Shelach 5766-2006
"Who was Caleb?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Shelach is probably the saddest parasha in the Torah. It is in this weekly portion that the Israelite men of the Exodus generation…
Vayechi 5770-2009
"Rachel's Burial Place in Bethlehem" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayechi, when Joseph is told that his father is ill, he takes his two sons, Menashe and…
Why Tiberias is Holy
While Israel is the Holy Land, four of her cities are considered holier than all the others, and each of these is accorded a mystical connection with one of the four classical elements.…
The Name Jerusalem
Initially, King David ruled from Hebron, but Hebron was not the ideal location for the seat of government. Not only was Hebron in the southernmost part of the Israelite kingdom, but it…
The Name Jerusalem
Initially, King David ruled from Hebron, but Hebron was not the ideal location for the seat of government. Not only was Hebron in the southern-most part of the Israelite kingdom, but it…
Yom Ha’atzmaut 5760-2000
"Being Judged by a Different Yardstick" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald This coming week we celebrate Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Israel Independence Day. Yom Ha'Atzmaut occurs on the fifth of Iyar, which,…
The Burial at Betar
In war, a common means of humiliating the enemy is to refuse them burial of their dead (which is forbidden by the Geneva Convention). Certainly, demoralization was the goal of the Romans…
At The Mercy Of British Kings
Most people recognize Richard the Lionheart and his brother John from the saga of Robin Hood. In these overly-romanticized tales, Richard is the hero king fighting in the Crusades, while…
The Burial at Betar
In war, a common means of humiliating the enemy is to refuse them burial of their dead (which is also forbidden by the Geneva Convention). Certainly, demoralization was the goal of the…
The Burial at Betar
In war, a common means of humiliating the enemy is to refuse them burial of their dead (which is also forbidden by the Geneva Convention). Certainly, demoralization was the goal of the…