Behar 5771: Sabbaticals and Jubilees

For information on the Shemita project of Hazon and the Jewish Farm School use this link http://shmitaproject.jimdo.com/. For more information on Rabbi Hillel's ruling to make the jubilee "easier" look at the following resources:   http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Prozbul, http://www.columbia.edu/cu/law/svara/svara_2-2_schiff.pdf, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prozbul

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Emor 5771: Priestly Responsibilities, Holidays and Blasphemy

This week I put a challenge before everyone to read the sections about the holidays and to write me with the things you notice are different about holidays and how they celebrated today versus the way they are described in these sections of the bible.

You can email your answers to me at:  torahthreads@gmail.com.

If you are going to be at the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival please email me as we can meet up there.

Kedoshim 5771: The Holiness Code and Holy Threads

Some interesting articles about Shatnez can be found here:  http://www.jerusalemkoshernews.com/2011/01/shatnez-dr-pepper-so-misunderstood/

http://www.tabletmag.com/life-and-religion/39728/shatnez-shock/

I especially like the second article which gives the reason that wool and linen should not be mixed is because wool shrinks and linen does not shrink, makes one wonder if all of the biblical authors were actually hand spinners?  As I mention in the podcast, I think there are other reasons as well that we are supposed to refrain from mixing wool and linen.

I have also included some fun images from the world of Shatnez.