Mishpatim 5764-2004

"The Al-mighty's Concern for the Dignity of the Human Being" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As we have previously noted, Parashat Mishpatim essentially establishes the structure of…

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Behar-Bechukotai 5783-2023

“The Revolutionary Nature of Shemita and Yovel” (updated and revised from Behar-Bechukotai 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Behar, the first of this week’s two…

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Behar-Bechukotai 5764-2004

"The Revolutionary Nature of Shemita and Yovel" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In the first of this week's double parashiot, parashat Behar, we encounter the remarkable laws of Shemita--the…

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Bereshith 5778-2017

“The Torah Promotes the Work Ethic” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Bereshith, after six days of creating the world, G-d rested on the seventh day, blessed it and designated it…

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Noah 5778-2017

“Rebuilding the World Through the Children of Noah” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Although this week’s parasha, parashat Noah, focuses primarily on the Flood, it also traces the history of…

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Precious Creation

While there are many appropriate themes with which the Torah in Genesis 1 could have begun (Abraham, Mt. Sinai, etc.), it begins instead with a day-by-day description of the creation of…

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The Thanksgiving Synagogue Service

While Thanksgiving is most certainly an American festival of gratitude, its founders prominently articulated its religious underpinnings, which ultimately find their source in Judaism.…

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An Interesting Philologist

Language is considered to be one of the unique characteristics of humankind. Lazarus (Eliezer Solomon ) Geiger believed that there was a great deal to learn about humanity from studying…

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Precious Creation

While there are many appropriate themes with which the Torah could have begun (Abraham, Mt. Sinai, etc.), it begins instead with a day-by-day description of the creation of the world,…

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Precious Creation

While there are many appropriate themes with which the Torah could have begun (Abraham, Mt. Sinai, etc.), it begins instead with a day-by-day description of the creation of the world,…

Read More