Mishpatim 5771-2011

"Protecting the Rights of a Wife" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, we encounter the law of the Hebrew maidservant, which we have already discussed…

Read More

The Original Prenuptial Agreement

Did you know that it is a custom among some Jewish households to display their “prenuptial” agreements on the wall? It’s called a ketubah (marriage contract), presented by the husband to…

Read More

Kee Teitzei 5766-2006

"The Mitzvah of Marriage, Kiddushin and Ketuvah" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Kee Teitzei is a fascinating parasha, containing the largest number of mitzvot of any parasha in the…

Read More

Kee Teitzei 5768-2008

"The 'Mitzvah' of Divorce" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As we have previously noted, parashat Kee Teitzei contains the largest number of mitzvot of any parasha in the Torah. According to…

Read More

Kee Teitzei 5773-2013

"The ‘Mitzvah’ of Divorce, Revisited" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Kee Teitzei, speaks of the "mitzvah" of divorce. Although we have previously discussed the…

Read More

The Giving Of The Get

Just as a Jewish marriage requires a ketubah (marriage contract), so too a Jewish divorce requires a get (bill of divorce). The ketubah is a contractual agreement in which the groom…

Read More

Safe Keeping

If you are a married woman, make certain you know where your ketubah is located.

Read More

Aishet Chayil (Woman of Valor)

Aishet ChayilWoman of Valor Aishet Chayil, “The Woman of Valor,” is actually a selection of verses from the Book of Proverbs…

Singing About the “Woman of Valor”

Aishet Chayil, “The Woman of Valor,” which is traditionally sung at the Shabbat table on Friday nights, is actually a selection of verses from the Book of Proverbs (31:10-31) written by…

Read More

Protecting Widows

June 23rd is the official date recognized by the United Nations as International Widows Day. The day was first observed in 2005, and, in 2010, it was ratified by the U.N. to address “the…

Read More