B’ha’alot’cha 5773-2013

"Contemporary Implications of Ancient Rebellions" by Rabbi Ephaim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat B’ha’alot’cha, we read of two egregious rebellions that occurred on the…

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Shemini 5778-2018

“Kashrut and Copepods” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Shemini, is one of two parshiyot (the other is Re’eh, Deuteronomy 14:3-21) that serve as the main sources…

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Latkes – Potato Pancakes

TraditionalLatkes - Potato Pancakes(Makes 16 3" latkes) Submitted by: bgoldberg Reprinted with the permission of…

The Truth About Mitzvot

It is recorded in the Midrash Rabbah that Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai was once confronted by a man who challenged him about the purifying ritual of the Red Heifer (click here for details)…

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Rabbi Shimon’s Favorite Tree

On Lag Ba’omer, Jews around the world honor the memory of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a student of Rabbi Akiva who delved into the esoteric meaning of the Torah.  He taught what is…

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Perception of the Eye

Within Jewish law there is a concept known as maarit ayin, which translates to “perception of the eye.” It is a shorthand term for the rabbinic prohibition of doing a permitted act that…

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A Look At The Law

There are three types of laws in the Torah...mishpatim, edot and chukim: Mishpatim are basic laws. In fact, mishpatim are generally translated as those laws…

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Will Not Eat Green Eggs and Ham

Which is more “treif” (generic term used for non-kosher foods): a McDonalds’ burger or a ham sandwich from the corner deli?The answer is neither. Non-kosher food is non-kosher…

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A Little Lox

A bagel with lox and a nice schmear of cream cheese may be, to some, the essence of Ashkenazi food, but it is actually more of what one might call nuevo-Jewish cuisine. It’s not all that…

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In Honor of World Health Day

World Health Day, which is sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), is an annual event held on April 7th, the anniversary of the founding of the WHO in 1948. A sub-agency of the…

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