Toledot,Weekly Message,Genesis
Toledot 5773-2012
"The Sale of the Birthright" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Toledot, we learn of the sale of the birthright by Esau to his twin brother Jacob. In order to…
Bereshith 5775-2014
“The Sad Destiny of the Firstborn Children” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald A prominent feature of the book of Genesis is the struggle for family leadership between the firstborn and the…
Vayechi 5768-2007
"The Struggle Over the Birthright" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The struggle over the birthright is a recurring theme throughout the book of Genesis: Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac,…
The Blessings Over Food: The Final-Blessing Bo’ray Ne’fah’shoat
The mitzvah of making a blessing after food is a direct Torah commandment. “You will eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you”…
Over The Rainbow
Somewhere over the rainbow...Well, we all know that there is no real place over the rainbow! After all, a rainbow is caused by the refraction of light during the rain. But when you see a…
Come On Over
This week, invite acquaintances or co-workers (rather than close friends) over for Shabbat.
The Blessings Over Food: Ha’ah’dama / Vegetables
The blessing recited over produce that grows from the ground is ha’ah’dama. Certain produce that are called fruit actually receive the ha’ah’dama blessing because of how they grow - for…
The Blessings Over Food: Ha’etz / Fruits
The blessing recited over fruit, including tree nuts, is Ha’etz.Ba’ruch Ah’tah Ah’doh’nai Eh’lo’hay’nu Melech ha’o’lam bo’ray p’ree ha’etz. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the…
The Blessings Over Food: M’zo’note / Baked Goods
The blessing recited over baked goods other than bread is M’zo’note; Ba’ruch Ah’tah Ah’doh’nai Eh’lo’hay’nu Melech ha’o’lam bo’ray mee’nay m’zo’note. Blessed are You, the Lord our God,…