Toledot 5770-2009
"The Jew Under the Microscope" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Toledot, the Torah tells us that, once again, there was a famine in the land of Canaan, aside…
Vayeilech 5761-2001
"Appreciating One's Own Inner Worth" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Vayeilech , is almost always read together with the preceding parasha, Nitzavim. They are…
Shelach 5773-2013
"Tzitzit: The Unpretentious Mitzvah" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald At the conclusion of this week’s parasha, parashat Shelach, we learn of the mitzvah of Tzitzit, the fringes that are…
Haazinu-Sukkot 5766-2005
"When Life Revolves Around G-d" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Haazinu, Moses continues his final dramatic message to the People of Israel. Beseeching the Jewish people to…
Shelach 5774-2014
“Do Not Follow After the Desires of Your Heart and Eyes” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald While the major theme of parashat Shelach concerns the scouts who return from the Land of Israel with…
Passover II 5775-2015
“The Final Days: Expressing Gratitude” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov, in his masterful work Sefer HaTodaah (The Book of Our Heritage), explains that the seventh day of…
Genesis,Bereshith,Weekly Message
Bereshith 5776-2015
“Seth--Adam and Eve’s Little-Known Son” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Bereshith, murder is introduced to the world, and the first instance of fratricide is…
B’shalach 5777-2017
“Miriam Leads the Women in Song" This week’s parasha, parashat B’shalach, is known as the parasha of the “Shira,” the Torah portion that includes the song that Moses sang after the…
Vayechi 5778-2017
“Blessing the Children--Revisited” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Vayechi, is chock-full of blessings. Before his passing, Jacob not only blesses his…
Mikeitz 5779-2018
"Why Did You Treat Me So Badly?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Mikeitz, Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream and is appointed Viceroy of all Egypt. The…