Bamidbar 5765-2005
"Lessons from Traveling in the Wilderness" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Bamidbar, the people of Israel are counted, the structure of the tribal…
Matot-Masei 5761-2001
"Setting Our Priorities Straight" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming Shabbat, the double parashiot Matot and Masei will be read in synagogues throughout the world. In parashat…
Matot-Masei 5780-2020
“Setting Our Priorities Straight” (updated and revised from Parashiot Matot-Masei 5761-2001) This coming Shabbat, the double parashiot, Matot and Masei, will be read in synagogues…
Vayishlach 5761-2000
"The Proper and Improper use of Zealotry" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Vayishlach, we encounter, in chapter 34, a very painful and distressing story…
Vayishlach 5781-2020
“The Proper and Improper use of Zealotry” (updated and revised from Vayishlach 2000-5761) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayishlach, we encounter in…
The Tribe of Benjamin
As ancestors of the Tribes of Israel, the lives and personalities of each of the twelve sons of Jacob significantly impacted the history and the behavior of the tribe members who…
Tetzaveh 5774-2014
“The Choshen–the Breastplate of the High Priest” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Tetzaveh, focuses primarily on the priestly vestments, the garments worn by the…
B’ha’alot’cha 5767-2007
"The Tribe of Dan Traveled Last" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Beha'alotecha, we read of the first journey in the wilderness that the people of Israel took…
Pinchas 5768-2008
"The Zealotry of Pinchas as Seen Through the Midrash" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Last week's parasha, parashat Balak, closed with the story of Pinchas' zealotry. As we read in that…
Vayeishev 5779-2018
“The Mystical Aspects of the Sale of Joseph” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeishev, we read of the sale of Joseph by his brothers, which resulted…