Vayeira 5763-2002
"Sodom: The Home of Institutionalized Evil" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in Sodom? There are, after all, many places in the world,…
Sarah’s Whereabouts Determine Jewish Law
Parashat Vayeira begins with Abraham convalescing after his circumcision. Unexpectedly, he sees three “visitors,” whom the Midrash identifies as angels, come toward his home. Excited to…
Vayeira 5783-2022
“Sodom: The Home of Institutionalized Evil” (updated and revised from Vayeira 5763-2002) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Have you ever wondered what it might be like to have lived in Sodom?…
Vayeitzei 5769-2008
"Leah, the Fourth Matriarch" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In parashat Vayeitzei, Jacob leaves Beersheba, fleeing from his brother Esau who threatened to murder him. Upon his arrival at the…
Korach 5771-2011
“The Preciousness of Peace” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Korach, we learn of the infamous charges leveled against Moses by Korach and his compatriots,…
Rosh Hashana 5764-2003
"Making Each Day Count" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Rabbi Yehuda Leib Alter (1847-1905), the second Gerrer rebbe and leader of Polish Jewry, was also known as the S'fas Emes, which is the…
Pekudei,Weekly Message,Vayakhel
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…
Rosh Hashana 5783-2022
“Making Each Day Count” (updated and revised from Rosh Hashana 5764-2003) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Rabbi Yehuda Leib Alter (1847-1905), the second Gerrer rebbe and leader of Polish…
Ushpeezin (Oo’shpee’zin)
During the festival of Sukkot, the sukkah is intended to be our home. For example, since one would normally dine in the house, on Sukkot one dines in the sukkah. Because the sukkah is…
The Golden Ages of Estonia
Estonia, one of the three Baltic states, has never historically hosted a large population of Jews, but the quality of its hospitality toward Jews and other minorities has been quite…