B’ha’a’lot’cha 5779-2019
“Giving Our Disciples A Firm Grounding” (Revised and updated from B’ha’a’lot’cha 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat B’ha’a’lot’cha, G-d speaks…
Chayei Sarah 5772-2011
“The Mystery of Machpelah” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Chayei Sarah, we read of the passing of Abraham’s wife, the matriarch Sarah, at age 127, and her…
Bo 5772-2012
"The Plague of Darkness" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Bo, we learn of the eighth, ninth and tenth of the ten plagues--locusts, darkness and the death of…
Bereshith 5774-2013
"Beginning at the Beginning–-Again" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As we begin the study of the Torah once again, it seems appropriate to attempt to clarify the purpose of Torah study. The…
B’ha’a’lot’cha 5775-2015
“Hubris Revisited” By Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat B’ha’a’lot’cha, G-d tells Moses to instruct Aaron concerning the lighting of the Menorah, the seven…
Toledot 5776-2015
"Rebecca Inquires of G-d" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Toledot, we learn of the births of Jacob and Esau. Isaac is forty years old when he marries…
Vayeishev 5776-2015
“The Rise and Fall and Rise of Joseph” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Vayeishev, the Torah introduces the character of Joseph--the gifted and charismatic…
Va’etchanan 5776-2016
“Blessing G-d for the Good and the Bad" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Va’etchanan, includes the שְׁמַע--“Shemah,” the central Hebrew prayer in which Jews,…
The Tosafot Commentaries
One of the most fascinating aspects of Jewish study are the layer upon layer of enlightening and edifying commentaries that can be found when studying texts of the Torah or the Talmud. Of…
Naso 5782-2022
“The Hypocrite as Exemplar” (updated and revised from Naso 5763-2003) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Naso, we find that the topics of the Biblical text are…