Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher, Dean of Students and Senior Lecturer at Diaspora Yeshiva, is not only a popular speaker and teacher, but also a dynamic thinker and writer. A student of Harav Yaakov Kamenetsky and Harav Gedalia Schorr, Rabbi Sprecher was granted smicha (rabbinical ordination) by Torah Vodaath Yeshiva. Prior to his current position, Rabbi Sprecher was a professor of Judaic studies at Touro College in New York. In addition to his duties at Diaspora Yeshiva, Rabbi Sprecher writes a regular column on various Judaic topics in the Jewish Press, and lectures regularly at the OU Israel Center in Jerusalem.
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 Why Mourn For A Temple We Never Saw?  .: Viewed: 1602 times :.
We all encounter grief and mourning in our lives. When a relative or friend passes away, G-D forbid, we mourn him. Even when we experience other kinds of loss, we feel pain and sorrow. However, with regard to the destruction of the Temple, many find it hard to understand what we are mourning. What are we lacking when the Temple is not standing? Or in other words, when the Temple is rebuilt,...
Published: July 24, 2016
 Why Mourn for a Temple We Never Saw?  .: Viewed: 1488 times :.
On Tisha B'Av we mourn for the destruction of the first and second Holy Temples. The Talmud in Trachtate Taanit (Page 30) states that all Mitzvot that apply to a mourner during the Shiva also apply to the entire Jewish people on Tisha B'Av. In other words, according to Halacha we are all sitting Shiva on Tisha B'Av. But, how can this be? For the Halacha states that if a close relative has...
Published: July 13, 2017
 Why Name Parshat Matan Torah after a GER?  .: Viewed: 1277 times :.
Yitro, Moshe's father-in-law, is the name of the Parsha in which we read the account of the most important event in Jewish and World history, the Giving of the Torah. It is remarkable that this Parsha has as its title, the name of someone who was not even born a Jew. Yitro was a pagan idol worshipper, but only later in life abandoned his paganism and recognized the One True G-d. Why was...
Published: January 18, 2019
 Why Thank the Nile?  .: Viewed: 1265 times :.
“and G-d said to Moshe, say to Aaron, take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, and they will become blood….” (Shemot 7:19). As G-d is about to bring the Ten Plagues on Egypt, the Torah relates that G-d tells Moshe to tell Aaron to stretch out his hand over the Nile River. Why does Moshe not strike the Nile River himself? Rashi explains that...
Published: January 15, 2018
 Why the FAST will Become a FEAST  .: Viewed: 1568 times :.
Zechariah 8:19 states, “Thus speaks Hashem of Hosts, the fast of the fourth month [Shiv’ah Asar B’Tammuz] and the fast of the fifth month [Tish’ah B’Av] and the fast of the seventh month [Tzom Gedaliah] and the fast of the tenth month [Asarah B’ Teves] will one day turn into days of joy and celebration for the House of Yehudah, provided that the people will...
Published: June 29, 2018
 Why the OU Israel Center was Closed  .: Viewed: 1671 times :.
Last Thursday afternoon, the OU Israel Center was forced to shut down. As a result, my Torah Class as well as others were canceled. The reason for the forced closure was the Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem. There is a verse in Devarim 28, “G-d will strike you with madness.”  This verse in the Torah is being fully and completely observed by our Politically Correct Leaders. The...
Published: July 24, 2016
 Why was Matan Torah NOT in Jerusalem?  .: Viewed: 1197 times :.
Yom Yerushalayim, which is actually first mentioned in Tehillim 137:7, is just a few days before Chag Matan Torah. So wouldn’t it have been appropriate for G-d to give us the Torah in His Holy City of Jerusalem, DC (David’s Capital). As Yeshayahu chapter 2 states, “The Torah shall go out from Zion and the Word of G-d from Jerusalem”. Thus, why did G-d give the Torah...
Published: May 3, 2018
 Why was the First Jewish Wedding a Deception?  .: Viewed: 1697 times :.
The father of the first Jewish family, Yaakov, was the victim of a last minute switch on his wedding night. His father-in-law, Lavan, substituted Leah, the older of his two daughters, for Rachel, the one whom Yaakov loved and worked for. Yaakov discovered the deception only after he had consummated the marriage with Leah. Yaakov, choosing to accept his mazal (fate), remained with Leah and...
Published: November 5, 2015
 Why was the Torah Given in a Desert?  .: Viewed: 1949 times :.
Why is Parshat Bamidbar always read on the Shabbat before Shavuot? On Shavuot, the Torah reading for the Festival also begins with a reference to Bamidbar, the Wilderness of Sinai. The entire episode of Shavuot takes place in the barren Sinai Peninsula. The verse in Bamidbar 21:18 states, "UMIMIDBAR MATANAH". The Talmud in Nedarim 55 explains this verse, "The gift of the Torah came out of the...
Published: May 12, 2015
 Why was the Torah NOT given in Israel?  .: Viewed: 2101 times :.
Why did G-d give the Torah in the Sinai Desert rather than in the Holy Land? The Talmud explains that G-d wanted to demonstrate that the Torah didn't belong to one nation alone or even to one country. A desert is halachically designated as a MAKOM HEFKER (an ownerless place). The Torah was not given in the Land of Israel for that would have meant that it was to be uniquely for the HOLY LAND....
Published: January 26, 2015
 Why Wine Plays a Central Role in Judaism  .: Viewed: 2631 times :.
Why is wine so essential to Judaism? To find the answer we must look into the Talmud. The Talmud discusses the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, wondering what type of fruit it was (B. Berachot 40a; B. Sanhedrin 70 a-b). Three opinions are presented. According to one opinion, the forbidden fruit was wheat. This suggestion is innovative since wheat stalks are not normally considered...
Published: May 24, 2011
 Why Yizkor on Yom Tov?  .: Viewed: 2239 times :.
On each of the last days of the Shalosh Regalim, it is traditional that the Yizkor service be recited. Even those who, for one reason or another, have not been in regular attendance at the Synagogue, gravitate to it at this time. There is a feeling of responsibility and respect for our departed parents which impels us to participate in this service. It seems strange and paradoxical that...
Published: May 24, 2011
 Will Moshiach Reveal a New Torah?  .: Viewed: 2822 times :.
"And Moshe took his wife and sons and mounted them on the donkey."(Ex. 4:20) Rashi makes the cryptic comment;" the donkey that Moshiach will utilize to usher in the Final Redemption. How do we understand this strange comment of Rashi? Can a donkey live for thousands of years? The explanation is that when G-d appointed Moshe to be the Redeemer of Israel, He set those cosmic forces in motion...
Published: May 24, 2011
 Will the FINAL Mikdash be a Physical Building?  .: Viewed: 1164 times :.
Zecharya ch. 8 tells us that Tisha B’Av will become a joyous festive Yom Tov when Mashiach comes and builds the third and final Beit Hamikdash. The prophet Yechezkel deals with the construction of the Third and Final Temple in great detail. A major problem is that Yechezkel’s vision of the Third Beit Hamikdash in ch. 48 describes a Sanctuary Structure of enormous, gigantic...
Published: July 22, 2019
 Will the Final Redemption Parallel the Exodus?  .: Viewed: 2349 times :.
The prophet Micah said (7:15), "As in the days of your leaving Egypt, I shall show them marvelous things." His words imply that the Exodus is the precedent for the Final Redemption, as the Midrash expounds: "Just as in Egypt, I shall redeem you in the future from subjugation to Edom and shall perform miracles for you, as it says, 'As in the days of your leaving Egypt, I shall display...
Published: May 24, 2011
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