Yitro 5772-2012
"Who is the Real Jethro?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Jethro, a man of great stature and distinction, is first encountered in the Bible in Exodus 2:16. The Torah describes Jethro as…
Answering The Appeals
There they sit, the pile of unopened solicitations and appeals. Direct marketing charity drives are the modern replacement for the communal tzedakah (charity) appeals of the…
Mishpatim 5777-2017
“Majority Rule " This week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, is one of the most content-rich parashiot in the entire Torah. Mishpatim, which literally means “laws” or “rules,” serves as the…
Devarim 5760-2000
"Judaism's Unique Views on Justice and the Justice System" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week, we begin reading Deuteronomy, the final book of the five books of the Torah.…
Mishpatim 5763-2003
"Justice! Justice!" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Mishpatim, contains an abundance of laws that cover a vast array of Jewish civil and criminal…
The Great Sanhedrin
In ancient times, the court system of Israel was dominated by two forms of large courts. The smaller of the large courts known as "Small Sanhedrins," were composed of 23 sages each, and…
The Great Sanhedrin
In ancient times, the court system of Israel was dominated by two forms of large courts. The smaller courts, known as “small sanhedrins,” were composed of 23 sages each and were located…
B’shalach 5766-2006
"The Bones of Joseph" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat B'shalach, opens with millions of Israelites, many of them former slaves, departing from Egypt. At this…
Yitro 5779-2019
“An Encounter with Jethro and the Non-Jewish World” (Revised and updated from Yitro 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald At the end of last week’s parasha, parashat B’shalach (Exodus…
Yitro 5760-2000
"An Encounter with Jethro and the Non-Jewish World" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald At the end of last week's parasha, Parashat B'shalach (Exodus 17:8-16), the Jewish people have an…