Chukat 5771-2011

"The Well of Miriam" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Chukat, we learn of the passing of one of the great Jewish matriarchs, Miriam, the sister of Aaron and…

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Kee Tisah 5774-2014

“Moses Argues with G-d to Save the Jewish People from Destruction” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, features the tragic saga of the Golden Calf, and…

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Terumah 5775-2015

“The Sanctity of the Synagogue” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Terumah, is the first of a series of parashiot that deal with the creation, erecting and…

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Behar-Bechukotai 5775-2015

“The Odd Conclusion to the Book of Leviticus” By Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Bechukotai, the second of this week’s double parashiot, Behar-Bechukotai, we find two major themes,…

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Haazinu-Sukkot 5776-2015

“The Sukkah In The Sky” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Haazinu, the penultimate parasha in the book of Deuteronomy, signals the conclusion of Moses’ departing…

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Sukkot II 5777-2016

“Why is Sukkot Celebrated in the Fall rather than in the Spring?” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Torah, in Leviticus 23:42-43, states, בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים; כָּל…

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Tzav 5777-2017

“Lessons from the Ceremony of the Consecration of the כֹּהֲנִים — the Priests”   by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald A good part of this week’s parasha, parashat Tzav, describes the…

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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…

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Remembering the Akeidah

In neither of the two Torah references to the holiday of Rosh Hashana (Leviticus 23:23-25, Numbers 29:1), is there a specific mention of the shofar, the ram's horn. Only…

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Remembering the Akeidah

In neither of the two Torah references to the holiday of Rosh Hashana (Leviticus 23:23-25, Numbers 29:1), is there a specific mention of the shofar, the ram's horn. Only…

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