The Sadducees
Even after the miraculous victory of the Hasmoneans (Maccabees), the lure of Hellenization, with its grandeur and style, continued to subtly influence the Jewish people. This trend even…
Private versus Public
Moses’ greatest desire was to enter the Promised Land along with the Israelite nation whom he had led across the wilderness. Sadly, it did not happen. Moses died and was buried shortly…
Emor 5774-2014
“The Sadducees and the Counting of the Omer” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Among the 63 mitzvot (24 positive and 39 negative) found in this week’s parasha, parashat Emor, is the mitzvah of…
Sukkot I 5767-2006
"Sukkot - The Festival of Joy" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The festival of Sukkot is regarded as the most joyous of all the Jewish holidays. In fact, there is not a single reference in the…
Kedoshim,Weekly Message,Acharei Mot
Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5778-2018
“The Extreme Sanctity of the Holy of Holies--Revisited” In parashat Acharei Mot, the first of this week’s double parashiyot, Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, we learn of the prohibition to enter the…
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…
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai and the City of Yavne
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai lived during the tumultuous times when the Jewish residents of Judea rebelled against Rome, and the Romans besieged and then destroyed Jerusalem. At the time,…
Resuming Normalcy
With Tisha b’Av and its restrictions behind us, we can now resume our every-day lives.Tradition teaches that the enemies of Israel lit the Holy Temple aflame at the very end of the 9th of…
Resuming Normalcy
With Tisha b’av and its restrictions behind us, we can now resume our every-day lives. Tradition teaches that the enemies of Israel lit the Holy Temple aflame at the very end of the 9th…
The Sadducee King Yannai
Alexander Jannaeus (Yannai or Y’honatan in Hebrew) served as the second Hasmonean king of Judea from 103 BCE until his death in 76 BCE. The third son of John Hyrcanus, he succeeded his…