Tetzaveh 5779-2019

“Clothes: A Reflection of the Divine Image” (Revised and updated from Tetzaveh 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week’s parasha, Parashat Tetzaveh, we read of the…

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Use Your Fame to Benefit Judaism

Utilize every opportunity to help Judaism and Jews, especially exerting any influence you may have.

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Nitzavim-Rosh Hashana 5779-2018

“Whatever Became of Sin?” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald According to Rabbi Hayyim Angel, this week’s parasha, parashat Nitzavim, contains “one of the greatest expositions on repentance in…

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Muscular Judaism

As the Zionist Movement developed, one of its secondary goals was to transform Jewish life by freeing it from what was considered a ghetto mentality, a societal mind-set of being weak and…

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Visiting Graves

Graveyard tours are often promoted in the month of October as an opportunity for spookiness. Judaism, however, encourages visiting the burial sites of relatives and holy people at all…

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Honoring Those Who Have Passed

Sometimes the world seems a bit like alphabet soup. There are the ever increasing abbreviations that are being made popular via texting (e.g. “ttyl”-talk to you later, and “imho”-in my…

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Kee Tavo 5777-2017

“The Choice Parts to G-d” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Kee Tavo is best known for the second תּוֹכֵחָה , Tochacha, G-d’s second reproof of the People of Israel. The first is…

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Rav Saadia Gaon

Rabbi Saadia ben Joseph, known by the appellation Rav Saadia Gaon (Gaon was the title of the religious leader of the Jewish community in Babylon) is best known in history as a philosopher…

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Tzav 5777-2017

“Lessons from the Ceremony of the Consecration of the כֹּהֲנִים — the Priests”   by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald A good part of this week’s parasha, parashat Tzav, describes the…

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Avinu – Our Father

One of the most common ways of addressing God in the Jewish liturgy is Avinu, our Father. By addressing God as Avinu, one can not only learn about humanity’s…

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