Vayeira 5778-2017

“The Alliance with Abimelech” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Vayeira, is a rich parasha containing many important topics, including the destruction of Sodom,…

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Toledot 5766-2005

"Why Was Rebecca Barren?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Toledot, we are told that Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebecca as his wife. Scripture also…

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B’ha’a’lot’cha 5774-2014

“The Difference Between Moses and the Other Prophets” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat B’ha’a’lot’cha, reaches its exciting crescendo in Numbers 12, with the story of Miriam and…

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Korach 5777-2017

“Mrs. Ohn: The Unsung Hero” The Torah, in Numbers 16:1, records the initial steps of the rebellion: וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח בֶּן יִצְהָר בֶּן קְהָת בֶּן לֵוִי, וְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם בְּנֵי אֱלִיאָב,…

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Vayeitzei 5773-2012

"The Complex Relationship Between Jacob, Rachel and Leah" In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeitzei, Jacob, who has fled from his father’s home in BeerSheba where Esau seeks to kill him,…

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Passover 5771-2011

“At the Passover Seder We Are All Children” by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In our previous discussions of Passover, we focused on the frequent emphasis on children, especially at the Passover…

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Boy or Girl

In Leviticus 12, God commands Moses to tell the Israelites that when a woman bears a son she is considered to be niddah (state of marital separation when a woman has her menstrual cycle)…

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Toledot 5767-2006

"The Unanswered Prayer" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Toledot, focuses on the life of the patriarch Isaac and his relationships with his wife, Rebecca and his…

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Eikev 5764-2004

"Battling the Contemporary Abominations" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Eikev, Moses once again encourages the people of Israel to put their faith in G-d.…

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Judaism vs. Hellenism

Judaism vs. Hellenism Why did the interaction of the Greeks and the Jews create such problems? What was there about Hellenism…