My Jewish Learning
My Jewish Learning is the leading independent website and digital community for all things Jewish, from Jewish history to text to ritual to prayer to food and much more. We offer a robust website with thousands of articles answering nearly every possible question about Judaism and Jewish life, a daily newsletter guiding subscribers through interesting facts and must-read news about Jewish life and practice, a daily Talmud essay called "A Daily Dose of Talmud," a weekly Shabbat newsletter, dozens of special emails featuring insights into major Jewish topics, and a robust online community through our social media channels. Articles written with the My Jewish Learning byline are authored and edited by our staff. My Jewish Learning's staff includes leading Jewish scholars and journalists. Rachel Scheinerman, who holds a doctorate in Ancient Judaism from Yale University, is My Jewish Learning's Editor, and Ben Harris, a longtime, award-winning journalist covering Jewish topics, is Managing Editor.
Articles by My Jewish Learning
Sabbath Manifesto
Yes, the rabbis of the Talmud gave you permission to get your drink on. Or, at least, to drink 3.07 ounces, the minimum amount of wine that the sages required in order to say kiddush on the Sabbath (although more is welcome, if you're in the mood).
Sabbath Manifesto
According to the Book of Isaiah, to observe the Sabbath you should honor it "by not doing your usual ways." (58:13) And what's more usual than checking your email, scrolling through your music collection, and texting the night away? Modern technologies ar
Sabbath Manifesto
Sabbath can be a time for silence. Even the sounds of Sabbath are meant, in their own way, to channel silence. A nigun, the spiritual type of song sung by Hasidim, is fundamentally a wordless, chanted melody. In the place of words, the songs use "nonsense
Sabbath Manifesto
So much of Shabbat is focused on resting, and by association, not working. You’d think that the idea of avoiding commerce on Shabbat is directly connected to this idea, but it’s not that simple. After all, rabbis go to work on Saturday morning.
Sabbath Manifesto
Today people often light candles to create a certain kind of atmosphere. At special occasions and intimate moments, the soft light helps us relax. For Jews, this custom goes back thousands of years.
Sabbath Manifesto
The Sabbath is a day of rest, which lends itself to spending quality time with our nearest and dearest.
Monotonix Concert Video
At a normal Monotonix concert (if "normal" is a word that can apply), singer Ami Shalev jumps into the waiting audience and is caught and held aloft by the crowd. Soon, guitarist Yonatan Gat and drummer Haggai Fershtman will join him--after the audience t
Ask the Expert: Tzitzit Hanging Out
Why do some people tuck them in, and others let them hang free?
Chutzpah Music Video
Master Tav, M.C. Meshugenah, and Dr. Dreck rap about everything from the state of Israel to someone's "J-status" (whether or not they're Jewish) to defending their "shtetl credibility." Filmed in the style of a documentary, the over-the-top characterizati