Rosh Hashana 5784-2023
“Actions and their Implications” (updated and revised from Rosh Hashana 5766-2005) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The celebration of the Jewish New Year is entirely unlike the secular New…
Re’eh 5761-2001
"Charity! The Investment with the Greatest Return" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, Parashat Re'eh, is a truly edifying portion, and is filled with many…
Vayeira 5760-1999
"The Preciousness of Hospitality" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As this week's parasha, parashat Vayeira, opens, aged Abraham, 99 years old, is sitting at the entrance of his tent in the…
Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5762-2002
"The Promise of Total Return" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parashiot, Nitzavim and Vayeilech, are among the final parashiot of the book of Deuteronomy and contain the…
Simchat Torah 5767-2006
"The Evolving Holiday" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The festival of Simchat Torah is one of the most joyous of the Jewish calendar. In Israel, following the conclusion of the festival of…
Chayei Sara 5763-2002
"The Torah's Recipe for Finding a Proper Mate" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald One of the growing issues confronting contemporary American and world Jewry is the challenge of finding proper…
Shoftim 5769-2009
"The Torah Declares War on Bribery" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Shoftim, we again encounter the Torah's emphatic injunction against taking bribes.…
Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5769-2009
"Farewell to a Great Leader" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Vayeilech, the second of this week's combined parashiot, Nitzavim-Vayeilech, Moses bids a final farewell to the…
Kee Teitzei 5762-2002
"Transforming an Enemy Into a Friend" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This past Thursday and Friday marked Rosh Chodesh Elul, the beginning of the new month of Elul, the month that leads in…
Vayeishev 5767-2006
"What's in a Name?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayeishev, we are privileged to encounter one of the great epic narratives of world literature, the saga…