This week at Azamra
20 Kislev 5785 / 21 December 2024

Torah Calendar

7-20 Kislev, 5785
December 20, 2024

For this week's study schedule & classes, CLICK HERE

Attributes of the month of KISLEV: Ruling permutation of the letters of HAVAYAH: VAV YOD KEH KEH, contained in the initial Hebrew letters of the words of the verse Vayar Yoshev Ha'aretz Hakena'ani, "and the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw ..." (Genesis 50:11). The month's corresponding letter is: SAMECH; Human attribute: SLEEP; Body Part: KIVAH-Stomach ; Tribe: BENJAMIN; Constellation: KESHET (Sagittarius, the Archer).

Sunday December 8 / 7 Kislev

The sages of the Second Temple declared today a festival because of the death of King Herod, who notoriously hated the Torah sages.

Monday night-Tuesday December 9-10 / 9 Kislev

Today is the birthday and yahrzeit of Rabbi Dov Ber (son of R. Shneur Zalman) of Lubavitch (1773-1827), the second ("Mitteler") Rebbe of the Lubavitch Chassidic movement.

Friday night-Saturday December 13-14 / 13 Kislev
Shabbat Parshat VAYISHLACH

Torah reading: Gen. 32.4-36.43. Haftara: Obadiah 1.1-21 (Optional substitution: Hosea 11.7-12.12).
Today is the yahrzeit of the Talmudic Amora Ravina, who completed the work of his teacher, Rav Ashi, in editing the Babylonian Talmud. Because Ravina's father died young, he was taught Torah by his mother.

Saturday night-Sunday December 14-15 / 14 Kislev

Today is the birthday and yahrzeit of Reuven, son of Jacob and Leah.

Sunday night-Monday December 15-16 / 15 Kislev

Today is the yahrzeit of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi (Rabbi Judah the Prince, d. 194 C.E.), compiler of the Mishnah.

Wednesday night-Thursday Decembe 18-19 / 18 Kislev

Today is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Baruch of Medzeboz (1757-1810) son of the Baal Shem Tov's daughter Adil and uncle of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. It is also the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Levy Yitzchak Horowitz, the Bostoner Rebbe (1921-2009).

Thursday night-Friday December 19-20 / 19 Kislev

Today is the Yahrzeit of Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch (c.1704-1772), first leader and propagator of Chassidus after the death of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov. Today is also the anniversary of the liberation of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liady, founder of Chabad Chassidus, after being imprisoned by the Russian government in St Petersburg on false charges. It is celebrated as a joyous festival and is regarded as "the New Year of Chassidus" when each Chassid wishes the other:"May you be signed and sealed for a good year in the study and ways of Chassidus!". On the same Hebrew date in 2004 the Iraqi tyrant Sadaam Hussein was captured.

Friday night-Saturday December 20-21 / 20 Kislev
Shabbat Parshat VAYEISHEV

Torah reading: Gen. 37:1-40:23. Haftara: Amos 2:6-3:8.

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