Yitro 5762-2002

"Structural Secrets of the Decalogue" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Yitro, in Exodus 20, we encounter the Aseret Ha'dibrot, the Ten Commandments.…

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Yitro 5761-2001

"Can the Torah Forbid Feelings that are Part of Normal Human Emotions?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Yitro, is one of the two places in the Chumash…

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Naso 5760-2000

"Traditional Judaism: Fundamentalist or Ascetic" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Naso, we encounter the curious law of the Nazir, the Nazarite. In…

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B’ha’alot’cha 5761-2001

"The Torah's Attitude Towards Converts" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's Torah portion, parashat Beha'alotecha, continues the narrative of the Jew's wanderings in the…

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Pinchas 5766-2006

"The 'Zealotry' of Pinchas" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Pinchas, opens with the conclusion of the story that began in last week's parasha of a tribal leader…

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Rosh Hashana 5766-2005

"Actions and their Implications" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The celebration of the Jewish New Year is thoroughly different from the secular New Year festivities. No parties, no bands, no…

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Sukkot 5770-2009

"Sukkot: The Dialectic of a Festival" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The festival of Sukkot is referred to in the Torah (Exodus 34:22) as "Chag Ha'ah'sif," the festival of the ingathering. It…

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B’shalach 5771-2011

"Avoiding the Philistines" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat B’shalach, G-d leads the People of Israel out of Egypt in a most dramatic manner. It was in last…

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Mishpatim 5775-2015

“Injuring a Fellow Human Being” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Among the 63 mitzvot that are found in this week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, are the fundamental laws regarding personal…

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Re’eh 5775-2015

“The Prohibition of Eating the Limb of a Live Animal” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Re’eh, contains 55 mitzvot--17 positive and 38 negative commandments. It…

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