Tag: Judaism

Happy Hanukkah from Golders Green

 

 

We live near Golders Green in NW London for many years; there has been a strong Jewish community. We like the Jewish bakeries, delicious chollah bread, bagels and cakes 🙂

In December when we celebrate Christmas, Jews celebrate  Hanukkah ( dedication) also known as Chanukah or Chanukkah; This is the festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication.  Hindus also have a  festival of lights called Diwali in October.    Hanukkah commerates the redication of the Holy(second) Temple in Jerusalem around the second century BC, during the time of the Maccabean Revolt. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev relating to the Hebrew calendar,  which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the western used Gregorian calendar.

The alighting of the nine branch Menorah (candelabrum) one candle, bulb etc is lit each night over the eight day festival. The ninth branch (attendant) of the menorah is either  above or  below the other eight and is the general purpose light.      

 

Teachings From The Talmud

talmud_set1ALL the blessings of a household come through the wife, therefore should her husband honour her.
-Talmud.
——
A dream is a prophecy in miniature.
– Talmud

A person will be called to account on Judgement Day for every permissible thing he might have enjoyed but did not.
– The Talmud
——-

COMMIT a sin twice, and it will not seem to thee a sin.
Talmud.

——
Deeds of kindness weigh as much as all the commandments.
– The Talmud
——–
He who is loved by man is loved by God.
—The Talmud.
——–
HE that is ambitious of fame destroys it. He that increaseth not his knowledge diminishes it. He that uses the crown of learning as an instrument of gain will pass away.
– Talmud.
——–
HE who can feel ashamed will not readily do wrong.
– Talmud.
…….
HE who mixes with unclean things becomes unclean himself; he whose associations are pure becomes purer each day.
– Talmud.
——
He who sacrifices a whole offering shall be rewarded for a whole offering; he who offers a burnt-offering shall have the reward of a burnt-offering; but he who offers humility to God and man shall be rewarded with a reward as if he had offered all the sacrifices in the world.
—The Talmud.

——
IF thou lackest knowledge, what hast thou then acquired? Hast thou acquired knowledge, what else dost thou want?
-Talmud.
——
If you add to the truth, you subtract from it.
– The Talmud
——–
IF you wish to know how much preferable wisdom is to gold, then observe: if you change gold you get silver for it, but your gold is gone; but if you exchange one sort of wisdom for another, you obtain fresh knowledge, and at the same time keep what you possessed before.
~ Talmud.
——-
NEVER put thyself in the way of temptation: even David could not resist it.
– Talmud.
——–
NOTHING is more becoming a man than silence. It is not the preaching but the practice which ought to be considered as the more important. A profusion of words is sure to lead to error.
– Talmud.
——-
One thing obtained with difficulty is far better than a hundred things procured with ease.
—The Talmud.
—————

SEVEN things characterise the wise man, and seven the blockhead. The wise man speaks not before those who are his superiors, either in age or wisdom. He interrupts not others in the midst of their discourse. He replies not hastily. His questions are relevant to the subject, his answers, to the purpose. In delivering his sentiments he taketh the first in order first, the last, last. What he understands not he says, “I understand not.” He acknowledges his error, and is open to conviction. The reverse of all this characterises the blockhead.
~Talmud

……
The one great requisite is character.
– The Talmud

THERE is a great difference between one who can feel ashamed before his own soul and one who is only ashamed before his fellow men.
~ Talmud.
……..
THERE are three things which, in great quantity, are bad, and, in little, very good: leaven, salt, and liberality.
– Talmud.
——–
THE best conduct a man can adopt is that which gains him the esteem of others without depriving him of his own.
– Talmud.
——–

THE best preacher is the heart; the best teacher is time; the best book is the world; the best friend is God.

Talmud.

……….

UNDERSTAND a man by his deeds and words; the impressions of others lead to false judgment.
– Talmud.
——–
When you teach your son, you teach your son’s son.
~The Talmud
——–
WHOSOEVER does not persecute them that persecute him; whosoever takes an offence in silence; he who does good because of love; he who is cheerful under his sufferings—these are the friends of God, and of them the Scripture says, “They shall shine forth like the sun at noontide.”
– Talmud.
——–

The Rabbi Teaches……….


A fallen souffle is just a risen omellette.  It depends on how you look at it, that’s all – from above or below.
– Rabbi Lionel Blue

If you want to raise a man from mud and filth, do not think it is enough to keep standing on top and reaching down to him a helping hand. You must go all the way down yourself, down into the mud and filth. Then take hold of him with strong hands and pull him and yourself out into the light.
– Rabbi Shelomo


If I am not for myself, who is for me? But if I am only for myself what am I? And if not now, when?
– Rabbi Hillel

In everyone there is something precious, which is in no one else. That is why it is said: “Despise not any man.”
– Rabbi Pinhas

All joys hail from paradise, and jests too, provided they are uttered in true joy.
– Rabbi Pinhas

Go down the ladder when thou marriest a wife; go up when thou choosest a friend.
— Rabbi Ben Azai.

Worry and gloom are the roots of all the powers of evil.
– Rabbi Jacob Joseph

“Science takes things apart to see how they work. Religion puts things together to see what they mean.”
– Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

Jewish New Year

Judaism

 

Jewish New Year


24 September 2012

Nena at work said that the Jewish year is now 5733, which commenced from the day of creation.