Vayikra,Weekly Message

Vayikra 5778-2018

"The Sins of a Leader” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   This week’s parasha, parashat Vayikra introduces the third book of the Torah, Vayikra, Leviticus. The parasha deals with the…

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Jewish Treats

We’re Not Taking Care of Business

On Shabbat, the Jewish people are commanded: “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is Shabbat for the Lord your God; you shall not do any work” (Exodus…

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Vayishlach,Weekly Message

Vayishlach 5778-2017

“The Tragic Death of Mother Rachel” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald   In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayishlach, we learn of the untimely and tragic death of Mother Rachel as she was…

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Jewish Treats

Two Mondays and a Thursday

The Jewish calendar includes two week-long, Torah-ordained holidays: Passover and Sukkot (the latter of which ended a little over a week ago).* These holidays fill our spiritual needs…

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Jewish Treats

Neilah: The Final Service

While one may make requests of God or atone for transgressions at any time of the year, the first ten days of Tishrei (from Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur) are considered particularly…

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Jewish Treats

Leading Ahead

The Talmudic sage Rabbi Meir used to say, "Great is repentance, for on account of one true penitent, the entire world is pardoned" (Talmud Yoma 86b). In effect, this…

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Jewish Treats

Let’s Talk About Sin

What is sin? To a native English speaker, the word “sin” is laden with concepts of Christian theology. In Judaism, a sin is more appropriately called an aveira, which means a…

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Jewish Treats

Neilah: The Final Service

While one may make requests of God or atone for transgressions at any time of the year, the first ten days of Tishrei (from Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur) are considered particularly…

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Jewish Treats

Will I Forgive You For What

An ancient Jewish proverb declares: “Loose tongues are worse than wicked hands.”Truth is, people do the most damage to each other with their mouths. Things done with our hands, such as…

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Jewish Treats

Cut Off

"...Be as scrupulous in performing a 'minor' mitzvah as a 'major' one, for you do not know the reward given for the respective mitzvot. Calculate the...reward of a sin against its cost"…

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