Abraham Ibn Ezra
Biblical scholars study his Torah commentaries, poets read his verse, grammarians look to his linguistic work and a lunar crater is named in his honor. Meet Rabbi Abraham ben Meir Ibn…
The Songs of the Ibn Ezra
The joy of Shabbat is expressed in many ways throughout the “Day of Rest.” For those of a musical bent (and even for those not so musically inclined), one of the joys of the Shabbat meals…
Re’eh 5772-2012
“The Gift of Self Esteem” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Re’eh, contains many fascinating themes. Among the most fascinating and challenging are the laws…
Events in Granada
Joseph ibn Naghrela (1035 - 1066) was only 21 years when he succeeded his father, Samuel (Shmuel Hanagid), as the vizier of Granada, Spain. Shmuel Hanagid had assumed this position after…
Duties of the Heart
The concept of “being spiritual” is often assumed to be a fairly recent one, resulting, perhaps, from the enlightenment’s deconstruction of organized religion. The idea of…
Duties of the Heart
The concept of “being spiritual” is often assumed to be a fairly recent one, resulting, perhaps, from the enlightenment’s deconstruction of organized religion. The idea 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…
Shemot 5769-2009
"Does Moses Contradict G-d?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Shemot, G-d appears to Moses in the midst of a burning bush charging him to go to Pharaoh and to…
Shoftim 5773-2013
“Egypt: Off Limits to Jews” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Shoftim, we learn of the Torah’s prohibition for Jews to return to the land of Egypt. In…
Shoftim 5774-2014
“Justice--the Source of Security of the Land of Israel” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Shoftim, calls upon the People of Israel to formally establish courts of…