Haazinu,Weekly Message

Haazinu 5765-2004

"Judging Others Favorably and its Impact on Our Own Judgment" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming Shabbat is known in the Jewish calendar as Shabbat Shuva--the Sabbath of Return. It…

Read More

Weekly Message,Tzav

Tzav 5781-2021

"Understanding Shabbat Hagadol" (updated and revised from Tzav 5762-2002) This week, we read the second parasha of the book of Leviticus, parashat Tzav. Because it immediately precedes…

Read More

Jewish Treats

The New Month is Coming

In many synagogues around the world, the monthly calendar contains a special notation marking the last Shabbat of the Hebrew month as Shabbat Mevarchim (translated as "the Shabbat when…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Birthday of the World

According to Jewish tradition, this Sunday night, when Rosh Hashana begins, the world will be 5783 years old. This claim easily stirs up sharp debate. How, it is often asked, can one say…

Read More

Jewish Treats

The Fast of Esther

This coming Monday, March 6th, which is the 13th of Adar on the Hebrew calendar, is the Fast of Esther. “Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Does Life Begin at 40?

In 1932 Walter Pitkin published his popular self-help book, Life Begins at Forty. Truthfully, before the 20th century, life expectancy, on average, rarely exceeded 40. The number 40 is…

Read More

Jewish Treats

Birthday of the World

According to Jewish tradition, this Friday night, when Rosh Hashana begins, the world will be 5784 years old. This claim easily stirs up sharp debate. How, it is often asked, can one say…

Read More

Jewish Treats

The Fast of Esther

The Fast of Esther will be observed tomorrow, March 21st which coincides with the 11th of Adar on the Hebrew calendar. While the Fast of Esther is normally observed on the 13th of Adar,…

Read More

Emor,Weekly Message

Emor 5771-2011

"Sanctifying and Defiling G-d’s Name" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Emor, we encounter two prominent pronouncements that serve as foremost guideposts for…

Read More

Devarim,Weekly Message,Genesis

Devarim 5772-2012

"The Al-mighty’s Relationship with the Nations of the World" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As we have previously noted on several occasions (Devarim 5765-2005), the book of Devarim…

Read More