Genesis,Va'etchanan,Weekly Message
Va’etchanan 5772-2012
"The Magic of the Mezuzah" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’etchanan, we encounter the first of two textual references to the mitzvah of mezuzah that are…
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…
Pinchas 5774-2014
“The Battle for Women’s Rights” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Pinchas, the five daughters of Zelophehad plead for the right to inherit their father’s…
Behar 5776-2016
“Bernie Sanders Meets Parashat Behar" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Behar, introduces many of the Torah’s revolutionary economic ideas (see Behar 5765-2005).…
Weekly Message,Behar,Bechukotai
Behar-Bechukotai 5783-2023
“The Revolutionary Nature of Shemita and Yovel” (updated and revised from Behar-Bechukotai 5764-2004) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Behar, the first of this week’s two…
Nitzavim 5765-2005
"The Hidden Things Belong to G-d" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald On the final day of his life, Moses gathers all the people of Israel, from the most exalted to the lowliest, old and young,…
Chayei Sara 5766-2005
"Who Is Keturah?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Chayei Sarah, soon after Isaac marries Rebecca, we learn that the elderly Abraham marries a woman named…
Vayigash 5767-2006
"Two of the Seventy Souls" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayigash, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. The old patriarch, Jacob, departs from Beersheba to…
Mikeitz,Chanukah,Weekly Message
Mikeitz-Chanukah 5763-2002
"In Those Days, In These Times" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The story of Joseph, as we have written in the past, may be seen as the story of an assimilator struggling with his identity.…
Tzav 5766-2006
"Zevach Sh'lamim--Learning to Celebrate Life" Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Tzav, we learn of the Peace offering--Zevach Sh'lamim, that was brought as a…