Remembering the Akeidah

In neither of the two Torah references to the holiday of Rosh Hashana (Leviticus 23:23-25, Numbers 29:1), is there a specific mention of the shofar, the ram's horn. Only the Teruah, the…

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Shemot 5762-2001

"The Circumcision of Eliezer: A Message for Busy Parents" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Shemot, Moshe emerges as the leader of Israel and begins the…

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Vayeira 5781-2020

“Mount Moriah: Building for the Future through Love” (updated and revised from Vayeira 2000-5761) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Last week’s parasha, parashat Lech Lecha, began with G-d…

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Shemot 5782-2021

“The Circumcision of Eliezer: A Message for Busy Parents” (updated and revised from Shemot 5762-2001) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Shemot, Moses emerges…

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Judaism vs. Hellenism

Judaism vs. Hellenism Why did the interaction of the Greeks and the Jews create such problems? What was there about Hellenism…

Re’eh 5764-2004

"Identifying a True Prophet" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Re'eh, the Torah warns the Jewish people not to follow false prophets. The difficulty with this…

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Vayeira 5762-2001

"The Akeida" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald After four years of preparing d'vrei Torah on the weekly parasha, I've finally decided to bite the bullet and discuss the challenging issue of…

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Bo 5762-2002

"Rituals Work, Rituals Work" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This coming week's parasha, parashat Bo, describes the final three plagues: locusts, darkness and the death of the first born,…

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B’shalach 5769-2009

"Pharaoh Sends the People of Israel out of Egypt" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Parashat B'shalach opens with a well-known verse describing Israel's dramatic exodus from Egypt. The Bible,…

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Passover Writings

Passover Writings Order in Ten Plagues by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Demystifying…Bedikat Chametz (The Search for Chametz)…