Bereshith 5775-2014
“The Sad Destiny of the Firstborn Children” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald A prominent feature of the book of Genesis is the struggle for family leadership between the firstborn and the…
Va’eira 5776-2016
“The Lessons of Genealogy” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’eira, we learn of the noble family background of Moses and Aaron, who would soon emerge to lead…
Kee Tavo 5776-2016
“The Power of the Word אָמֵן--‘Amen’” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tavo, Moses prepares the Jewish people for the experiences that that they will soon…
Matot-Masei 5777-2017
“Vows and Oaths” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashiot Matot and Masei are the last two parashiot of the book of Bamidbar--Numbers. The focus of these two final parashiot shifts from…
Va’eira 5778-2018
“Participating in the Communal Pain” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Va’eira, marks the commencement of the redemption of the People of Israel from their…
Why is Jerusalem Not Mentioned in the Torah?
In the first aliyah of parashat Re’eh, the Torah mentions 16 times an unknown place where God will choose to rest His Presence. Now, thousands of years later, we know that place to be the…
Mourning Jerusalem I: A Brief History of the First Temple
Jews all over the world will be observing the fast of Tisha b’Av on this coming Saturday night and Sunday. It is on Tisha b’Av that the Jewish people mourn the destruction of both the…
Mourning Jerusalem I: A Brief History of the First Temple
Today, Jews all over the world are observing the fast of Tisha b’Av. It is on this day that the Jewish people mourn the destruction of both the First and Second Temples. The First Temple…
Mourning Jerusalem I: A Brief History of the First Temple
Today, Jews all over the world are observing the fast of Tisha b’Av. It is on this day that the Jewish people mourn the destruction of both the First and Second Temples. The…
What’s in the Book: Joshua
The Book of Joshua (Yehoshua) is the first of the ten books known as Nevi'im, the Books of the Prophets. It begins after Moses’ death, when Joshua bin Nun assumed the leadership of…