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1. Do you know who wrote Adon Olam, my favorite prayer?

Adon Olam (meaning Eternal God) is an inspiring song of praise attributed to Solomon ibn Gabirol, an 11th-century Spanish poet. One of the most popular of Jewish hymns, it was introduced into the initial part of the morning synagogue service in the 14th century to recall the merit of Abraham, who according to the Talmud instituted the Shacharit morning service. Abraham was also the first person to address God with the title "Adon[ai]" (Genesis 15:2). The next to last line of Adon Olam ("into God's hand I entrust my spirit when I sleep -- and I shall awaken") suggests that the hymn originally formed the conclusion of the bedtime prayers, where it still appears. Today, Adon Olam is generally sung at the conclusion of the Sabbath and festival Mussaf services, in a variety of musical settings.

2. What are some of the differences between the Babylonian Talmud and Jerusalem Talmud?

Although both the Babylonian Talmud and Jerusalem Talmud are primarily written in Aramaic, the vernacular of the time, the Babylonian Talmud contains a substantial number of Hebrew words, whereas the Jerusalem Talmud contains words from the Greek dialect prevalent at that time in Syria and the land of Israel. Although barely half the size of the Babylonian, the Jerusalem Talmud has Gemara to all the tractates of the first order (Zeraim) which deals with agricultural laws that largely applied only to the land of Israel. The discussions in the Jerusalem Talmud are shorter but often more obscure. The Jerusalem Talmud also contains much less aggadic (non-legal) material than the Babylonian Talmud. Today the Babylonian Talmud is surely considered the more authoritative one.

3. Is it true that certain insects are kosher and can be eaten by those adhering to the Jewish dietary laws?

The Torah specifically permits the eating of four kinds of locusts, but because none can be unequivocally identified, later rabbis declared all species of insects to be forbidden. The prohibition against all winged swarming things includes flies, bees, hornets, and similar insects. An exception is the product of an insect that is not part of its body, such as honey from bees. Unlike milk from a cow, honey is a product of the flower nectar that bees gather and then convert into honey.

4. Why do many Orthodox Jews have beards?

The Torah expressly prohibits shaving the side growth of your beard (Leviticus 19:27), which was interpreted to mean the hair between the head and the cheeks. The long and curly hair at the side of the head, known as payot (in Hebrew) and payes (in Yiddish) has become a sign of ultra-Orthodox and Hassidic Jews. The reason for the ban on shaving this area of the beard was presumably to distinguish the Israelites from the priests of pagan cults, who ritually shaved certain areas of their faces to designate their sacred status. Another interpretation is that leaving the corner of the head uncut serves as a visual reminder of the commandment to also leave unharvested the corner of the field (peah in Hebrew) and designate it for the poor, thus emphasizing the ethical requirement to provide for the needy (Leviticus 19:9).

5. What exactly is a mizrach?

Mizrach (east) is the term for a calligraphic design or ornamental plaque that hangs on the eastern wall in many Jewish homes and synagogues to indicate the direction in which to prayer and to aid in meditation. The Hebrew word comes from a root meaning "to cast rays," as the sun does every morning when it rises in the east. A member of my congregation recently gave me a Jerusalem compass, which no matter where you place it always points to the east, thus doing the work of a mizrach. From Temple times to the present, Jews have faced Jerusalem when they pray. If you don't have a mizrach on one of your eastern walls, I highly recommend that this be one of your Jewish projects for this year.

6. Why are native-born Israelis sometimes called "sabras"?

Originally imported from Mexico in the 1600s the sabra (prickly pear cactus) now grows abundantly in Israel. The sabra fruit is thorny on the outside with a thick peel that must be removed in order to get the sweet, meaty inside. "Sabra" has become the proud nickname of native born Israelis, symbolic of their national character of being prickly and hard on the outside to withstand the dangers of living in an often-perilous part of the world, but soft and sweet on the inside.

Rabbi Ron Isaacs is the spiritual leader of Temple Sholom, a Conservative congregation in Bridgewater. His forthcoming new book is "Siddur Or Shalom," a Shabbat morning prayerbook. Contact him at www.rabbiron.com or "Ask the Rabbi," c/o Rabbi Ron Isaacs, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 6007, Bridgewater, N.J. 08807. Rabbi Ron Isaacs is the spiritual leader of Temple Sholom, a Conservative congregation in Bridgewater. His forthcoming new book is "Siddur Or Shalom," a Shabbat morning prayerbook. Contact him at www.rabbiron.com or "Ask the Rabbi," c/o Rabbi Ron Isaacs, Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 6007, Bridgewater, N.J. 08807.