Shabbat Day Songs

Zmirot are the songs that celebrate the holiness and beauty of Shabbat. There are designated zmirot for each of the three Shabbat meals, and even post-Shabbat zmirot. Two of the most…

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Shalom Aleichem

Shalom Aleichem On the eve of Shabbat, two ministering angels accompany a person home from the synagogue. One angel represents…

Heralded With Blessings

The opening prayer of Pesukei D’zimra is Baruch She’amar - Blessed is He who Said. It is a prose poem that uses an anaphora, a literary style in which the same word is repeated at the…

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A Phrase of Praise

If you’ve ever been in a synagogue and heard a bunch of congregants seemingly mumble something after the chazzan (prayer leader) recited a blessing and wondered what they were saying, and…

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Tu b’Shevat

Tu b'ShevatNew Year for Trees Tu b’Shevat is a rabbinical, not biblical holiday. In fact, it is first…

The Source of Leadership

Great leaders can move mountains...or at least, masses of people. Ezra the Scribe was just such a leader, and it was his charisma and wisdom that inspired the Jews to leave their…

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The Source of Leadership

Great leaders can move mountains...or at least, masses of people. Ezra the Scribe was just such a leader, and it was his charisma and wisdom that inspired the Jews to leave their…

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Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5773-2013

"The Sanctity of The Holy of Holies" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Acharei Mot, the first of this week’s double parashiot, Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, the Torah recalls the death of…

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Lech Lecha 5774-2013

"Setting the Stage for the Jewish Future" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, the Torah tells of the exploits of Abraham and Sarah. The remarkable…

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Yom Tov – The First Festival Days

Yom TovThe First Festival Days Sukkot is a 7 day holiday. The first day (first two days outside of Israel) are Yamim Tovim –…