Rabbi Efraim Sprecher

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	Select an Archives Section: JP Archives: View From Zion 48 Archived Articles Found in View From Zion Next 20 Articles > 1) Posted Jul 15 2010 Tisha B'Av - The Hidden Festival? By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher Four days a year Jews fast and mourn, commemorating different historical events of the destruction of the Holy Temple. The 17th day of Tammuz is one of the four days, and it began a three-week period of limited mourning that climaxes with Tisha B'Av, the day of the destruction of the Temple. These four days of fasting are found in the prophet Zechariah. Consistent with Judaism's optimism, the biblical references about the four days, including Tisha B'Av are not cited as directives to fast and mourn. Read Article 2) Posted Jun 16 2010 The Mystery Of The Red Heifer By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher The laws concerning the Red Heifer have always been regarded as the most mysterious of the Torah's mitzvot. Although this mitzvah has always been considered to be above human reason, attempts have nevertheless been made to interpret it. Read Article 3) Posted Jun 02 2010 Does the 'Spies' Syndrome Still Exist? By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher The covenant between the Land and People of Israel began the moment G-d told Avraham, "Go forth from your land to the land that I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). From the very start, the relationship between these two was full of hardship because Eretz Yisrael is acquired through suffering - "no pain, no gain" (Talmud Berachot). Read Article 4) Posted May 12 2010 *Why is Shavuot* Cut Short? By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher Unlike Pesach and Sukkot, the third festival, Shavuot, appears in the Torah solely in an agricultural context, "Chag HaKatzir." Moreover, although the "feast of harvest of the first fruits of your labors" is referred to in the siddur as the "time when we received our Torah," this context is not mentioned anywhere in the Torah. Why not? Read Article 5) Posted Mar 17 2010 Four Sons - Four Blessings By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher The four sons occupy a key place in the Haggadah. The author states their questions and then spells out the answers, both of which are based on Biblical texts. The Torah is realistic; not all children are wiseor righteous. Life presents us with a variety of children, ranging from the wise to the wicked, and parents cannot and should not ignore any of them. We have to listen carefully to the questions of all and seek to answer them. Read Article 6) Posted Feb 24 2010 Mordechai's Legacy: The Unique Jew By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher Why does the Megillah state, "A Jewish man was in the capital of Shushan and his name was Mordechai," when there were many Jewish people who lived in Shushan? The sages explain that many Jews fled Shushan out of fear of Haman; Mordechai was one of the few who did not. Read Article 7) Posted Dec 09 2009 Chanukah: Spiritual Insurance Policy By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher** There is an interesting Talmudic passage in Tractate Shabbat: 23: "One who is careful about the Chanukah lights will have children who are talmidei chachamim." Rashi explains this enigmatic passage by referring to the verse in Mishlei 6, which says: "A candle is a mitzvah and the Torah is light." On the basis of the mitzvah of the candles of Shabbat and Chanukah, the light of Torah will come. This explanation still leaves the passage unclear. We will come back to it. Read Article 8) Posted Sep 23 2009 Kol Nidrei - Yom Kippur's Magic Moment By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher The ancient Aramaic words of the Kol Nidrei Declaration will ring out on Yom Kippur Eve, as they do every year, stirring the emotions of the faithful gathered in the synagogues. What is it about these words, that are not even a prayer, that have transformed them into the very symbol of Yom Kippur? What is it about the melody that enables it to tear down all defensive barriers, even that which has grown up around the soul of the assimilated Jew, for whom the experience of prayer is so remote? Read Article 9) Posted Sep 09 2009 Yamim Noraim - Days Of Awe Or Happiness? By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher In the Torah, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year is called Yom Teruah (a day of blowing the trumpets; Numbers 29:1). Although trumpets are generally sounded on joyous occasions, here the trumpet or, more specifically the shofar (ram's horn), signifies a solemn holiday, when we are all put on trial, and stand before the supreme Judge, G-d. This trial continues for 10 days until Yom Kippur. Read Article 10) Posted May 20 2009 Shavuot: The Mysterious Cover-Up By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher Unlike Pesach and Sukkot, the third festival, Shavuot, appears in the Torah solely in an agricultural context. Moreover, although the "Feast of Harvest, the first fruits of your labors" is referred to in the prayer books as the "time when we received our Torah," this context is not mentioned anywhere in the Torah. Why not? Read Article 11) Posted May 06 2009 Nazir: Saint Or Sinner? By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher The Torah's attitude towards the Nazir seems contradictory. On one hand, the Torah calls him "holy," as it says: "He is holy to Hashem" (Bamidbar 6:8). On the other hand, the Nazir has to bring a sin offering at the conclusion of the period of Nezirut. Furthermore, it is written of a Nazir who became defiled [through a dead body]: "He [the kohen] shall provide him atonement for having sinned regarding the corpse" (6:11). Rashi explains: "Because he abstained from wine." Thus, is the Nazir holy or a sinner? Read Article 12) Posted Apr 07 2009 The Mystical Link Of Birkat HaChamah To Pesach By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher Springtime and Pesach deliver the same message of renewal, new energy and an emergence into a time of opportunity for creativity and accomplishment. The Torah and nature form a harmonious pair, each meant to comment, explain and reinforce the values and teachings of the other. This idea is no more evident than in the qualities and uniqueness of the month of Nissan. Read Article 13) Posted Feb 11 2009 Mitzvah From Beyond The Grave? By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher Can one do a mitzvah after being deceased? Judaism places great value on human life and encourages Jews to endure significant hardship, whether physical, financial, or emotional to save another person's life. Read Article 14) Posted Jan 21 2009 Rosh Chodesh: G-d's Gift Of Renewal By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher Why is Rosh Chodesh the first mitzvah given to Israel? The Zohar, in explaining the importance of the New Moon and our celebration of its renewal each month, states: "The Jewish nation is compared to the moon. Just as the moon wanes and seems to disappear into darkness only to be reborn, so too the Jewish people often appear to be overwhelmed by the forces of darkness only to re-emerge as a nation reborn." Read Article 15) Posted Jan 07 2009 The Gateway To Heaven By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher And when Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and expired, and was gathered unto his people (Genesis 49:33). Read Article 16) Posted Dec 17 2008 The Menorah's Eternal Message By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher What is the Chanukah Menorah's message for us in our personal lives? Read Article 17) Posted Nov 19 2008 How To Be Happy In Difficult Times By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher How can we escape our worries and fears today when we are confronted by the global financial meltdown and terrorism? Read Article 18) Posted Oct 22 2008 How To Become God's Partner In Creation By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher Throughout the account of creation, after each major step, such as the creation of light waters, and grass, the Torah tells us "VaYar Elokim ki tov - And God saw that it was good." Read Article 19) Posted Jun 18 2008 How To Rectify The Sin Of The Spies By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher, Dean of Students, Diaspora Yeshiva, Jerusalem The covenant between the Land and People of Israel began the moment G-d told Abraham, "Go forth from your landto the land that I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). Read Article 20) Posted Jun 04 2008 The Hidden Mystery Of Shavuot By Rabbi Efraim Sprecher Unlike Pesach and Sukkot, the third festival, Shavuot, appears in the Torah solely in an agricultural context. Read Article 48 Archived Articles Found in View From Zion Next 20 Articles >
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