Naso 5765-2005
"A Lesson from the N’seeim--the Tribal Leaders" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Naso, is almost always read after the festival of Shavuot, except after a…
Toledot 5771-2010
“Isaac, the Man of Commitment” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Toledot, we once again learn that a famine, like the one in the time of Abraham, afflicts the…
Judaism,Chanukah,Chanukah ResourcesJudaism,Chanukah,Resources,Literacy
What to do on Chanukah
What to do on ChanukahChanukah is unique amongst the holidays in that it has only a single mitzvah - publicizing the miracle…
Naso 5774-2014
“The Gift that Keeps on Giving” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Naso is hardly a simple parasha. It contains many themes, of both major and of seemingly lesser significance.…
Bo 5770-2010
"Finding Favor in the Eyes of the Egyptians" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Bo, the ninth plague, darkness, strikes. In response to the plague, Pharaoh…
Terumah 5768-2008
"The Museum within the Tabernacle" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Terumah, G-d tells Moses to speak to the people of Israel and instruct them to prepare for…
Vayakhel 5774-2014
“Lip Service is Hardly Enough” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayakhel, the people of Israel deliver their abundant contributions to be used in constructing…
End of Year Gift Exchange
There is a great deal of gift-giving going on at this time of year. Beyond friends and family, many feel obligated to give end of the year gifts to local specialists (such as one’s hair…
Terumah 5776-2016
“Charity–the Only True Possession” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Terumah, we read of the Israelites’ overwhelmingly generous response to the appeal for…
Re’eh 5772-2012
“The Gift of Self Esteem” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Re’eh, contains many fascinating themes. Among the most fascinating and challenging are the laws…