Shemini 5761 – 2001
"The Responsibilities of Leadership" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In the opening chapters of this coming week's parasha, parashat Shemini, we encounter Aaron and his sons on one of the…
Happy 5782 From NJOP
Happy 5782 From NJOPThere is a profound yearning to connect to the sweetness, to learn to read Hebrew and make up for lost…
Shelach 5769-2009
"Long-Term Consequences" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Shelach, we are told of the twelve scouts who were sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan in…
Shelach 5760-2000
"Finding Meaning in the Rituals" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, Parashat Sh'lach, concludes with the well-known third paragraph of the Shema prayer concerning…
Rosh Hashana 5770-2009
"The Unexpected Joy of Rosh Hashana" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In the first of last week's double parashiot, parashat Nitzavim, we read Moses' forceful charge to the People of Israel…
Shoftim 5776-2016
“The Dangers of Pridefulness" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald One of the fascinating topics that we find in this week’s parasha, parashat Shoftim, is the Torah’s prediction that in the…
Bechukotai,Weekly Message,Behar
Behar-Bechukotai 5777-2017
“If Your Brother Becomes Impoverished” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Behar, the first of this week’s two parashiot, Behar-Bechukotai, we encounter the mitzvah requiring Jews to…
Go Vote! It’s an American and Jewish Value!
Voting in free and fair elections is one of the most profound privileges Americans and citizens of other democratic countries enjoy. Almost 700,000 American soldiers* have died in wars to…
Leading Ahead
The Talmudic sage Rabbi Meir used to say, "Great is repentance, for on account of one true penitent, the entire world is pardoned" (Talmud Yoma 86b). In effect, this…
Judge Fairly
The Sixth Amendment in the United States’ Bill of Rights (requiring a speedy trial, impartial jury, confrontation of witnesses, council, etc) is, perhaps, one of the most difficult to…