity it has the potential to be, we all have to increase the amount of love we have for one another. We have to reach out and give, appreciating and radiating warmth and positivity to one another with no strings attached. We have to let go of our own self interests and think of others, loving them even when there seems to apparent reason to love.

The sages teach that every year that a new Temple is not rebuilt, it is as if the people in that generation had destroyed it. Thus, every year up until now, we have continued our pattern of baseless hatred and brought negativity to the world. Isn’t it time to break the pattern?  This could be the year that baseless love could take over, making this years Tishah b’Av a reason to celebrate instead of mourn. Let us merit to be the generation that brings this wave of redemption into the world.

The above picture is  “… an attempt to commerate those tragic events…” (destruction of both first and second temples) by Dzeni

No related posts.

We are happy to present to you, our newly born blog: jJudaica.com’s blog will feature entries on kabbalah, a glossary of Judaica and Judaism, the latest innovations in Judaica, and much more. We hope to be a home for the most relevant and up-to-date information on Judaica and the vibrant spirit of Judaism.

We invite you to share your thoughts with us. Our blog is intended to be a sounding board and gathering site for everyone who has a soft spot in their heart for Jewish culture, spirituality, Zion, and Judaica pieces. May it bring us all closer together as we go forward in the cycle of the Jewish year, sharing in holidays and celebrations. So, please write, comment on our posts, and most importantly Live Your Faith.

No related posts.