Who Was Rabbi Akiva?
Akiva ben Yosef was once an ignorant and illiterate shepherd. So poor and downtrodden a figure was Akiva that his extremely wealthy father-in-law disinherited his own daughter, Rachel,…
Eat Your Vegetables
In Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers 3:21), the sages declare that without flour, there can be no Torah. In Jewish texts, “flour,” meaning bread, often refers to material sustenance.…
Lag Ba’Omer
The period of mourning* (for the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who died of plague) that is associated with Sefirat Ha’Omer, is not observed on the 33rd day of the Omer, a day known as…
Lag Ba’Omer
The period of mourning* (for the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva who died of plague) that is associated with Sefirat Ha’Omer, is observed on the 33rd day of the Omer, a day known as Lag…
B’ha’alot’cha 5783-2023
"Searching for Eldad and Medad" (updated and revised from B'ha'a'lot'cha 5764-2004) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat B’ha’a’lot’cha, brims with many fascinating…
Kee Teitzei 5760-2000
"Polygamy, Illegitimacy and Punishing the Innocent" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Kee Teizei, is the parasha that contains more mitzvot than any other parasha…
Shoftim 5766-2006
"The Great Real Estate Swindle–Its Implications" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Shoftim, the Torah introduces a fundamental law of honesty that has…
Eikev 5764-2004
"Battling the Contemporary Abominations" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Eikev, Moses once again encourages the people of Israel to put their faith in G-d.…
Vayeira 5761-2000
"Mount Moriah: Building for the Future Through Love" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Last week's parasha, parashat Lech L'cha, began with G-d saying to Avram, Gen 12:1: "Lech l'cha…
Noah 5761-2000
"Noah: The Man Who Brings Comfort To The World" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The story of this coming week's parasha, parashat Noah, actually begins at the end of last week's parasha,…