Introduction For many centuries, the great commentaries on the Gemara have grappled with a classic conundrum. On the one hand, one must make a bracha

The placement of a comma makes all the difference in the world. In a classic example, there is a very big difference between “Let’s eat

A Lenient Ruling of Rama I recall learning as far back as elementary school that if one forgot to recite HaMelech HaMishpat during the Aseret

It is one of the most well-known differences between Sephardic Jews and Ashkenazic Jews. The Sephardic minhag, on one hand, is to recite Selichot beginning

“Nein” (no), cried the gabai (sexton) at the German-Jewish synagogue in Switzerland. A guest was leading the congregation in prayer and added “v’yatzmach purkanei v’kareiv

Ashkenazic Pronunciation of Shem Hashem You may have witnessed the following: An Ashkenazic Jew attending a Sephardic synagogue receives an aliyah. Wishing to respect the

Many Ashkenazic Jews who visit Sephardic congregations comment that they are struck by the vitality and energy of Sephardic tefillah. There is no doubt that

Three disputes regarding tefillah bring to life the difference in approach that we described in last week’s column between Rav Mordechai Eliyahu and Chacham Ovadia

The Rambam, Rav Yosef Karo and Rav Ovadia Yosef. This summarizes what many outside the Sephardic community think constitutes the corpus of Sephardic Halacha. Of

I thought Congregation Shaarei Orah, the Sephardic Congregation of Teaneck, always follows Rav Ovadia Yosef. If so, then why on Tisha B’Av at Shacharit do

Ashkenazim are so accustomed to reciting Nacheim only at Mincha of Tisha B’Av that they are shocked to discover that most Sephardic Jews recite Nacheim

Part II Last week we explored the three opinions as to when to say Aneinu on a fast day. Ashkenazim, led by Rashi and the