Kedoshim 5776-2016
“Tattoos" In Parashat Kedoshim the Torah proclaims the prohibition of making cuts on one’s skin as a sign of mourning and forbids drawing permanent tattoos on the body. Scripture, in…
Noah 5777-2016
“Why was the World Destroyed by a Flood?” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Noah, features the destruction of the world at G-d's hands, by a massive flood that…
Lech Lecha 5778-2017
“The Beautiful, Barren Matriarchs” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, G-d commands Abram and Sarai (their names had not yet been changed), to give…
Vayeishev 5778-2017
Vayeishev 5778-2017 “The Jealousy Between Brothers” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Vayeishev we read of the powerful forces of jealousy and enmity that rip apart…
Kee Tisah 5778-2018
Safeguarding the Covenant by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, focuses primarily on the sin of the Golden Calf and Moses' successful invocation of…
Shemot 5779-2018
“Getting the Jews Out of Egypt-–Two Views” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Shemot, we read of the enslavement of the Jews in Egypt by Pharaoh, as well as the…
Chukat 5779-2019
“Can Death Be Sweet?” (Revised and updated from Chukat 5761-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s Torah portion, parashat Chukat, we learn of the death of Aaron at Mt. Hor.…
Mishpatim 5780-2020
“The ‘Sophisticated’ and ‘Unsophisticated’ Criminal” (updated and revised from Mishpatim 5761-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, is a…
Naso 5769-2009
"An Extreme Lifestyle" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Naso, we encounter two particularly challenging themes. We read of the Sotah, a woman suspected of…
Does the Torah Support the Belief in Extraterrestrial Life?
Today, July 2nd, is celebrated world-wide, as "World UFO Day." It all started on July 2, 1947, when W.W. "Mac" Brazel discovered a metallic object on his Roswell, NM ranch. The U.S.…