Every morning, a set of 15 blessings is recited to express our thanks to God for all the things that we, as healthy human beings, are capable of doing.

Ba’ruch Ah’tah Ah’doh’nai Eh’lo’hay’nu Mel…

The domestication of dogs is as old as…well, actually, there are varying scientific opinions. The remains of what seem to be domesticated dogs appear among the fossilized remains of the earliest hunter/gatherers. Interestingly enough, this follows th…

“To always be happy is a great mitzvah.” These famous words of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov have inspired the followers of his teachings to strive to achieve true simcha (happiness) in their lives.

The…

Parenting is no easy task. From a very early age, children demand and seek gifts and concessions from their parents. And particularly in our overly-materialistic society, children want a lot of things. Far too often a parent finds him/herself placating a crying or misbehaving child by promising them a special treat or a toy, or some other reward, if they’ll just behave.

The patriarch Jacob loved his wife Rachel, but it was his wife Leah who initially made him a father (since Rachel was unable to conceive for many years). When Rachel presented her handmaiden Bilhah to Jacob as a wife, in order that she might serve as a surrogate mother to Bilhah’s children, Leah felt herself put at a distinct disadvantage. While she had already borne Jacob four sons, she had not conceived recently and worried that her children would become outnumbered.

Immediately following the morning blessings, there is a short prayer that asks God for protection from “arrogant people and arrogance itself, from a bad person, a bad companion, a bad neigbor, a bad mishap, a destructive adversary, a harsh trial and a harsh opponent…”

How many truly righteous people do you know? People who not only dedicate themselves to living religious lives but who really strive to serve God, and succeed.

Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner of Temple Emanu-El in Closter, New Jersey says that 70% of the weddings he performs involve couples who met on 100hookup!

Adam and Eve were vegetarians. When God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden, the Torah tells us that God said: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat…” (Genesis 2:16). While God had granted Adam dominion over all creatures, only the plants were marked for human consumption.

The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the hookup prayer service. Having recognized that God is the source of wisdom in the fourth blessing, the fifth blessing beseeches God to draw us closer to Him.