Weekly Message,Va'etchanan

Va’etchanan 5775-2015

“Do Not Add...and Do Not Detract” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’etchanan, we learn of the fascinating and complex mitzvah of not adding or detracting…

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Fast Days,Tisha b'Av Resource,Holidays,Tisha b’Av

Tisha b’Av

Tisha b’Av The saddest day in the Jewish calendar, believed to be a day which is destined for tragedy.  Guide…

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Get Them Checked

If you own a pair of tefillin, have them checked by a local sofer (scribe) to see if they are "kosher." In older tefillin, the words on the scroll can fade or the stitching can break.

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Hand on the Bible

The classic courtroom image portrays a witness standing in the dock, right hand raised and left hand resting gently on the Bible. The witness is then asked: "Do you solemnly swear to tell…

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Sukkot 5784-2023

“Worshiping G-d Wholeheartedly” (updated and revised from Sukkot 5765-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald There is a wonderful Sukkot story told about the Vilna Gaon, who was the foremost…

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Sukkot 5765-2004

"Worshiping G-d Wholeheartedly" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald There is a wonderful Sukkot story told about the Gaon of Vilna, Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, 1720-1797, who was the foremost…

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The First Mourning

For those who suffer the loss of a close relative, Jewish tradition provides a distinctive mourning ritual, the most prominent aspect of which is shiva, the seven days of mourning.…

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Return of the Dead

The relationship of the living and the dead is an oft debated topic by the sages. Judaism firmly believes that, post mortem, a person's neshama (soul) goes to an afterworld…

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Calligraphy

In honor of National Handwriting Day, Jewish Treats explores the unique calligraphy practiced by a Jewish sofer (scribe). The Hebrew letters used in a Torah scroll, as well as on other…

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A Modern Sage

Medieval scholars such as Maimonides and Gersonides were famous for both their Torah scholarship as well as their scientific knowledge. While not as famous, there are also modern examples…

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