Masei 5765-2005
"The Role of Witnesses and Testimony" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald As last year was a leap year, this year is one of the rare occasions where, outside of Israel, parashat Masei is read…
Yom Kippur 5765-2004
"G-d's Gift to His People on Yom Kippur" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald The Torah reading scheduled for this Shabbat would normally have been V'zot Habracha--the final parasha of the Torah.…
Sukkot 5765-2004
"Worshiping G-d Wholeheartedly" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald There is a wonderful Sukkot story told about the Gaon of Vilna, Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon Zalman, 1720-1797, who was the foremost…
Passover I 5765-2005
"In Every Generation" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Although the scheduled Torah portion for this week is Acharei Mot, I would like to dwell on the theme of Passover, since the festival…
Passover II 5765-2005
"On the Seventh Day the Walls of Water Split" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald The Passover holiday is divided chronologically into two parts, the first days and the last days. It was on the…
Shavuot 5765-2005
"Abba's Final Shavuot" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Our father, of blessed memory, Moshe Aaron Buchwald, whom my sisters and I called "Abba," passed away on the 14th of Sivan 5752, June 15,…
Naso 5765-2005
"A Lesson from the N’seeim--the Tribal Leaders" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s Torah portion, parashat Naso, is almost always read after the festival of Shavuot, except after a…
Vayeira 5765-2004
"The Benefit of Broad-heartedness" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayeira, we read of the miraculous birth of Isaac. At the ripe old age of 90, long after…
Vayeitzei 5765-2004
"Rachel: Portrait of a Matriarch" Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayeitzei, we are given perhaps the most extensive and most intimate view of Mother Rachel. We…
Vayishlach 5765-2004
"The Encounter" by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald In this week's parasha, parashat Vayishlach, we read of the dramatic encounter between Jacob and Esau. Uncertain whether Esau is coming toward…