Happy Birthday Birkat Hamazon!

The Torah (Exodus 16:1) reports that the Children of Israel arrived at the Wilderness of Sin on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Iyar, approximately one month after the exodus from Egypt.…

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Brother Against Brother

The origins of sibling rivalry, brother against brother violence and even, God forbid, fratricide, can be traced back to the first family in human history, when Cain killed his brother…

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Well It’s Been A Long Day

Today is the longest day of the year - the summer solstice. Technically, the summer solstice is an astronomical event that occurs when the sun reaches its most northern point in the sky.…

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Happy Birthday Birkat Hamazon

The Torah (Exodus 16:1) reports that the Children of Israel arrived at the Wilderness of Sin on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Iyar, approximately one month after the exodus from Egypt.…

Read More

Happy Birthday Birkat Hamazon

The Torah (Exodus 16:1) reports that the Children of Israel arrived at the Wilderness of Sin on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Iyar, approximately one month after the exodus from Egypt.…

Read More

Passover I 5782-2022

“Chametz, Matzah and Faith in Redemption” (Updated and revised from Passover 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week, the regular Torah portion is preempted by the upcoming…

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No Holiday as Joyous

Tu b’Av (The Fifteenth of Av), which is today, is no longer the well-known holiday on the Jewish calendar that it was in ancient times. In fact, the Talmud states that: “There were no…

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Tzav 5769-2009

"Judaism's Upbeat View of the Past" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In last week's parasha, parashat Vayikra, the Torah addressed its message to those Israelites who sought to atone for a…

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Va’eira 5760-2000

"G-d Hardens Pharaoh's Heart: Reconciling Omniscience and Free Will" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Va'eira, we encounter one of the fundamental…

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Shemini-Yom Hashoah 5769-2009

"Aaron's Response to Tragedy–a Lesson for Yom Hashoah" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald It was intended to be the most jubilant day of Aaron's life. Each day, starting on the 23rd day of…

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