Passover 5778-2018
Originally Published 5774-2014 “The Opening Act” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As every good scriptwriter, playwright or novelist knows, the opening act of a television presentation, a…
Vayikra 5778-2018
"The Sins of a Leader” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Vayikra introduces the third book of the Torah, Vayikra, Leviticus. The parasha deals with the…
Weekly Message,Vayakhel,Pekudei
Vayakhel-Pekudei 5778-2018
"Bringing G-d Home” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s double parshiyot, Vayakhel-Pekudei, pose a significant challenge to all students of Torah. In this week’s parshiyot, the Torah…
Kee Tisah 5778-2018
Safeguarding the Covenant by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Kee Tisah, focuses primarily on the sin of the Golden Calf and Moses' successful invocation of…
Tetzaveh 5778-2018
“The Brothers: Moses and Aaron” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat Tetzaveh deals almost exclusively with the Kehuna, the office of the priesthood. It focuses on the priests’…
Terumah 5778-2018
“The Cherubs” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Terumah, we read of the many and varied materials that were donated by the people to build the Mishkan, the…
Mishpatim 5778-2018
“Heaven Made Me Do It!” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Mishpatim, serves as the basis of the Hebrew system of jurisprudence. It is the fourth most numerous…
Yitro 5778-2018
“Striving as a Jewish Ideal” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Yitro, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law advises Moses to delegate authority when he sits in…
B’shalach 5778-2018
“The Exalted Spirituality of Miriam the Prophetess” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat B’shalach, the long-awaited redemption of the Jewish people from…
Bo 5778-2018
“Deceptions at the Behest of G-d” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Bo, we read of the final three plagues that strike the Egyptians and ultimately lead…