A Lost Language of Scholarship
When most people think about Jewish language they think of Hebrew or Yiddish, and sometimes of Ladino. In honor of UN Arabic Language Day, Jewish Treats would like to recognize the…
The Ba’al Ha’turim
Spain in the Middle Ages was home to scholars of great renown such as Abraham ibn Ezra (1089 - c. 1164), Judah ha-Levi (1086-1145), Rabbi Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides/Rambam 1135-1204)…
Vayechi 5765-2004
"The Sealed Torah Portion" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Vayechi, is unique among all the parashiot of the Torah in that parashat Vayechi is literally…
Pinchas 5772-2012
“Transferring Power” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, we learn of the transfer of the leadership of Israel from Moses to Joshua. In Numbers 27:12,…
Vayeitzei 5773-2012
"The Complex Relationship Between Jacob, Rachel and Leah" In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeitzei, Jacob, who has fled from his father’s home in BeerSheba where Esau seeks to kill him,…
Tetzaveh 5774-2014
“The Choshen–the Breastplate of the High Priest” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Tetzaveh, focuses primarily on the priestly vestments, the garments worn by the…
Pinchas 5774-2014
“The Battle for Women’s Rights” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, the five daughters of Zelophehad plead for the right to inherit their father’s…
Kee Teitzei 5774-2014
“Restoring Lost Possessions--Revisited” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Among the 74 commandments (47 negative and 27 positive) that are found in parashat Kee Teitzei is the mitzvah of…
Vayechi 5767-2007
"Lessons in Child Rearing from the Patriarch Jacob" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayechi, Jacob's life draws to a close. Jacob insists that his son,…