By Hakham Isaac S.D. Sassoon The rabbis defined prayer as abodah she-balev (=worship of the heart; see Sifre Dt. 41; Ta‘an. 2a). When discussing the prayer book – as we are about to do – we must constantly bear that definition in mind. A person may entertain the kindliest sentiments towards the undernourished, but unless he givesContinue reading “An Introduction to Jewish Prayer”
Author Archives: TCOMD-Qol Sasson
Yagdil Torah w’Yadir
Ḥanukkah, 2012 We find ourselves in a precarious position, to be trite – like the fiddler on the roof. A small Jewish community in a proportionately small rural county finds itself with many of its members and potential members coming from backgrounds not as firmly anchored in their Jewish heritage as the residents of proverbialContinue reading “Yagdil Torah w’Yadir”
Why the Jew Believes
Why the Jew Believes, and Why the Jew studies Message from the Rabbi Spring 5770/2010 Why identify oneself in a religious context? Why profess a belief in God? Why limit one’s freedom voluntarily by submitting oneself to laws and morals, secular or religious? Why pay any attention to, let alone study, ‘sacred texts’? We identifyContinue reading “Why the Jew Believes”
Destination Torah: Prayer in Historical Contexts by Hakham Isaac Sassoon
Founding of the Synagogue
In 2008, a newly ordained rabbi and his wife of 10 years decided to open a Traditional synagogue in central Florida, an area with very few Jewish families. Was that because historically, it had been a KKK center in the late 1800‘s? Or just because most Jewish families gravitated toward Miami? Was this plan meshugeneh?Continue reading “Founding of the Synagogue”
Women & Traditional Judaism FAQ
Q. Are women encouraged to come to religious services? A. Encouraged? Necessary! TCOMD is not a men’s club. Q. May women touch the Torah? A. During the Hakafah (Procession) of the Torah from the Heihal (Ark) to the Tevah (Reader’s Desk) women carry the Scroll for half the time. Q. Do women participate in the service? A. WomenContinue reading “Women & Traditional Judaism FAQ”
Qol Sasson/TCOMD Kashruth Policy
TCOMD Kashrut Policy Set forth below is the Kashrut Policy for the Traditional Congregation of Mount Dora. In order to ensure that a maximum number of people are able to partake in meals and refreshments comfortably and with confidence, the purpose of this Policy is to establish a uniform kashrut standard for the synagogue kitchen,Continue reading “Qol Sasson/TCOMD Kashruth Policy”
Accepted Kosher Agencies
The Final Gate
Yom haKippooreem, 2019 I was asked, “Rabbi, what about compassion?” What about love? When we were a baby, we were all of hunger, all of physical need. Our reality and existence were described by the unmitigated necessity of satisfying the drives of the infant body, the growing guf. Yet still, in our distresses, the comfortContinue reading “The Final Gate”