Vayeishev 5778-2017
Vayeishev 5778-2017 “The Jealousy Between Brothers” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Vayeishev we read of the powerful forces of jealousy and enmity that rip apart…
Naso 5769-2009
"An Extreme Lifestyle" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Naso, we encounter two particularly challenging themes. We read of the Sotah, a woman suspected of…
Wise as Solomon
King Solomon is best known for his brilliance and wisdom, attributes that were actually a requested gift from God. It happened this way: One night, God spoke to Solomon in a dream and…
Speech of Jacob Henry
Though I will not conceal the surprise I felt, that the gentleman should have thought proper yesterday to have moved my expulsion from this house, on the alleged grounds that I…
More Than “Because”
While the majority of the meanings of the words in the Torah are forthright, some appear to be syntax anomalies. One excellent example is the word “eikev,” which is used in Deuteronomy…
Presuming Innocence
"Innocent until proven guilty" is one of the great American judicial principles. That important concept, however, could very well have been composed by someone who had studied a bit of…
Sweet
"There is always room for sweet things." Although this quote comes straight from the Talmud (Megillah 7b), it is a common sentiment among many cultures. In the lifetime of Abaye, the sage…
Bankrupt
The concept of forgivable bankruptcy--declaring one’s self legally destitute and thereby being forgiven of one’s major debts, is a recent development in history. Until the mid-1800s (in…
Dan, Son of Jacob
Rachel had Jacob’s heart, Leah had his children. For four long years, Rachel watched her sister give birth to son after son until she could bear it no longer. Frustrated but determined,…
Wise As Solomon
King Solomon is best known for his brilliance and wisdom, attributes that were actually a requested gift from God. It happened this way: One night, God spoke to Solomon in a dream and…