Yom Kippur 5768-2007
"The Role of the Cantor in the High Holiday Services" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E. It was in that Temple and the First Temple that…
Terumah 5764-2004
"Being Transported by Torah" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Terumah, the Al-mighty reveals His plans for His glorious Tabernacle, the Mishkan, that…
Terumah 5773-2013
"Form Over Content, or Content Over Form?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Terumah, is the first in a series of five parashiot that deal with the design,…
Terumah 5782-2022
“Being Transported by Torah” (updated and revised from Terumah 5764-2004) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Terumah, the Al-mighty reveals His plans for the…
Vayakhel-Pekudei 5772-2012
“A United People Build the Tabernacle” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Vayakhel, the first of this week’s double parashiot of Vayakhel and Pekudei, we read of the actual…
Pinchas 5776-2016
“Pinchas the Zealot, and King David" by Ephraim Z. Buchwald The opening verses of this week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, contain the conclusion of the dramatic narrative concerning…
Emor 5766-2006
"Striving for Perfection" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Emor, the theme of perfection is repeated many times in several related contexts. In Leviticus…
Emor 5783-2023
“Striving for Perfection” (updated and revised from Emor 5766-2006) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Emor, the theme of “perfection” appears repeatedly in…
Yitro 5775-2015
“I Shall Come to You and Bless You” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Yitro, after the dramatic pronouncement of the Ten Commandments at Sinai, the Torah, once…
What’s With The Salt
At every Shabbat meal, the blessing of Ha'mo'tzee (the blessing over bread) is recited over two complete loaves of bread. This 'bread' is usually the braided loaves known as…