Weekly Message,Bo

Bo 5779-2019

"Nothing Stands in the Way of Teshuva!" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As the parasha opens, G-d says to Moses, Exodus 10:1, בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה:  כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ, וְאֶת…

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Jewish Treats

An Encyclopedic Work

When Rabbi Yaakov Culi arrived in Constantinople, Turkey, in 1714, he did not expect to find a Jewish community lacking Jewish knowledge. While the city was home to some of the great…

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Judaism,Literacy,ShabbatLiteracy,Judaism,Shabbat

Aishet Chayil (Woman of Valor)

Aishet ChayilWoman of Valor Aishet Chayil, “The Woman of Valor,” is actually a selection of verses from the Book of Proverbs…

Tu b'Shevat,Holidays,Judaism,Holiday ResourcesLiteracy,Judaism

Tu b’Shevat

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

Prayer,Judaism,ShabbatLiteracy,Judaism,Shabbat

Blessing the Bread (Ha’Motzee)

Ha'Mo'TzeeBlessing the Bread Two complete loaves of bread, called challah, are used for ha’mo’tzee, the blessing over the…

Jewish Treats

Bread/Ha’Mo’Tzee

The ha’mo’tzee blessing is recited before one eats bread. Since bread is considered the staple of the meal, no other blessings need to be recited since the ha’mo’tzee blessing covers all…

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Weekly Message,Eikev

Eikev 5760-2000

"Feast or Famine - What Judaism Has to Say About Food" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Eikev, the Torah dwells in part on the specialness of food. In…

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Weekly Message,Shavuot

Shavuot 5780-2020

“The Anonymous Holiday” (updated and revised from Shavuot 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This Thursday night, Friday and Shabbat, the joyous festival of Shavuot will be…

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Weekly Message,Vayechi

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…

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Weekly Message,Vayigash

Vayigash 5770-2009

"How Much is Enough?" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayigash, Joseph dramatically reveals himself to his brothers and instructs them to bring his father…

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