Bereshith 5782-2021
“Being Moral in an Increasingly Immoral Environment” (updated and revised from Bereshith 5763-2002) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Bereshith, is one of the…
Kee Tisah 5770-2010
"Moses Wrestles with G-d" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Ki Tisah, we read of the fateful episode of the Golden Calf. Moses goes up the mountain for forty…
Practice a Relaxed Temperament
Since Maimonides, (Rambam) taught that becoming angry is compared to worshiping idols, if there is a situation in which you consistently lose your temper, rehearse ways to avoid getting…
Kee Tisah 5768-2008
"Moses Shatters the Tablets" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, we read the dramatic story of Moses receiving the tablets of the Ten Commandments…
Balak 5770-2010
"A Nation that Dwells Alone" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Balak, Balak, the king of Moab, retains the services of the renowned gentile prophet, Bilaam, to…
Balak 5761-2001
"Words of Eternal Truth from the Evil Prophet Bilaam" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Balak, we encounter Balak, the King of Moab, soliciting the…
Matot 5771-2011
“Leadership and its Moral Responsibilities” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Matot, G-d tells Moses to take vengeance upon the Midianites on behalf of the…
Kee Tisah 5776-2016
“Moses Pleads on Behalf of the People of Israel” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, features the infamous sin of the Golden Calf. The Al-mighty…
Forgiven Love – A Parable
The last parasha (weekly Torah reading) of the Book of Exodus focuses almost exclusively on the conclusion of the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle). Already though, a fair number of…
Purim Narbonne
During the holiday of Purim, celebrated just last week, Jews around the world commemorated the salvation of the Jewish people from physical decimation. Because Haman had such great…