Being Yotzei

Kiddush, sanctification, is the prayer said over wine through which Jews proclaim the uniqueness of Shabbat and sanctify the day. Reciting or hearing Kiddush on Shabbat is an obligation…

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The Eyes Have It

January is Eye Care Month! Close to 2,000 years ago, the importance of treating even basic eye disease was recorded in the Talmud (Shabbat 108b), where the rabbis debate what one may do…

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A Vow Like No Other

Jews are not ascetics. In fact, according to Jewish philosophy, the Jew’s job is to take the physical and draw out its spiritual nature. One can’t do that when trying to avoid the…

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The Eyes Have It

January is Eye Care Month! Close to 2,000 years ago, the importance of treating even basic eye disease was recorded in the Talmud (Shabbat 108b), where the rabbis debate what one may do…

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All That’s Left

August 13th is annually celebrated as “Left Handers Day.” Most Lefties, also known as “southpaws,” due to the orientation of baseball stadiums in regard to the sun, are proud of their…

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All That’s Left

August 13th is annually celebrated as “Left Hander’s Day.” Most Lefties, also known as “southpaws” due to the orientation of baseball stadiums in regard to the sun, are proud of their…

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Bereshith 5769-2008

"The Development of Civilization as Recorded in Genesis" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The Torah is not intended to serve as a history lesson or as a chronicle of the development of ancient…

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Va’etchanan 5766-2006

"A Small Verse that Started a Mighty Revolution" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Some weekly Torah portions are considered particularly significant by virtue of the large number of mitzvot…

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Chanukah Heroines

Chanukah Heroines There are two famous stories about women associated with Chanukah, the story of Yehudit and the story of…

Behar-Bechukotai 5766-2006

"The Economics of Torah" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The very last chapter of the book of Leviticus chapter 27, which concludes this week's double parashiot Behar-Bechukotai, focuses on…

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