All in Rosh HaShanah

Parshas Ki Savo: The Destruction Of Amaleik As A Means To An End & The Real Work Of The High Holidays

Devir Kahan
Elul, Israel, Machshavah, Parsha, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur

Last week’s parsha concludes with the commandment to destroy the nation of Amaleik. This week’s parsha begins by listing the unique mitzvos ha’teluyos ba’aretz, or the mitzvos that are only able to be fulfilled in the land of Israel, starting with bikkurim. Rashi often asks what the connection between two seemingly unrelated parshios is, but he is curiously silent here...

Perspectives On New Year’s Day

Devir Kahan
Rosh HaShanah, Holidays, New Year's Day

The history of New Year’s Day is a complicated and most interesting one. The short version of it all goes essentially as follows: In ancient Rome, as the calendar was being formed and reformed, it was decided that a month should be named after the Roman God Janus who represented transitions, doors, gates, and beginnings. This month came to be known as January. Given the God that it represented, the first day of the month became the start of the new year, and was a day of festivities in celebration of new beginnings...