Rabbi Dr. Aryeh A. Frimer graduated from Brooklyn College in 1969, and at the same time received his Rabbinical Ordination from the late Rabbi Yehudah Gershuni. While a graduate student in organic chemistry at Harvard University, Rabbi Frimer served as Rabbi to the Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel Orthodox Minyan from 1969-1974. Upon completing his Ph.D., he made Aliyah becoming a Post-Doctoral Fellow at The Weizmann Institute of Science, before joining the faculty of Bar Ilan in 1975. In addition to his scientific work, Rabbi Frimer has lectured on Judaism, Zionism and Jewish Identity for officer training courses of the Israel Defense Forces. He has also published and lectured internationally on various aspects of Jewish tradition and Halakha, but most prominently on the Status of Women in Jewish Law. Aryeh and his wife Esther are the proud parents of four children and 12 grandchildren, and live in Rehovot.
by Aryeh A. Frimer
A thoughtful insight of the Haggadah portion which
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deals with the Four Sons is provided by Rabbi Aryeh A Frimer. In his article “Passover 5771, the Rabbi stresses the importance of this portion as it relates to children and its influence because of their participation in it.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
The Gemara presents seemingly opposing interpretations
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of judgment by the Almighty on Rosh Hashana. These raise the question: Is judgment individual or is mankind judged as one? Rabbi Frimer shares a Tamudic response to this contradiction which offers an answer to spiritual preparation for the Day of Judgment.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
Rabbi Frimer explains that the real key to our spiritual
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survival is our ability to maintain our uniqueness throughout the diaspora. Our secret weapon in resisting assimilation and the cultural influence of our enemies is the Torah - our “portable identity”.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
We’re now in the period between Pesach and Shavuot,
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when we mourn the thousands of Rabbi Akiva’s students killed by plague for disrespecting each other. But perhaps the real reason was discord and strife in his academy, writes Rabbi Aryeh Frimer.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
Yom Kippur is an awesome festival of self reflection
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on past errors and the
ongoing obligation to rise to the challenge of fulfilling one's destiny.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
The two themes central to the festival are the military
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victory of the Jews over the Syrian-Greeks, and the miracle of the cruse oil. This symbolizes the victory of the eternal Jewish spirit. Rabbi Frimer refers to the two dreams of Joseph - the material and the spiritual, and compares them to the situation in Israel today.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
Does suffering lead to spiritual growth? Why were
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the Jews sent down to Egypt?
People do not choose to suffer but many of life’s experiences do strengthen peoples' ability to cope with life. Rabbu Frimer discusses how the seder service each year enables values to be passed on to the next generation.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
A thorough explanation of the meaning of the beautiful
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celebration of Chanukah, the festival of light, which falls on or near the winter solstice of the Northern hemisphere.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
Rabbi Frimer explains that the Greeks who ruled the
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land of Israel during the Maccabean revolution were not the followers of Socrates and Aristotle, but were Hellenists trying to force their culture onto the Jewish population. He discusses how we too have taken on much of the Western culture and queries whether we are becoming modern day Hellenists.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
Rabbi Frimer discusses the rules of expressing thanks
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(hakarat haTov) in Judaism. By way of example he explains the role of hakarat haTov in the Amida, a prayer recited three times a day. He also elaborates on the postulation that hakarat haTov is the underlying theme of the Book of Esther.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
Rabbi Frimer discusses the centrality of matzah in
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our national memory – as a memorial (zikaron), a positive commandment and an encapsulation of the main themes of Pesach. It is matzah, he writes, which transforms the Haggadah into a personal tale which can be relived.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
The hallmark of Rosh Hashanah is the mitzva of blowing
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the shofar. What is its meaning? Rabbi Frimer explains the significance of the two different blasts of the shofar – the “sitting blast” and the “standing blast.”
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
What does the story of Chanukah tell us? Does it celebrate
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the military victory of the Hashmoneans, or is it the miracle of the oil lasting for so long? Rabbi Frimer gives us references for these different points of view.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
Rabbi Frimer asks why was there a Pesach in the first
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place? His answer is that Israel had to lose its freedom before it could cherish it. He also explains why the Shabbat before Pesach is called Shabbat haGadol.
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by Aryeh A. Frimer
An inspiring message for Rosh Hashanah to contemplate
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the effect of societal influences on personal actions.
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Aryeh A. Frimer