Grab the Opportunity
Perform an extra good deed or mitzvah on Hoshana Rabbah to improve your chances of being granted a year full of blessing.
Simchat Torah 5784-2023
“The Evolving Holiday” (updated and revised from Simchat Torah 5767-2006) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The festival of Simchat Torah is one of the most joyous on the Jewish calendar. In…
Everyone Does the Wave
One of the main mitzvot of the holiday of Sukkot is the waving of the Four Species: citron (etrog), palm branch (lulav), myrtle (hadassim) and willow (aravot). Trying to understand this…
The Perfect Species
At this time of the year, Jews around the globe head out in search of the perfect lulav and etrog (lulav refers to the grouping of lulav, hadassim and aravot, which, together with the…
Sukkot 5784-2023
“Worshiping G-d Wholeheartedly” (updated and revised from Sukkot 5765-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald There is a wonderful Sukkot story told about the Vilna Gaon, who was the foremost…
Kee Tavo 5783-2023
"The Centrality of Joy in Jewish Observance" (updated and revised from Kee Tavo 5764-2004) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Kee Tavo is one of the two parashiot in the Torah that…
Va’etchanan 5783-2023
"The Dialectic of Body and Soul" (updated and revised from Va’etchanan 5764-2004) In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’etchanan, we encounter several well-known and significant texts.…
Who Lights The Shabbat Candles?
While lighting Shabbat candles is generally considered a “woman’s mitzvah,” and is traditionally performed by the woman of the house, it is actually an obligation of the entire household.…
Magen David Adom
The opportunity to save a life (hatzalat nefashot) is one of those unique events that may never occur in a person’s lifetime. Today, Jewish Treats salutes those who often risk life and…
Immersing the Vessels
When shopping for common kitchen items, one typically does not ask the sales clerk, “Who manufactured them?” But, this information determines whether or not one must fulfill the mitzvah…