Fully Present
In Hebrew, one word can say so much. For instance, hineni. This seemingly simple phrase is understood as a powerful statement of a person’s state of mind. Literally, it is translated:…
The Thrace Pogroms
In discussions of World War II and the decade leading up to the war, history tends to mainly focus on the major players in Europe (Germany, France and England) and the Pacific (Japan and…
Beauty and The Greeks
What does Noah’s son Yaphet have to do with the story of Chanukah and the mitzvah of circumcision? When the Syrian-Greeks sought to force Hellenization on the Judeans, one of the first…
The Morning Blessings-Blessing #7: Clothing
Every morning, a set of 15 blessings is recited to express our thanks to God for all the things that we, as healthy human beings, are capable of doing. Ba'ruch Ah'tah Ah'doh'nai…
Torah And The Stars
The Torah is considered to be the blueprint of the entire creation. It is therefore not surprising that the great sages took an interest in the movement of the heavens, both from an…
Devarim,Tisha b'Av,Weekly Message
Devarim-Tisha B’Av 5761-2001
"Eichah, The Annual Search for Meaning and Introspection" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Devarim, is the parasha which is always read on the Shabbat that…
Bereshith 5781-2020
“The Origins and Meaning of Evil” (updated and revised from Bereshith 5762-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald After 9/11 and the World Trade Center terrorist bombings, we thought…
Mikeitz-Chanukah 5782-2021
“What is Chanukah Really About?” (updated and revised from Mikeitz 5761-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Mikeitz, continues the magnificent saga of…
Mikeitz 5783-2022
“In Those Days, in These Times” (updated and revised from Mikeitz 5763-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As we have previously noted, the story of Joseph may be seen as the story of an…