by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com There is a famous question that seforim-owners are often asked: Other than a Tanach with Rashi, a Siddur, a Mishna Brurah, and a Shas, if you were stuck on a desert island with one series of Seforim which one would it be? Sukkas Chaim, by Rabbi Simcha Bunim Londinsky […]

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com We say it in every single Shmoneh Esreh of all eight days of Chanukah. We say it in Al HaNissim.  But what is it that we are actually saying? Artscroll translates it like this: Thereafter, Your children came to the Holy of Holies of Your House; cleansed Your Temple, […]

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com There are many messages in Chanukah, of course.   There is the message that the lights of Chanukah, representing both the Mitzvos and Torah can bring us back to Hashem even throughout the night, which represents galus or distance from Hashem.  But there is another message which the Chashmonaim teach […]

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com In the 1950’s, the Mashgiach of Beis Medrash Gavoah, Rav Nosson Wachtfogel zt”l, would bring his young son, Rav Elya Ber to the Yeshiva.  As a child, we all have games that we play, Rav ELya had a unique one.  He would stand near the Bima after Rav Aharon […]

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com FEEL FREE TO PRINT AND REVIEW.. CHANUKAH HISTORICAL CONTEXT Chanukah occurred during the time of the Second Beis HaMikdash approximately in the year 3596/165 B.C.E. The Seleucid Greeks (or Syrian Greeks) ruled and enacted decrees against Klal Yisrael, outlawing the Jewish religion. The Greeks forbade Torah study and the […]

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com By the time most people usually get home from work, the time to kindle the Chanukah lights has already arrived. And by the time the whole family gets together to actually light, another ten to fifteen minutes may have elapsed. What’s the story with sneaking in a quick taste […]

by Rabbi Yair Hofffman for the Sefas Tamim Foundation HALACHA Please note that some of the details of the question below may have been altered to facilitate the privacy of individuals involved. QUESTION:  I am a Rebbe of some very cute young boys.  Recently, two of the boys made what I deemed to be a […]

By Rabbi W. Wolfe Wernick Presented By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com **Please note:  This author is looking to make a video about the Mir Yeshiva in Poland and is looking for sponsors – if anyone is interested, please email yairhoffman2@gmail.com*** In a dark and barely furnished boarding place of the Yeshiva students, over a […]

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com If housekeepers for Shabbos prep and use were free – would more people have them? Their presence would certainly reduce the pressure in many homes. So there is no question that this halacha should be further explored. The Gemara (Beitzah 15b) tells us that money we spend for Shabbos […]

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com His name was Rabbi Theodore Lewis z”l (1915-2010 – yahrtzeit 27 Tishrei).  He was the Rabbi of the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island and was a talmid of Rav Yeruchem Levovitz zt”l and Rav Leizer Yudel Finkel zt”l as a student of the Mir Yeshiva.  Later in life, […]