Genesis,Va'etchanan,Weekly Message
Va’etchanan 5772-2012
"The Magic of the Mezuzah" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’etchanan, we encounter the first of two textual references to the mitzvah of mezuzah that are…
Weekly Message,Kedoshim,Acharei Mot
Acharei Mot-Kedoshim 5773-2013
"The Sanctity of The Holy of Holies" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In parashat Acharei Mot, the first of this week’s double parashiot, Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, the Torah recalls the death of…
Passover I 5776-2016
“The Children, The Children!” by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As we have previously discussed (Passover 5760-2000), children play a central role in the Passover Seder and in the Haggadah.…
Naso 5779-2019
"Traditional Judaism: Fundamentalist or Ascetic" (Revised and updated from Naso 5760-2000) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Naso, we encounter the…
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…
Va’etchanan 5780-2020
“The Mandate for Parental Involvement in Jewish Education” (updated and revised from Va’etchanan 5761-2001) by, Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week’s parasha, parashat Va’etchanan, we…
Shemini 5784-2024
“Those Remarkable Dietary Laws” (updated and revised from Shemini 5766-2006) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Shemini, contains an extensive excursion into the…
Tazria-Metzorah 5764-2004
"Circumcision and Shabbat" by Rabbi Ephraimn Z. Buchwald In order to properly coordinate the weekly Torah readings with the Hebrew calendar, two parashiot are read this week--Tazria and…
Naso 5760-2000
"Traditional Judaism: Fundamentalist or Ascetic" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this coming week's parasha, parashat Naso, we encounter the curious law of the Nazir, the Nazarite. In…