Meaning in Jewish Laws and Holidays
Does following the Torah's commandments sometimes feel like eating your vegetables? What if there were a way to do Mitzvot that nourished you but also felt like unwrapping sweet pieces of candy? Take a closer look with Aleph Beta and discover the beauty and meaning in the Torah laws, one commandment at a time.
Meaningful Judaism
Meaning Behind Year Round Laws and Mitzvot
Meaning Behind Holiday Laws and Mitzvot
Articles
Why Does The Torah Have So Many Mitzvot?
101 Guide
Judaism has mitzvot (commandments.) A lot of them. 613, in fact, and that’s not even including the rabbinic ones. Do you ever wonder why we need all of them? Why do we need commandments at all? Isn’t it enough for me to just be a good person, to follow my moral compass?! Isn’t that what God really cares about?
What is the Meaning Behind Birkat HaMazon?
101 Guide
Why is prayer after meals important? Does God actually need our thanks and praise? By taking a closer look at context of the Mitzvah, we can learn more deeply what it means to build a relationship with God, and how to truly give thanks.
The Meaning of the Book of Jonah
101 Guide
What do we learn from Jonah the Prophet and why is this lesson so important to internalize on Yom Kippur?
The Holiday of Shavuot
101 Guide
What is Shavuot really about? Where does Matan Torah fit in? How is it relevant today?
Why Do We Shake the Lulav and Etrog on Sukkot?
101 Guide
The Torah commands us to “take” four kinds of plants on Sukkot, without saying why. But a closer look at the text reveals what it really means to rejoice on this holiday.
The Meaning of “I Am Who I Am”
101 Guide
It’s a name that seems mysterious, even cryptic. But if we read the burning bush story closely, we’ll find clues not just to God’s name but to God’s nature.
What is Considered Work on Shabbat?
101 Guide
The Torah commands us to rest from work on the seventh day, but what exactly counts as work? Why is getting a haircut considered work on Shabbat, but sweeping the floors isn’t? The rules of work on Shabbat are complex and often counterintuitive, so where do they come from?
What is the Meaning of the Mysterious Red Heifer?
101 Guide
The instructions for preparing the red heifer (parah aduma) are pretty clear and easy to understand. But each step of the ritual is mysterious and feels random. Why does the cow have to be perfect? Why is the water called mei nidda - like a menstruating woman? Why do those who prepare it become impure themselves?
Finding a Deeper Meaning to Keeping Kosher
101 Guide
The laws of Kashrut seem completely random! Why would God demand that we separate meat and milk or only eat animals that have split hooves? Shouldn’t the laws themselves helps us feel closer to God and make us better people?
How do we understand the book of Tehillim (Psalms)?
101 Guide
Reciting chapters from the book of Tehillim (Psalms) can be a meaningful experience…but are the actual words meaningful? When you look more closely, you see that the book of Tehillim articulates the faith, doubt, courage, anger, and fear that we all have throughout our lives.