Singing About the “Woman of Valor”

Aishet Chayil, “The Woman of Valor,” which is traditionally sung at the Shabbat table on Friday nights, is actually a selection of verses from the Book of Proverbs (31:10-31) written by…

Read More

Tu b’Shevat

Tu b'ShevatNew Year for Trees Tu b’Shevat is a rabbinical, not biblical holiday. In fact, it is first…

Devarim 5776-2016

“Moses the Stammerer, Becomes a World-Class Orator" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald With parashat Devarim, we begin to read the book of Deuteronomy, the fifth and final book of the Torah.…

Read More

A Proverb For More Than Parents

While there is no single Biblical or Talmudic text that can be compared to any of the formal parenting advice books that abound today, there are frequent pieces of sound parenting advice…

Read More

The Spiritual Harvest of the Ant

Are you familiar with Aesop’s Fable of “The Ant and the Grasshopper”? It’s a morality tale about hard work and planning ahead, and it might just have you picturing the original version of…

Read More

What Is the Tree of Life?

In the Garden of Eden, which was teeming with all the wonderful flora of creation, God placed two special trees:  Etz Hada’at  (the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil) and …

Read More

Chastisement with Love

“Reprove a wise man, and he will love you” (Proverbs 9:8). Not too many people respond to criticism with increased affection. Even when it comes from someone whom they know has the best…

Read More

The Harm of Gluttony

For most people, exploring the delightful flavors of the many foods of the world is one of life’s simple but great pleasures. As long as one gives thanks for the food and makes certain…

Read More

What Is the Tree of Life?

In the Garden of Eden, which was teeming with all the wonderful flora of creation, God placed two special trees: Etz Hada’at (the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil) and Etz Hachaim (the…

Read More

Ketoret Number Five

Human beings gather information about the world around them through their five senses. Of those senses, the sense of smell is often the most under-estimated, and yet it is said that…

Read More