Yom Kippur 5775-2014

“The High Priest’s Dilemma–What to Wear on Yom Kippur?” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Torah reading from Leviticus 16:1-34 that is read on Yom Kippur morning in synagogues throughout…

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Yom Ha’atzmaut 5760-2000

"Being Judged by a Different Yardstick" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald This coming week we celebrate Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Israel Independence Day. Yom Ha'Atzmaut occurs on the fifth of Iyar, which,…

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Yom Kippur

- Yom Kippur The Day of Atonement begins at sunset.  There is a mysticism in that almost all Jews…

Yom Kippur 5769-2008

"Difficult Transitions" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald On the last day of his life, Moses seals the new covenant with the People of Israel. According to the Midrash, the people then return…

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Yom Kippur 5778-2017

According to tradition, the Torah was given to the People of Israel at Mount Sinai in the Hebrew year 2448 (1312 BCE), on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan. On the seventh day of…

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Yom Kippur 5770-2009

"Shabbat Shabbaton--The Ultimate Shabbat" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald When are artists at their most exalted state of creativity? Is it when they dip their brushes into the colorful…

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Yom Kippur 5772-2011

"The Magic of the Day of Atonement" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Jewish calendar has an abundance of "propitious" or "favorable" times and occasions. Nissan, the month of Passover, is…

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Yom Kippur 5766-2005

"Sharing the Blanket" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Rambam (Maimonides, the great Jewish philosopher, codifier and physician, 1135-1204), states in The Laws of Teshuva, chapter 3, that…

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Mizmor Shir L’Yom Ha’Shabbat / A Song for the Sabbath Day

While much of the Kabbalat Shabbat service (service to greet the Sabbath) was implemented by the Kabbalists in Tzefat in the 16th century, Psalm 92 has been recited on Friday nights since…

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Sabbath Prayers: Mizmor Shir L’Yom Ha’Shabbat / A Song for the Sabbath Day

While much of the Kabbalat Shabbat service (service to greet the Sabbath) was implemented by the Kabbalists in Tzefat in the 16th century, Psalm 92 has been recited on Friday nights since…

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