Kee Tavo 5760-2000
"Welcoming the Stranger" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Kee Tavo, opens with the ritual of bringing the Bikurim, the first fruits of the season, to the…
Eikev 5763-2003
"Is There Truth to the Notion of Spiritual Accountability?" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald This coming week's Torah portion, Parashat Eikev, contains the well-known second paragraph of the…
A Whispered Line
The Shema is both a prayer and a statement of the most fundamental aspect of Jewish theology: God’s oneness. The words of the first line of the Shema are found in Deuteronomy 6:4 (“Hear O…
A Whispered Line
The Shema is both a prayer and a statement of the most fundamental aspect of Jewish theology: God’s oneness. The words of the first line of the Shema are found in this week’s Torah…
Lech Lecha 5762-2001
"Understanding Ishmael" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, we encounter the birth of Abrams's oldest son, Ishmael. The bible, in Genesis 15, tells…
Judaism,Chanukah,Chanukah ResourcesResources,Literacy,Judaism,Chanukah
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…
Vayechi 5764-2004
"Can It Be a Mitzvah to Lie?" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The late great Bible teacher, Nehama Leibowitz, alerts us to a major issue that appears in the narrative of this week's parasha,…
Vayigash 5762-2001
"The Virtues of Assimilation" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Vayigash, the dramatic story of Joseph and his brothers comes to a rousing conclusion.…
Vayikra 5770-2010
"Do Leaders Corrupt, or are They Corrupted?" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Vayikra, we learn of the varied sacrifices and offerings that were brought…