Shelach,Weekly Message

Shelach 5780-2020

“The Torah’s Definition of ‘Power'” (Revised and Updated from Parashat Shelach 5761-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald. This coming week’s parasha, parashat Shelach, recounts the story of…

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Jewish Treats

Does God Experience Difficulty?

In the middle of parashat B’shalach, we encounter the great miracle of God splitting the Red Sea. The sages in the Talmud (Sotah 2a) used this great supernatural phenomenon to declare…

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Jewish Treats

Like Clay in the Hand of the Potter

One of the most metaphoric and beautiful piyuttim (poems) included in the Yom Kippur prayer service is Kee Hinei Kachomer.  In English, it is known as “Like the Clay…

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Jewish Treats

No Strings Attached

Deuteronomy 16:18 states: "...You shall not take a bribe, for bribery blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts just words." Although this statement of Jewish law is written in…

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Jewish Treats

Like Clay in the Hand of the Potter

One of the most metaphoric and beautiful piyuttim (poems) included in the Yom Kippur prayer service is Kee Hinei Kachomer.  In English, it is known as “Like the Clay…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Like the Clay in the Hand of the Potter

One of the most metaphoric and beautiful piyuttim (poems) included in the Yom Kippur prayer service is Kee Hinei Kachomer.  In English, it is known as “Like the Clay in the Hand of…

Read More

Jewish Treats

No Strings Attached

Deuteronomy 16:18 states: "...You shall not take a bribe, for bribery blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts just words." Although this statement of Jewish law is written in…

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Jewish Treats

Know What Is Above You

It is human nature to value privacy. This value, probably dates back as far as Adam and Eve. Once they had eaten from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they instinctively wished to…

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Jewish Treats

Everything Except

A man is attacked by a gang of anti-semites. Totally drunk, they demand that the man eat a ham sandwich or else they will kill him. What should the victim do? According to Jewish law, he…

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Weekly Message,Bo

Bo 5781-2021

“The Slave Mentality” (updated and revised from Bo 5761–2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Bo, concludes the Torah’s narrative of parashat Va’eira, of the…

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