Balak 5772-2012
“Balaam, the Sorcerer, Becomes a Prophet” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Balak, we read of how Balak, the Moabite king, hired the pagan prophet, Balaam, to…
Balak 5773-2013
"Balaam’s Second Vision: Lo, a People that Rises Like a Lion" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Balak, we read of Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, and…
Balak 5777-2017
“Influencing the Will of G-d” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Balak, we learn that the Moabite king, Balak, the son of Zippor, is overwhelmed with fear as a…
Balak 5778-2018
“The Contemporary Impact of the Blessings of Bilaam” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Balak, records Bilaam’s dramatic prophecies regarding the Jewish people.…
Balak 5779-2019
“History Repeats Itself! Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” (Revised and updated from Chukat-Balak 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat…
Chukat 5775-2015
“Accepting the Inscrutable” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Chukat, we learn of the statute of the Red Cow, also known as the Red Heifer. The ashes of an…
Balak 5774-2014
“Upstaged by a Donkey” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Balak, we read of Balak, the king of Moab’s attempt to retain the services of Balaam, the non-Jewish…
Balak 5768-2008
"The 'Mazal Tov' Conundrum" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Balak, Balaam, the prophet to the nations, offers a series of four prophecies. The first three…
Chukat 5772-2012
"It is a Decree Before Me–-You Have No Right to Question It!" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Chukat, we encounter one of the most enigmatic laws of the…
Balak 5781-2021
"Words of Eternal Truth from the Evil Prophet Bilaam” (updated and revised from Balak 5761-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Balak, we encounter Balak,…