Here Kitty Kitty

While today the two most common types of house pets are cats and dogs, the sages of the Talmud questioned the issue of safety regarding the ownership of these animals. In general, most…

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Indirect Damages

“An eye for an eye” as is set forth in this week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim (Exodus 21:24), is one of the most commonly quoted phrases from the Hebrew Bible. This phrase, of course, is…

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Here Kitty, Kitty

While today the two most common types of house pets are cats and dogs, the sages of the Talmud questioned the issue of safety regarding the ownership of these animals. In general, most…

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Indirect Damages

“An eye for an eye” as is set forth in this week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim, (Exodus 21:24) is one of the most commonly quoted phrases from the Hebrew Bible. This phrase, of course, is…

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Eat Your Vegetables

In Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers 3:21), the sages declare that without flour, there can be no Torah. In Jewish texts, “flour,” meaning bread, often refers to material sustenance.…

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Mishpatim 5780-2020

“The ‘Sophisticated’ and ‘Unsophisticated’ Criminal” (updated and revised from Mishpatim 5761-2001)   by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, is a…

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Mikeitz 5778-2017

“Returning the Stolen Goblet to Joseph”   In this week’s parasha, parashat Mikeitz, the confrontation between Joseph and his brethren reaches its peak when Joseph’s steward accuses…

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Both Oral and Written

The development of the printing press had an incredible impact on Western civilization. Prior to the printing press, all documents were hand-written, limiting their dissemination and…

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Here Kitty, Kitty

While today, the two most common types of house pets are cats and dogs, the sages of the Talmud questioned the issue of safety regarding the ownership of these animals. In general, most…

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Mishpatim 5775-2015

“Injuring a Fellow Human Being” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Among the 63 mitzvot that are found in this week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, are the fundamental laws regarding personal…

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