Shiur category: Laws of Jewish Holidays

Rav Dov Bigon on Tisha B’Av

Tisha B'Av is a national mourning day, where we don't eat, drink, sleep on comfortable mattresses and we read lamentations, and are deeply saddened on that day. There are some who are not sad, but don't feel it so deeply. Why are there people that the ninth of Av is...

Rav Fierman on 17th of Tammuz

What is the reason for fasting on teh 17th of Tammuz? Why is it one of the 5 fasts? What happened on the 17th of Tammuz that warrants a national fast for generations? Also, Rav Fierman discusses some of the laws of 17th of Tammuz.

Why are We Still Mourning the Death of Rabbi Akiva’s Students?

The death of the 12000 students of Rabbi Akiva was a devastating event in Jewish History, no doubt. However, there were many other devastating events, that we may recognize privately, but do not have any formal laws of mourning for them. What makes this devastation greater than others? What is...

Why are there mourning customs during Sefirat Ha’Omer?

Rav Bigon, the Head of the Machon and Rosh Yeshiva, dives into the reasons behind the customs of mourning during the first part of Sefirat Ha'Omer, until Lag Ba'omer.  Why is this considered a period of mourning? Why do we pay respects with changing our customs by not getting married,...

Customs of Sefirat Ha’Omer

Learn the customs of Sefira Ha'Omer. What are the actual laws of mourning during Sefirat Ha'Omer? Are they limited to not getting haricuts and not getting married? How do the customs relate to the death of Rabbi Akiva's 12000 pairs of students?