by Rabbi Shraga Simmons
During the holiday of Purim, we read the book of Esther twice - it is a peculiar bible story, the only one where God is not mentioned.
A person is obligated to hear the reading of the Megillah -- once at night and again the next day. (Shulchan Aruch - Code of Jewish Law 687:1)
1) Men, women, and children (who have reached the age of education -- age 6) are required to hear the Megillah.
2) The Megillah is so important that even Torah study is deferred to hear the reading.
3) The Megillah is read twice -- first at night, and again the next day. The time for the night reading is from nightfall (Tzait Hakochavim) until dawn (Alot Hashachar). Some authorities permit, even in the case of a mild illness, to read the Megillah one-and-a-quarter hours before nightfall.
4) The time for the daytime reading is from sunrise to sunset. Post facto, the daytime reading may be read even after sunset (as long as the reading is concluded before nightfall), though the blessings may not be recited.
5) Because of the concept of B'rov Am Hadrat Melech -- "with the multitude of the ...   more »

by Rabbi Shraga Simmons
Summing up the Purim holiday in 10 words or less: They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat.
Purim is Judaism's most dramatic, fun-filled holiday. When else can you dress up like a bunny rabbit and eat doughy triangles filled with prunes and poppy seeds?
Purim occurs on the 14th of Adar. (In certain walled cities like Jerusalem, "Shushan Purim" is celebrated on the 15th of Adar.)
The main event is reading the Book of Esther. Set in Persia 2,300 years ago, the "Megillah" (as it is commonly called) recounts how a seemingly unrelated series of events spun together to save the Jewish people from annihilation. The quickie version is as follows:
When King Achashverosh throws a huge six-month party and the queen refuses to follow orders, she is replaced by a new queen - Esther the Jewess. Esther's uncle Mordechai, the leader of the Jews, uncovers a plot to assassinate the king -- putting him also in a favorable position with the king. All this comes in handy when Haman, the king's top advisor, obtains a decree to have all the Jews destroyed.
In the end, through a complex twist of events, Esther gets ...   more »

In an interview with Palestinian paper, Foreign Minister says clauses on right of return make 2002 plan unacceptable. 'What more does she want?' asks PA chief negotiator
Roee Nahmias
It's impossible for Israel to accept the Arab peace initiative in its current version, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told Palestinian newspaper al-Ayyam in an interview Thursday. She was referring to an initiative agreed upon at an Arab summit in Beirut in 2002.
Diplomatic Activity
 Livni urges EU not to rush to accept Mecca deal  / Attila Somfalvi   
Foreign minister attempts to convince her European counterparts to wait for Palestinian government to meet Quartet conditions by recognizing Israel, renouncing violence and committing to agreements signed so far     
The foreign minister said that the current version of the initiative was primarily problematic due to its references to the right of return.  On the very day the Saudi initiative was reported in the New York Times, I was interviewed by an Israeli radio station and said that this initiative could be a good starting point (for the peace process), said Livni.
Later, they went to Beirut and added new phrases that made the initiative unacceptable from an Israeli standpoint. They added clauses ...   more »

The present-day Sanhedrin Court along with a group of extremist rabbis announced their plans on Wednesday to resume ancient Temple practices of animal sacrifices on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, despite religious bans by Moslems and Jews.
The court purchased herds of sheep for ritual sacrifice, which they have planned for the eve of Passover, depending on the situation at the controversial religious site.
“Regrettably, there are many extremist Israeli groups who want to carry out their plans,” said Jerusalem's senior Islamic cleric, Mohammed Hussein. “Let them say what they want, Al Aksa is a Moslem mosque.”
The 71 members of the Sanhedrin have all the required elements necessary for Temple sacrifice, including the ritual altar, and said they want to begin sacrificing animals again, despite the absence of the Temple. Professor Hillel Weiss, a member of the Sanhedrin, said it is an important step to show that it’s not only talk.
Rabbi Dov Stein, secretary of the new Sanhedrin Court, believes Temple sacrifices won’t happen any time soon.
“We want to do the sacrifice, but we have political problems,” Stein said. “We hope there will come a time when the government will agree. We will push for that to ...   more »