Jewish Treats

The Light Of The First Day

When most people think of natural light, they think of the sun. Strangely enough, the sun (along with the moon and stars) was not created until the fourth day. So what was the “light”…

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Jewish Treats

Saying Hello

The Jewish calendar, unlike the secular/Gregorian calendar, is a lunar calendar. The first commandment given to the Israelites in Egypt (Exodus 12) is to count and begin the months with…

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Jewish Treats

If Shabbat Is Saturday, Why Does It Begin On Friday Night?

There Was Evening, And There Was Morning... When following the Gregorian (secular) calendar, it is natural to think of the days of the week as Sunday, Monday....Friday, Saturday, each day…

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Jewish Treats

Birthday of the World

According to Jewish tradition, this Sunday night, when Rosh Hashana begins, the world will be 5783 years old. This claim easily stirs up sharp debate. How, it is often asked, can one say…

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Jewish Treats

Birthday of the World

According to Jewish tradition, this Friday night, when Rosh Hashana begins, the world will be 5784 years old. This claim easily stirs up sharp debate. How, it is often asked, can one say…

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Weekly Message,Yitro

Yitro 5783-2023

Yitro 5783-2023 “Why G-d Can Not Share the Limelight” (updated and revised from Yitro 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Yitro, the Al-mighty…

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Jewish Treats

Eclipse

In recognition of today’s total solar eclipse, Jewish Treats offers a Jewish angle for consideration. One might expect the sages to record eclipses as moments of awe, but instead the…

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Weekly Message,Mikeitz

Mikeitz 5762-2001

"A Dysfunctional Family Becomes Functional" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Mikeitz, the soap opera, I mean, the saga of the family of Jacob continues. And what…

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Naso,Weekly Message

Naso 5771-2011

"Finding Variety in the Seemingly Identical" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Naso, is the longest parasha of the Torah. It is usually read on the Shabbat that…

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Tetzaveh,Weekly Message

Tetzaveh 5772-2012

"Where is Moses?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Tetzaveh focuses in depth on the special vestments that the lay priests and the High Priest wore when they officiated at the…

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