Vayakhel-Pekudei 5769-2009

"All For The Sake of Heaven" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashiot Vayakhel-Pekudei are, for the most part, repetitions of the instructions that are found in parashiot Terumah and…

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Vayeitzei 5768-2007

"How Dare You Accuse Me!" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald After working 20 years for Laban, Jacob and his wives decide that it is time to leave Laban and his family. They see no future for…

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Bereshith 5771-2010

"The Help Meet" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week’s parasha, parashat Bereshith, we learn of the creation of the human being. The story of the human creation is a…

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Bo 5771-2011

"‘Is This What You Call Borrowing?’--Revisited" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In a previous analysis of parashat Bo (5768-2008), we presented a number of responses to the question of how…

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Vayishlach 5772-2011

“Jacob Lines Up His Family for the Encounter With Esau” By Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayishlach, after his epic struggle with the angel, Jacob prepares…

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Mishpatim 5772-2012

"Capital Punishment: Revenge or Restitution?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald With fifty-three commandments--thirty negative and twenty-three positive, parashat Mishpatim ranks fourth among…

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Terumah 5772-2012

"The Outer Altar" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald With this week's parasha, parashat Terumah, we begin to read a cycle of five Torah portions that extensively describe the building and…

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Tzav 5772-2012

“Spiritual Movements in the Life of a Jew” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Tzav, continues the theme that dominates much of the book of Leviticus: the roles of…

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Tazria-Metzorah 5773-2013

"Ritual Impurity and Tzaraat: A Contemporary Understanding" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s double parashiot, Tazria and Metzorah, are among the most complex Torah portions for…

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Naso 5773-2013

"Playing the Subordinate Role: A Lesson from the Levites" by Rabbi Ephaim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Naso, continues the description of the role of the Levites, whose…

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