Tag: judaism
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When your fellow comes to ruin….
Woe to the person who falls on hard times! In ancient Rome, a creditor could legally imprison a person who owed him money in his own private dungeon. He could chain him to a block; sell him into slavery, or even worse. England had an infamous London prison called the Marshalsea, where debtors were sent.…
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The Hanukkah Candles
Why do we light the Hanukkah candles? According to the prayer in our siddur, Hanerot Hallalu, we light the candles to give thanks for the miracles God performed for us “in those days at this time of year”. Those miracles, which are not specified in this prayer, are the twin miracles of the victory of…
Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph 