The Building of Solomon’s Temple
The 17th of Cheshvan marks the day on which King Solomon declared the work on the Holy Temple (Beit Hamikdash) to be complete. By then, Solomon had been king for eleven years, and the…
Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah
Tonight starts the holiday of Shemini Atzeret, literally the Gathering of the Eighth, a connected, yet independent holiday, that immediately follows Sukkot. During the seven days of…
Seventeenth of Tammuz: End of the Tamid Offering
In the year that the Israelites left Egypt, on the 17th day of Tammuz, Moses descended from Mount Sinai to find the Jewish people dancing around the Golden Calf. In exasperation, Moses…
It’s All In The Timing
When setting out to conquer the Promised Land, the Israelites' first military confrontation was with Jericho. This battle is famous...Why? Because (now sing aloud to yourself): "Joshua…
Challah Is Taken
The Hebrew word "challah" does not actually mean bread, but rather refers to the tithe of the bread that was given as a gift to the ancient priests (Numbers 15:20). Exactly when the term…
Day of Distinction
On the first day of Sivan in the year 2448 (Jewish calendar), only seven weeks after leaving Egypt, the Israelites reached the Wilderness of Sinai. On the desert plain around the…
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Tonight starts the holiday of Shemini Atzeret, literally the Gathering of the Eighth, a separate and independent holiday that immediately follows Sukkot. During the seven days of Sukkot,…
Vayikra 5765-2005
"The 'Sacrifice' That Lasts Forever" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald On this Shabbat, we commence the reading of the book of Vayikra--Leviticus, the third book of the Five Books of Moses. Much…
Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah
Tonight begins the holiday of Shemini Atzeret, literally the Gathering of the Eighth, a connected, yet independent holiday, that immediately follows Sukkot. During the seven days of…
The Tribe of Asher
As the forefathers of the tribes of Israel, the lives and personalities of each of the twelve sons of Jacob impacted on the history and behavior of the tribe members who descended from…