Bereshith-Simchat Torah 5766-2005

"P'roo Ur'voo--Jewish Attitudes Towards Procreation" Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald For some parents, the greatest gift in life is having children. For other parents, the greatest challenge, is…

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Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5771-2011

"Renewing the Covenant" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s double parashiot, Nitzavim-Vayeilech, Moses, on the last day of his life, dramatically gathers all the people of…

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Devarim 5771-2011

“The Responsibility not to be Misled” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald With this week’s parasha, parashat Devarim, the fifth book of the Torah, which bears the same name as the parasha,…

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Passover 5770-2010

"The Festival of Liberation" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald If one were to look at the world from a truly impartial perspective, one might conclude that all human beings are equal, all days…

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Sukkot

- Sukkot The holiday of Sukkot, known as the Feast of the Tabernacles, or the liturgy Zman Simchatainu,…

Shelach 5767-2007

"The Ma'ah'peelim: Forcing Their Way Into the Promised Land" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Shelach-Lecha, we read about the "Ma'ah'peelim," the ancient…

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Kiddush

Kiddush Kiddush, sanctification, is the prayer said over wine and/or grape juice through which Jews proclaim the uniqueness of…

Shelach 5764-2004

"Where Did the Spies Go Wrong?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Shelach, G-d tells Moses (Numbers 13:2): "Sh'lach l'chah ah'nah'shim, v'yah'too'roo et Eretz…

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Bechukotai 5765-2005

"Achieving Peace and Security for the Jewish People" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Bechukotai, we encounter the first of the two tochachot--portions of…

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Shelach 5766-2006

"Who was Caleb?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Shelach is probably the saddest parasha in the Torah. It is in this weekly portion that the Israelite men of the Exodus generation…

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