Vayishlach 5777-2016
“Esau and Jacob Embrace and Kiss: Sincere or Insincere?” By Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayishlach, Jacob and Esau are reunited after twenty years…
Bo 5778-2018
“Deceptions at the Behest of G-d” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Bo, we read of the final three plagues that strike the Egyptians and ultimately lead…
Eikev 5779-2019
Eikev 5779-2019 “Feast or Famine--What Judaism Says About Food” (Revised and updated from Eikev 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Eikev, the…
Va’eira 5772-2012
“The Decline and Collapse of the Egyptian Magicians” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’eira, we learn of the first seven plagues that strike the Egyptians.…
Three Times Strong
The beauty of Jewish living is that it often strives to bring together the spiritual and the practical. Judaism is a growth-oriented religion. At the same time, it is also a religion of…
Proverbial Path
In the Book of Proverbs it is written: “A person’s heart devises his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (ibid. 16:9). This is, perhaps, the origin of the common phrase, “Man plans, God…
Al Hanisim, For The Miracles
Most Jewish holidays are marked not only by feasting and celebrations, but also by special prayers. On Biblical holidays, such as Passover and Rosh Hashana, these special prayers include…
The Occident
In honor of World Press Freedom Day, May 3rd as declared by the United Nations General Assembly, Jewish Treats takes a quick glance at the first* general Jewish periodical in the United…
Let’s Talk About Sin
What is sin? To a native English speaker, the word “sin” is laden with concepts of Christian theology. In Judaism, a sin is more appropriately called an aveira, which means a…
Stories for Little Jews
When the four children of Rabbi Baruch and Sadie Rose Weilerstein were little, they had no idea that their mother’s stories would change the face of Jewish children’s literature in…