B’shalach 5784-2024
Urgent message: Given the most challenging situation in Israel at this time, I urge all to pray for the bereaved families, the hostages, the missing and the many casualties. Please try to…
Tetzaveh 5772-2012
"Where is Moses?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Tetzaveh focuses in depth on the special vestments that the lay priests and the High Priest wore when they officiated at the…
B’shalach 5783-2023
“The Malbim Teaches the Lessons of the Manna” (updated and revised from B’shalach 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week’s parasha, parashat B’shalach, the recently…
Prepare for the Final Celebratory Days of Passover
The seventh day of Passover, which begins tonight, recalls the splitting of the Sea of Reeds and the Shirah (song), which is tomorrow’s Torah reading. In honor of the beginning of the…
Pinchas 5764-2004
"The Conundrum of Pinchas: Do His Actions Set an Unacceptable Precedent?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Pinchas, we encounter the final chapter of…
Pinchas 5775-2015
“Learning by Example” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, G-d rewards Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the grandson of Aaron the High Priest, for turning…
Vayechi 5765-2004
"The Sealed Torah Portion" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Vayechi, is unique among all the parashiot of the Torah in that parashat Vayechi is literally…
Bechukotai 5776-2016
“The Tochaycha–G-d’s Daunting Reproof of Israel" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Bechukotai, contains the first of two Tochaychot--תּוֹכֵחוֹת, G-d’s reproofs or…
Mishpatim 5777-2017
“Majority Rule " This week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, is one of the most content-rich parashiot in the entire Torah. Mishpatim, which literally means “laws” or “rules,” serves as the…
Emor 5777-2017
“Communicating a Vital Message Clearly” by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Emor, contains 63 mitzvot-- 39 negative and 24 positive. Parashat Emor ranks second, after…