Shelach 5761-2001
"The Torah's Definition of 'Power'" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Shelach, recounts the story of the twelve spies or, more accurately, twelve "scouts"…
Lech Lecha 5771-2010
“Abram Prays for Others” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, we find two instances where the commentaries indicate that Abram (his name had not yet…
Shelach 5777-2017
“The Slave Mentality” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Shelach, we read of G-d’s shattering decree that the generation of Israelites who came out of Egypt…
Shelach 5780-2020
“The Torah’s Definition of ‘Power'” (Revised and Updated from Parashat Shelach 5761-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald. This coming week’s parasha, parashat Shelach, recounts the story of…
Be Strong!
For many readers, completing a book leaves them with a variety of feelings. Some people have a sense of satisfaction, others of relieved accomplishment, and still others are left with a…
Impeachment and the Jewish Tradition
On February 24, 1868, a U.S. president was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time. Three months later, the U.S. Senate acquitted President Andrew Johnson. 35…
Your Jewish Life Coach
Do you have a life coach? For those unfamiliar with the term, life coaches work to help clients determine and achieve personal goals. While life coaching as a profession in western…
Bread and Clothing
Until recently, the repercussions of converting to Judaism meant more than just renouncing one’s previous religious beliefs. More often than not, a person who converted to Judaism also…
Bread and Clothing
Until recently, the repercussions of converting to Judaism meant more than just renouncing one’s previous religious beliefs. More often than not, a person who converted to Judaism also…
She Was A Harlot
It sounds like a classic melodrama: A harlot endangers her life to protect two desperate spies, and, when the city falls, she ends up marrying the conquering leader. The harlot’s name was…