Chanukah and Divine Order

Chanukah always overlaps with at least one Shabbat (if not two), and since Chanukah begins on the 25th of Kislev and lasts for eight days, the holiday always coincides with the…

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The Final Analysis

After the soul departs, it journeys to the gates of heaven where it must present its case for entry. The Talmud (Shabbat 31a) states, “When an individual is brought before the Heavenly…

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Blood is Life

January has been labeled National Blood Donor Month, making it an ideal time for Jewish Treats to reflect upon Judaism’s special attitude toward blood. God called the very first human…

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Shemot 5784-2024

“The Message of the Burning Bush” (updated and revised from Shemot 5764-2004) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Shemot, we read of G-d’s revelation to Moses at…

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Writing a Law For Freedom

Thomas Jefferson is renowned for being the author of the Declaration of Independence. But, this was only one of Jefferson’s many accomplishments. It is interesting to note that, per his…

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Under Cover of Darkness

Of the ten plagues that devastated the land of Egypt, the plague of darkness appears to be the most benign. Certainly, being trapped in the dark is frightening (sensory deprivation is a…

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Calligraphy

In honor of National Handwriting Day, which is today, Jewish Treats explores the unique calligraphy practiced by a Jewish sofer (scribe). The Hebrew letters used in a Torah scroll, as…

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Feeling Fit Focused on Napoleon

Believe it or not, bodybuilding as an international sport, has Jewish roots. Jewish Treats presents a brief biography of Ben Weider, who, together with his brother Joe, created the…

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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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Penny Lane

While the well-known adage requests, “A penny for your thoughts,” perhaps those coins should be sought, instead, in between the cushions of sofas and car seats, in washing machines and in…

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