Matot-Masei 5783-2023
"The Mitzvah of Living in the Land of Israel” (updated and revised from Matot-Masei 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Masei, the second of this week’s double…
Mishpatim 5767-2007
"The Hebrew Maidservant is Alive and Well" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, Parashat Misphatim (literally, "laws"), G-d sets much of the structure of Jewish civil…
Matot-Masei 5764-2004
"The Mitzvah of Living in the Land of Israel" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Masei, the second of this week's double parashiot, G-d speaks to Moses in the Plains of Moab and…
Vayeitzei 5768-2007
"How Dare You Accuse Me!" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald After working 20 years for Laban, Jacob and his wives decide that it is time to leave Laban and his family. They see no future for…
Today I am a Man, Sort Of
In today’s day and age, it is difficult to fathom how the rabbis could deem a twelve or thirteen year old child even remotely mature enough to be considered an adult. In truth, however,…
The Value Of
It is easy to be judgmental. Some might say that being judgmental is a necessary survival skill because it allows people to evaluate if they are being threatened. Those who study Mussar,…
The Value Of
It is easy to be judgmental. Some might say that being judgmental is a necessary survival skill because it allows people to evaluate if they are being threatened. Those who…
The Blessings of the Amidah: Destruction of Our Enemies
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The twelfth blessing was actually added after the destruction of the Second Temple. This blessing calls…
The Blessings of the Amidah: Destruction of Our Enemies
The nineteen blessings of the Amidah make up the core of the Jewish prayer service. The twelfth blessing was actually added to the prayer after the destruction of the Second Temple. This…
Today I Am A Man, Sort Of
In today’s day and age, it is difficult to fathom how the rabbis could deem a twelve or thirteen year old child even remotely mature enough to be considered an adult. In truth, however,…