Call Him Ishmael…Rabbi Ishmael
It may seem surprising that the Talmud quotes a sage named Rabbi Ishmael. Biblically, Ishmael the son of Abraham and Hagar, is portrayed as a wild trouble-maker sent away from Abraham’s…
The Thirteen Principles
The United States Supreme Court decides whether laws conform or do not conform to the U.S. Constitution. Similarly, the ancient sages decided and interpreted halacha, Jewish law, based on…
Chayei Sarah 5776-2015
"The Legacy of Ishmael" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Chayei Sarah, opens with the death and burial of the matriarch, Sarah, at age 127, and closes with the…
In Celebration of Thirteen Years
Every person has special days in their life that they remember and mark from year to year, such as birthdays and anniversaries. Judaism also marks dates on an annual cycle such as…
Lech Lecha 5782-2021
“Understanding Ishmael” (updated and revised from 5762-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, we encounter the birth of Abram’s (his name…
Lech Lecha 5762-2001
"Understanding Ishmael" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, we encounter the birth of Abrams's oldest son, Ishmael. The bible, in Genesis 15, tells…
Rabbi and Statesman, Rabbi Moses Schorr
Rabbi Moses Schorr was a passionate academic who dedicated most of his indefatigable energy to the Jewish people. Born on May 10, 1874, in Pryemysl, Galicia, when it was still part of…
Rabbi and Statesman, Rabbi Moses Schorr
Rabbi Moses Schorr was a passionate academic who dedicated most of his indefatigable energy to the Jewish people. Born on May 10, 1874, in Priemysel, Galicia, when it was still part of…
Rabbi and Statesman, Rabbi Moses Schorr
Rabbi Moses Schorr was a passionate academic who dedicated most of his indefatigable energy to the Jewish people. Born on May 10, 1874, in Przemyśl, Galicia, when it was still part of…
Sources Commentators
Abarbanel (1437-1508, Spanish statesman, philosopher and commentator) Israel Abrahams (1858-1925) Achad Ha’Am (Asher Zvi Hirsh Ginsberg, 1856-1927) AJOP (Association for Jewish Outreach…