Shemot 5762-2001
"The Circumcision of Eliezer: A Message for Busy Parents" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Shemot, Moshe emerges as the leader of Israel and begins the…
The Eyes Have It
January is Eye Care Month! Close to 2,000 years ago, the importance of treating even basic eye disease was recorded in the Talmud (Shabbat 108b), where the rabbis debate what one may do…
The Tribe of Asher
As the forefathers of the tribes of Israel, the lives and personalities of each of the twelve sons of Jacob impacted on the history and behavior of the tribe members who descended from…
Spiritual Compass
Tomorrow, November 6th, is yet another odd, seemingly random, holiday that has grown out of the internet age: “Marooned without a Compass Day.” While the name of the day may seem quaint…
On the Wings of Eagles
In Exodus 19, God instructs Moses to address the Children of Israel and to say to them: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to…
The Book of Ruth
Ruth was the Moabite wife of Machlon, one of the two sons of Elimelech and Naomi, a wealthy Hebrew couple who had fled Bethlehem during a bitter famine. Elimelech’s family had settled in…
Shemot 5782-2021
“The Circumcision of Eliezer: A Message for Busy Parents” (updated and revised from Shemot 5762-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Shemot, Moses emerges…
Pekudei 5782-2022
“The Lesson of the Basin: ‘Don’t Judge a Basin by its Cooper’” (updated and revised from Pekudei 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Pekudei, opens with…
Three Steps Forward, Three Steps Back
While Jewish prayer has many aspects that are introspective, prayer is also designed to serve as a vehicle of communication with the Divine. The central focus of every prayer service is…
On the Wings of Eagles
In parashat Yitro, this week’s Torah portion, God instructs Moses to address the Children of Israel and to say to them: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on…