Join the Maimonides Minute Podcast for the final episode of our four part series on the Laws of Tisha B'Av.

Join the Maimonides Minute Podcast for the third of a four part series on the Laws of Tisha B'Av.

Join the Maimonides Minute Podcast for the second of a four part series on the Laws of Tisha B'Av.

Join the Maimonides Minute Podcast for the first of a four part series on the Laws of Tisha B'Av.

There used to be a custom to blow the shofar six times on Friday afternoon to indicate the onset of Shabbat. What were the details of this minhag? Did it apply when yom tov or Yom Kippur occurred on Erev Shabbat?

How careful must you be when opening a door near a candle, in case you mistakenly cause the flame to go out? Can you attach a candle to a tree before Shabbat?

We have learned that activities that require intense concentration may not be done by the Shabbat candle, as we're afraid that in his concentration a person may forget and tilt the candle. Does this apply to children who are learning with their teacher?

Why is it forbidden to place a vessel underneath a candle on Shabbat if you're trying to catch excess oil, but the same is permitted if you want to catch the sparks? What sort of reading is allowed by the light of the candle, and does it matter if the candle is not within reach?

The Sages prohibited having a secondary vessel drip oil into a candle on Shabbat, as well as using an oil-filled plate into which the wick is extended in order to provide extra oil for the candle. Why did they prohibit these seemingly innocuous methods?

The Rambam explains that one may not mix forbidden oil with permissible oil for the Shabbat candles... with an important exception. What is it, and why is that one case different?