Bechukotai 5760-2000
"The Big 'IF': The Question of Free Choice" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Bechukotai, is one of the two parashiot of the Torah that are known as the…
Bechukotai 5763-2003
"Ma'aser Shay'nee--The Second Tithe" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Toward the very end of this coming week's parasha, parashat Bechukotai, we learn the law of Ma'aser Shay'nee, the second…
Yom Kippur 5764-2003
"Smashing the Golden Calves" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Virtually all of the holidays and festivals of the Jewish calendar revolve around important events in Jewish history. Passover…
Vayikra 5771-2011
"No Leaven or Honey on the Altar" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald With this week’s parasha, parashat Vayikra, Jews, in synagogues throughout the world, begin to read the third of the Five Books…
Passover,Weekly Message,Genesis
Passover 5771-2011
“At the Passover Seder We Are All Children” by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In our previous discussions of Passover, we focused on the frequent emphasis on children, especially at the Passover…
Vayishlach,Genesis,Weekly Message
Vayishlach 5773-2012
"Gid Ha’nasheh: The Sinew of the Thigh" By Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayishlach, after twenty two years of fleeing from his brother Esau, who had…
Balak 5773-2013
"Balaam’s Second Vision: Lo, a People that Rises Like a Lion" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Balak, we read of Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, and…
Eikev 5775-2015
“‘D’vay’kut’--Bonding with the Al-mighty” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Eikev, we read of the deeply spiritual mitzvah of דְּבֵקוּת “D’vay’kut,” of…
Kedoshim 5776-2016
“Tattoos" In Parashat Kedoshim the Torah proclaims the prohibition of making cuts on one’s skin as a sign of mourning and forbids drawing permanent tattoos on the body. Scripture, in…
Rosh Hashana,Weekly Message,Nitzavim
Nitzavim-Rosh Hashana 5776/5777-2016
“Israel’s Charge to Impact on the World” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Nitzavim, Moses, on the last day of his life, renews the Covenant of G-d with His…