Rosh Hashana 5770-2009
"The Unexpected Joy of Rosh Hashana" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In the first of last week's double parashiot, parashat Nitzavim, we read Moses' forceful charge to the People of Israel…
Sukkot 5769-2008
"The Imperative of Joy" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The festival of Sukkot is known throughout Rabbinic literature as "Z'man Sim'chah'tay'noo," the Time of Our Rejoicing. But joy and…
Passover 5766-2006
"Ancient Customs in a New Light" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Due to the festival of Passover, the regular Torah reading from the book of Leviticus is not read until after the holiday.…
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,…
Kee Teitzei 5770-2010
"Caring for Workers and Domestic Animals" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Kee Teitzei, contains an array of rather impressive, indeed, revolutionary, laws…
Eikev 5772-2012
"Loving the Stranger" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Eikev, the Torah boldly pronounces the positive mitzvah of loving the stranger. In Deuteronomy 10:19,…
Kee Teitzei 5772-2012
"The Sanctity of the Camp of Israel" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Kee Teitzei, contains 74 mitzvot-- more mitzvot than any other portion of the Torah. 27 are…
Re’eh 5773-2013
"How Far Must We Go to Avoid Evil?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Re’eh, we learn of the Biblical command that the People of Israel must destroy all…
Kee Teitzei 5773-2013
"The ‘Mitzvah’ of Divorce, Revisited" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Kee Teitzei, speaks of the "mitzvah" of divorce. Although we have previously discussed the…
Toledot 5774-2013
"A Revolutionary Definition of Parenthood" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Toledot, opens with a genealogy of the family of Isaac and his wife Rebecca, and the…