Bereshith-Simchat Torah 5766-2005
"P'roo Ur'voo--Jewish Attitudes Towards Procreation" Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald For some parents, the greatest gift in life is having children. For other parents, the greatest challenge, is…
Haazinu-Sukkot 5766-2005
"When Life Revolves Around G-d" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Haazinu, Moses continues his final dramatic message to the People of Israel. Beseeching the Jewish people to…
Re’eh 5765-2005
"The Sanctity of Land and its Implications" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Among the topics discussed in this coming week's parasha, parashat Re'eh, is the sanctity of the Land of Israel.…
Yom Kippur 5766-2005
"Sharing the Blanket" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Rambam (Maimonides, the great Jewish philosopher, codifier and physician, 1135-1204), states in The Laws of Teshuva, chapter 3, that…
Toledot 5766-2005
"Why Was Rebecca Barren?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Toledot, we are told that Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebecca as his wife. Scripture also…
Devarim 5765-2005
"The Book of Deuteronomy–Mishneh Torah and the Purpose of Repetition" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Devarim, marks the commencement of the fifth book of the…
Rosh Hashana 5766-2005
"Actions and their Implications" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The celebration of the Jewish New Year is thoroughly different from the secular New Year festivities. No parties, no bands, no…
Shavuot 5765-2005
"Abba's Final Shavuot" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Our father, of blessed memory, Moshe Aaron Buchwald, whom my sisters and I called "Abba," passed away on the 14th of Sivan 5752, June 15,…
Shoftim 5765-2005
"The Extent of Rabbinic Authority" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Shoftim, 41 new Torah laws--14 positive and 27 negative mitzvot--are introduced.…
Vayeira 5766-2005
"Confronting Adversity, Lessons from Father Isaac" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Vayeira, includes chapter 22 of Genesis, the chapter that describes the…