Tzav 5782-2022
“What We Learn from the Jewish ‘Caste System’” (Updated and revised from Tzav 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Tzav, continues the Torah’s…
Bo 5784-2024
Urgent message: Given the most challenging situation in Israel at this time, I urge all to pray for the bereaved families, the hostages, the missing and the many casualties. Please try to…
Kee Teitzei 5772-2012
"The Sanctity of the Camp of Israel" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Kee Teitzei, contains 74 mitzvot-- more mitzvot than any other portion of the Torah. 27 are…
Passover 5777-2017
“לֶחֶם עֹנִי --Lechem Oni: The Bread of Affliction by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Two primary scriptural verses provide reasons for eating matzah, unleavened…
B’ha’a’lot’cha 5778-2018
“The Seventy Elders: The Challenge of Jewish Leadership” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Among the many interesting themes found in this week’s parasha, parashat B’ha’a’lot’cha, is…
Fire and Ice
A news story in June, 2017, reported that a combination of ice and fire doomed the Titanic and caused its sinking on April 14, 1912. Photos of the ship prior to its departure from Belfast…
Weakening Resolve
The Biblical narrative of the 10 plagues visited upon Egypt may, at first glance, seem repetitive - Moses and Aaron ask Pharaoh to let the Israelites go to worship God in the wilderness,…
You Don’t Say That!
The Torah (Leviticus 24:10-12) records the story of a nameless youth whose mother was an Israelite and whose father was Egyptian. The Torah later identifies the boy’s mother as Shelomith…
Rebuilding Jericho
The fall of Jericho is one of the best known narratives of the Books of the Prophets. One of the first cities conquered by the Israelites upon entering the Promised Land, its walls…
The Author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
In honor of Human Rights Day, December 10, Jewish Treats presents a brief biography of René Samuel Cassin (October 5, 1887 - February 20, 1976), the author of the Universal Declaration of…