Answering The Appeals
There they sit, the pile of unopened solicitations and appeals. Direct marketing charity drives are the modern replacement for the communal tzedakah (charity) appeals of the past. Food…
Twice the Tithe
Charity (tzedakah) is an integral part of both Jewish life and Jewish law. And while giving charity is most certainly a value that goes beyond the bounds of any specific religion, in…
Sheep Shearing
While giving charity appears to be one of the fundamental good deeds a person may perform, it is, in all honesty, one of the hardest. Our possessions, our wealth, our outward signs of…
Random Acts of Kindness
An entire generation of North Americans hear the words “random acts of kindness” and immediately think of Oprah Winfrey. Without question, the queen of afternoon television has done…
Random Acts of Kindness
An entire generation of North Americans hear the words “random acts of kindness” and immediately think of Oprah Winfrey. Without question, the former queen of afternoon television has…
Random Acts of Kindness
An entire generation of North Americans hear the words “random acts of kindness” and immediately think of Oprah Winfrey. Without question, the former queen of afternoon television has…
A Meaningful Act of Kindness
We are all at a loss of how to deal with the tragic unfolding events in Israel. On the one hand, we feel helpless seeing the horrific images from Israel and reading the tragic stories…
Kee Tavo 5765-2005
"Contemporary Implications of an Ancient Ritual" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In our analysis of parashat Kee Tavo for 2003/5763, we reviewed the message of the extraordinary confession…
Behar,Bechukotai,Weekly Message
Behar-Bechukotai 5762-2002
"The Extraordinary Mitzvah of Tzedaka, Charity" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Once again, this week, we read two combined parashiot Behar-Bechukotai. In the first of this coming week's…
Terumah 5776-2016
“Charity–the Only True Possession” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Terumah, we read of the Israelites’ overwhelmingly generous response to the appeal for…