Yom Kippur,Weekly Message

Yom Kippur 5782-2021

“Smashing the Golden Calves” (updated and revised from Yom Kippur 5764-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Virtually all the holidays and festivals of the Jewish calendar revolve around…

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Jewish Treats

Symbolic Foods

Since Rosh Hashana is the Day of Judgment, it is customary to eat simanim*, foods with symbolic meanings that invoke God’s blessing. We also recite a short prayer before eating them.…

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Kee Tavo,Weekly Message

Kee Tavo 5781-2021

“A Contemporary Interpretation of an Ancient Reproof” (updated and revised from Kee Tavo 5762-2002)   This coming week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tavo, is one of two parashiot in the…

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Jewish Treats

The Heel and the Parachute

The title of this week’s parasha, Eikev, is one of the more difficult parasha names to properly translate. The word “eikev” connotes connotes the word “therefore,” so the opening three…

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Va'etchanan,Weekly Message

Va’etchanan 5781-2021

“Loving the Land of Israel” (Updated and revised from Va’etchanan 5762-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Va’etchanan, is an extremely rich parasha.…

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Jewish Treats

The Final Analysis

After the soul departs, it journeys to the gates of heaven where it must present its case for entry. The Talmud (Shabbat 31a) states, “When an individual is brought before the Heavenly…

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Jewish Treats

Smashing the Tablets

The sages declare that five tragedies occurred on the Seventeenth of Tammuz, (Sunday, June 27) which is why the day is observed as a fast day. Days of what we might now call “bad karma”…

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Jewish Treats

A Look at Honesty

In honor of Honesty Day (created by M. Hirsh Goldberg in the 1990s), Jewish Treats presents some fascinating insights into the Jewish view on the importance of honesty. Much of what…

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Weekly Message,Emor

Emor 5781-2021

"The Blasphemer - A Midrashic View" (Updated and revised from Emor 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week’s parasha, parashat Emor, is, for the most part, concerned…

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Kedoshim,Weekly Message,Acharei Mot

Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5781-2021

“Shaatnez: Understanding ‘Irrational’ Decrees” (updated and revised from Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5762-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Once again, this week, we have double…

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