Va'etchanan,Weekly Message,Genesis

Va’etchanan 5772-2012

"The Magic of the Mezuzah" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’etchanan, we encounter the first of two textual references to the mitzvah of mezuzah that are…

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Vayeilech,Weekly Message

Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5770-2010

"Rebelling with G-d" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald At the very end of parashat Vayeilech (the second of this week’s double parashiot, Nitzavim-Vayeilech), we read the conclusion of Moses’…

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Jewish Treats

Grace Before Meals

One of the seven mitzvot enacted by the rabbis is reciting blessings prior to eating food. The other six rabbinic innovations are: the holiday of Purim, the holiday of Chanukah, lighting…

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Jewish Treats

Kindness to Animals

Animals are among the most important “educational tools” that God provided to humanity in order to teach them to be “givers.” While animals can’t communicate with the same ability as…

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