Donkey

Why is a donkey called a donkey? For Jewish Treats, a more interesting question is why is a donkey called a chamor?  According to the Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 17:4), God…

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Donkey

Why is a donkey called a donkey? For Jewish Treats, a more interesting question is why is a donkey called a chamor? According to the Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 17:4), God assigned Adam the…

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Balak 5774-2014

“Upstaged by a Donkey” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Balak, we read of Balak, the king of Moab’s attempt to retain the services of Balaam, the non-Jewish…

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Keep it Fair: Ox and Donkey

“Fair” is a word we hear very often. From our earliest years, human beings have a seemingly innate desire for things to be, or at least appear to be, fair. When children use the word, it…

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Bo 5769-2009

"It's Payback Time!" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In the concluding chapter of this week's parasha, parashat Bo, G-d commands Moses to inform the people to sanctify the firstborn. The…

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Moral Yoking

While organizations such as PETA and local SPCAs were created to protect animals and safeguard them from undue suffering and cruelty, the Torah has, for millennia, maintained strict laws…

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Moral Yoking

While organizations such as PETA and local SPCAs were created to protect animals and safeguard them from undue suffering and cruelty, the Torah has, for millennia, maintained strict laws…

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Balak 5777-2017

“Influencing the Will of G-d” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Balak, we learn that the Moabite king, Balak, the son of Zippor, is overwhelmed with fear as a…

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Kee Teitzei 5762-2002

"Transforming an Enemy Into a Friend" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This past Thursday and Friday marked Rosh Chodesh Elul, the beginning of the new month of Elul, the month that leads in…

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The Tribe of Issachar

As the ancestors of the tribes of Israel, the lives and personalities of each of the twelve sons of Jacob significantly impact the history and behavior of the tribe members who descended…

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