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…
Sukkot 5761-2000
"A Sukkot Story: Devotion to a Festival" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The famed Rabbi Shlomo Zevin, records the unusual story concerning Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740-1810), the…
Sukkot 5780-2019
“A Sukkot Story: Devotion to a Festival” (Updated and revised from Sukkot 5761-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The famed Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin records the unusual story concerning…
Kee Teitzei 5767-2007
"Concern for the Property of Others" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Kee Teitzei contains seventy-two mitzvot, more commandments than any other parasha in the Torah. Of the many…
Vayishlach 5776-2015
“Jacob Tarries in Succot” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayishlach, Jacob sends messengers ahead of him to Esau, his brother, to the land of Seir to…
Yom Kippur 5772-2011
"The Magic of the Day of Atonement" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Jewish calendar has an abundance of "propitious" or "favorable" times and occasions. Nissan, the month of Passover, is…
Bo 5768-2008
"Is This What You Call Borrowing?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Bo we learn that after the ninth plague, the plague of darkness, Pharaoh has reached his wit's end, and agrees…
Lech Lecha 5769-2008
"A Blessing on Your Head" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Blessings play a key role in Judaism. Not surprisingly, there are a vast number of them in Jewish life. There are blessings for…
Nitzavim-Vayeilech 5764-2004
"Hastening the Messiah" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashiot Nitzavim and Vayeilech are always read together before Rosh Hashanah, unless there is a Shabbat in between Yom Kippur and…
Mikeitz 5772-2011
"Joseph Takes His Brother Simeon Hostage" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Mikeitz, is an emotional roller coaster, stocked with abundant moments of triumph…