Tazria-Metzora 5778-2018

“Looking at Tzara’at from a Different Perspective”   by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s double parshiyot, Tazria and Metzora, deal almost exclusively with the issue of the…

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Cover Your Ears

Understanding proper speech, according to Jewish tradition, is critical to one’s personal development. Proper speech does not refer to manners or etiquette, but rather to avoiding a broad…

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Tazria 5779-2019

“Death and Life are in the 'Hands' of the Tongue!” (Revised and updated from Tazria 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week’s parasha, parashat Tazria, deals mostly with…

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Tazria 5768-2008

"The Odd Ritual Practices of the Metzorah!" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald According to rabbinic tradition, the "tzah'ra'aht" affliction is not a bodily disease, but a physical…

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Tazria 5765-2005

"Some Important Lessons That We Learn from the Ancient Biblical Tzara'at" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The primary theme of this week's parasha, parashat Tazria, is the ancient Biblical…

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Tazria 5760-2000

"Death and Life are in the 'Hands' of the Tongue!" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, Parashat Tazria, deals mostly with the issue of Lashon Hara, speaking evil of…

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Tazria 5763-2003

"Tzaraat--The Spiritual Dermatological Disease" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Tazria, as well as parashat Metzorah that follows, are among the most…

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Hilly Gross’ Speech

Hilly Gross' SpeechAt the 10th Anniversary of the Lincoln Square Beginners Service, Hilly Gross describes what happened when…

Hillel Gross’ Response to the Beginners at the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the LSS Beginners Service (Feb 23, 1986)

The video of the live performance of this speech: "I am here tonight on what I fear is a totally vain effort to restore some perspective to this orgy of self-congratulations that you…

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Matot 5768-2008

"Striving for Refined Speech" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Matot, we learn of the laws that govern vows and oaths, known in Hebrew as nedarim and…

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