I don't know if DovBear meant this seriously. But I see very few of these as plot holes. Indeed, many of them may be explained within the world of the megillah. They are, in many cases, simply questions. Thus: Why wasn't the first party co-ed? I don't know enough about Persian culture at the time. T...

Tonight, Comedy Central played the "Futurama" episode "Godfellas". Bender, thanks to space pirates ("Pirates, in space."), is shot into space with a bag of swag, and can't be rescued. He discovers intelligent life on himself and lords over it until it destroys itself, blaming himself for his alterna...

Orthodox Rabbi Gil Student writes: There is a recent news item quoting R. Ovadiah Yosef as permitting women to read megillah on Purim for men (Haaretz, Arutz Sheva). This is in the news because R. Yosef recently said it publicly but it is not, in my opinion, newsworthy because he has consistently ru...

BS"D From Haaretz:Top Sephardi rabbi rules women may chant Scroll of Esther for menBy Yair EttingerTags: scroll of esther, israel news Women are allowed to chant the Scroll of Esther on behalf of men if no competent men are available, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual leader of Israel's Sephardi com...

Never in a million years did I ever imagine that I'd be posting a "public diet." And even though it has been decades since I could deny my need to lose weight, I haven't tried a "real diet" for many years. Today I mentioned to a friend that b'mikreh, by chance, I found myself dieting, and she remind...

Pico/Robertson is home to three big Modern Orthodox shuls — Young Israel of Century City (YICC), Beth Jacob (BJ) and Bnai David Judea (BDJ). An Orthodox friend calls: "Who is the number one shul in Los Angeles for technical adherence in chumrot in davening and Torah reading etc? I think i...

(Note: You can download this kol koreh as a Word document, together with its kol koreh letterhead, here .) Recently, a matter of great importance has been brought to my attention. In a few days, Jews across the world will be reading megillas Mordechai in shul, and may chas veshalom stumble in a very...

BS"D You can see the kindness in this man's face, can't you? This man is a great, great rabbi. His whole life has been about social justice, while remaining within the boundaries of Orthodox Judaism. He has much admiration from me. Google him & see how he not only acts on behalf of all Jews but non-...