Bamidbar 5774-2014
“Counting the Jews, Again!” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Bamidbar, G-d speaks to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first…
Va’eira 5776-2016
“The Lessons of Genealogy” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’eira, we learn of the noble family background of Moses and Aaron, who would soon emerge to lead…
Shoftim 5778-2018
"Identifying the True Prophet" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Shoftim, we, once again, encounter the difficult challenge of identifying the true prophet who…
Lech Lecha 5780-2019
“Understanding the Ritual of Circumcision” (updated and revised from Lech Lecha 5760-1999) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Toward the end of this week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha,…
The Month of Av
The months of the Jewish year are called in the Torah by number only (the first month, second month, etc.) Over time, during the exile, the months assumed the names given to them by host…
Her Other Name
Do you have a Hebrew name that’s different than your legal name? The custom of giving children both secular and Hebrew names is not a modern tradition, but rather goes back to ancient…
The Month of Av
The months of the Jewish year are called in the Torah by number only (the first month, second month, etc.) Over time, during the exile, the months assumed the names given to them by…
Her Other Name
Do you have a Hebrew name that’s different than your legal name? The custom of giving children both secular and Hebrew names is not a modern tradition, but rather goes back to ancient…
Tooning Machines
There are not many people whose names appear as a dictionary entry, and even fewer whose names have become adjectives. As of 1966, however, the name “Rube Goldberg” took an official…
Her Other Name
Do you have a Hebrew name that’s different than your legal name? The custom of giving children both secular and Hebrew names is not a modern tradition, but rather goes back to ancient…